Core Insights - The market is currently experiencing downward pressure, with a focus on upcoming catalysts, particularly Nvidia's earnings report, which could influence market direction [3][4]. Company Analysis Applied Materials (AAT) - AAT has shown strong performance, with a year-to-date increase of nearly 40% and a significant earnings report that exceeded expectations [5][8]. - The company has raised its guidance, now expecting equipment sales to grow by 20% in 2026, up from a previous estimate of 5% [9]. - Gross margins have improved to 54%, indicating strong demand for AI chips and memory, particularly in DRAM [10]. Citigroup (Croup) - Citigroup has reported strong revenue growth but is facing downward price pressure, attributed to broader financial sector concerns [16][18]. - The company offers a 2.16% dividend yield with a 25% payout ratio, indicating room for growth and high free cash flow [18]. - Citigroup is positioned to benefit from trends in tokenization and stable coins, which are seen as disruptive forces in the financial sector [19]. Apple - Apple is preparing for a significant consumer AI event on March 4, which could signal a breakthrough in consumer AI solutions [26][30]. - The company has seen inventory surge to $115 billion, a 51% year-over-year increase, typically indicative of major product cycles [28]. - R&D spending has reached a record 7.6% of revenue, suggesting aggressive investment in AI [29]. Technical Analysis Applied Materials (AAT) - AAT has been in an upward channel, with recent highs near 376 and a gap level around 341 that may act as support [11][12]. - The 5-day EMA is around 345, indicating potential support levels [13]. Citigroup (Croup) - Citigroup's price action has been more sideways, with notable levels around 123 as a ceiling and 113 as a recent low [21][22]. - The stock is currently trading at approximately 113.80, showing a slight increase [25]. Apple - Apple's trend is currently downward, with recent support levels around 255 and notable resistance near 267 to 276 [32][36]. - The stock is trading near 260, with significant volume areas identified between 253 to 260 [36].

Core Viewpoint - Goldman Sachs has raised price targets by over 10% on four blue-chip dividend stocks, indicating optimism about their future performance and potential for growth [1]. Group 1: Price Target Increases - Goldman Sachs raised the price target for Applied Materials from $310 to $390, reflecting a significant increase of 26% [1]. - The price target for Belden was increased from $144 to $175, representing a 21.5% rise [1]. - BorgWarner's target price was raised from $54 to $78, marking a 44.4% increase [1]. - Cameco's price target was increased from $115 to $131, which is a 13.9% rise [2]. Group 2: Company Profiles - **Applied Materials**: A semiconductor capital equipment company that provides solutions for the semiconductor and display industries, operating in three segments: Display, Applied Global Services, and Semiconductor Systems [1]. - **Belden**: A global supplier of connection solutions, focusing on network infrastructure and broadband solutions, with applications in various vertical markets including healthcare and data centers [1]. - **BorgWarner**: Engaged in clean-technology solutions for vehicles, the company operates in four segments, including PowerDrive Systems and Battery & Charging Systems, focusing on electric and hybrid vehicle technologies [1]. - **Cameco**: A Canadian company that supplies uranium fuel for nuclear reactors, involved in uranium mining and refining, with operations at Cigar Lake and McArthur River mines [2].

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) is one of the AI Stocks to Watch. Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) is gaining renewed interest from Wall Street as analysts view the stock as well-positioned toward growth whether the market is market-driven or share-driven. On February 13, TD Cowen analyst Krish Sankar raised the price target on Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) to $450.00 (from $315.00) while reiterating its “Buy” rating. The research firm believes that AMAT is poised to benefit from stronger semiconductor ...

U.S. equity markets are set to reopen this Tuesday morning, February 17th, 2026, following the Presidents' Day holiday. Investors are returning to their desks with a heavy focus on the technology sector and the evolving narrative surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). Premarket trading activity suggests a cautious but optimistic start to the week, with futures for the major indexes showing modest gains. S&P 500 (SPY) futures are up approximately 0.25%, while Nasdaq 100 (QQQ) futures have edged higher by ...

Core Insights - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects global GDP growth of approximately 3.3% for 2026, supported by corporate investment in digital infrastructure and advanced technologies [1] - The global semiconductor industry is expected to reach $975 billion in annual sales in 2026, driven by an AI infrastructure boom [2] - The industrial sector is bolstered by sustained defense spending and strong commercial aerospace backlogs, with U.S. national defense spending exceeding $800 billion annually [7] Technology Sector - AI-driven capital expenditure is a key earnings catalyst in 2026, with major companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet investing heavily in AI data centers and cloud infrastructure [4] - The Semiconductor Industry Association anticipates global semiconductor sales to approach $1 trillion in 2026, indicating a 26% growth, primarily due to advanced logic and high-bandwidth memory linked to generative AI workloads [5] - Companies such as NVIDIA, Taiwan Semiconductor, ASML, and Applied Materials are positioned to benefit from this growth, with TSM holding a Zacks Rank 1 (Strong Buy) and the others carrying a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy) [5] Industrial Sector - The industrial sector benefits from strong defense spending and a robust commercial aerospace backlog, with companies like Lockheed Martin and RTX reporting significant backlogs of $194 billion and $268 billion, respectively [7] - Electrification and grid modernization are also key growth drivers, with firms like Eaton and Siemens focusing on data center power demand and energy transition investments [8] - These factors provide substantial backlog visibility and earnings support as the sector moves into mid-2026 [8]

Core Insights - The semiconductor sector experienced mixed results, with an average gain of 1.5% last week, driven by strong performances from equipment makers like Applied Materials and Taiwan Semiconductor, while chip designers like Intel and NVIDIA faced challenges [1] Group 1: Company Performances - Applied Materials (AMAT) reported Q1 revenue of $7.01 billion, exceeding earnings estimates, and expects over 20% growth in its semiconductor equipment business this year due to AI infrastructure investments [1] - Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) saw a 37% increase in January revenue, surpassing its 30% growth target for 2026, indicating strong demand for its services [1] - Micron (MU) projected record Q2 revenue of $18.70 billion with 68% gross margins, benefiting from premium pricing on HBM3E chips for AI accelerators [1] Group 2: Stock Movements - AMAT shares increased by 10.1% last week and are up 38.1% year-to-date, while TSM shares rose by 5.0% and are up 20.6% year-to-date [1] - In contrast, Intel (INTC) shares fell by 7.5% after guiding Q1 revenue to $11.7-12.7 billion, citing memory supply constraints [1] - NVIDIA (NVDA) shares declined by 1.4% despite generally positive news, reflecting market concerns about potential loss of market share [1] Group 3: Market Trends - The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) gained 1.5%, indicating overall positive sentiment in the semiconductor sector, particularly for equipment makers and foundries [1] - Analysts maintain a strong bullish outlook on Micron, with 37 buy or strong buy ratings compared to only 6 hold or sell ratings, reflecting confidence in the AI memory cycle [1] - Upcoming reports from equipment makers and sales data from Asian foundries are anticipated to provide further insights into semiconductor demand for 2026 [1]

Economic Indicators - The latest CPI data from the US shows a decrease in the annual rate from 2.7% to 2.4%, the lowest since May 2025, with market expectations at 2.5% [1] - The core CPI annual rate fell from 2.6% to 2.5%, marking the lowest level since March 2021, aligning with market expectations [1] - Following the CPI release, the probability of the Federal Reserve easing policies in June increased from 63% to 69%, with a 50% chance of a third rate cut this year [1] Stock Market Performance - The three major US stock indices showed mixed results, with the Dow Jones up 0.1%, S&P 500 up 0.05%, and Nasdaq down 0.22% [2] - Over the week, the Dow Jones fell by 1.23%, S&P 500 by 1.39%, and Nasdaq by 2.1% [2] Individual Stock Movements - Major tech stocks experienced declines, with Apple and Nvidia down over 2%, while Tesla saw a slight increase of 0.09% [4] - Semiconductor stocks performed well, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rising by 0.66%, driven by significant gains in Applied Materials and ARM [4] - Gold stocks showed strong performance, with several companies like Coeur Mining and Harmony Gold seeing increases of over 6% [4] Commodity Prices - Gold and silver prices surged, with gold closing at $5042.808 per ounce, up over 2.4%, and silver reaching $77.338 per ounce after a rise of over 5% [6] Geopolitical Developments - The US is increasing military presence in the Middle East, with President Trump confirming the deployment of a second aircraft carrier strike group to pressure Iran into negotiations [8] - Trump emphasized the need for a deal with Iran within a month, warning of severe consequences if negotiations fail [9] - Israeli officials expressed skepticism about the potential agreement, stressing the importance of including issues related to Iran's nuclear capabilities and missile programs [9]

Group 1 - Needham raised the price target on Applied Materials (AMAT) to $440 from $390 while maintaining a Buy rating on the shares [1] - The company reported a significant beat-and-raise quarter, which has been anticipated by investors for some time [1] - Management anticipates strong wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) growth to continue into 2027 [1]

Cantor Fitzgerald raised the firm’s price target on Applied Materials (AMAT) to $470 from $425 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. Applied Materials delivered a strong outlook for CY26 with 20%+ growth and EPS guidance of $12.05, supported by robust exposure to leading-edge Front-End logic and DRAM, strong demand from Samsung (SSNLF), and visibility into a second half of 2026 ramp despite clean room constraints, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Published first on TheFly – the ult ...

Group 1 - Brett Ashcroft-Green is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and the founder of Ashcroft Green Advisors, a registered investment advisory firm based in Nevada [1] - The firm specializes in working with high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth families, leveraging Brett's extensive experience in private credit and commercial real estate mezzanine financing [1] - Brett has a professional background that spans the U.S. and Asia, including significant experience in China, and is fluent in Mandarin Chinese [1] Group 2 - The article does not provide any specific financial, investment, tax, or legal advice, emphasizing the importance of consulting with a qualified financial professional [3] - It highlights that the author's views are based on independent research and professional experience, without any compensation from companies mentioned [2][3]