APPLIED MATERIALS (AMAT) Soars on AI-Driven Chip Equipment Orders

Applied Materials (AMAT) surged 11.7% in premarket trading on February 13, 2026, as investors expect continued AI-driven demand to boost orders for its chipmaking tools. The company forecast second-quarter revenue of $7.65 billion, above the $7.01 billion average estimate, and adjusted profit of $2.64 per share, beating $2.28 estimates. CEO Gary Dickerson attributed the quarter’s strength to accelerated AI computing investments, with higher-performance, energy-efficient chips in leading-edge logic, high-bandwidth memory, and advanced packaging seeing increased demand. Analysts at RBC note AMAT’s leadership in DRAM/HBM, advanced logic, and packaging, and industry group SEMI expects equipment sales to rise 9% to $126 billion in 2026 and 7.3% to $135 billion in 2027. The positive outlook lifted broader chip-equipment stocks, including ASML up 1.8%, Lam Research up 2%, and KLA thin volumes over 1%. AMAT shares have gained 28% year-to-date, outperforming the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index’s 14% gain.