Applied Materials stock drops about 6.5% after sharp move below key moving averages and bearish indicators
Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) dropped 6.46% today after recent record quarterly revenue gains and rising hedge fund interest were not enough to reverse broad selling pressure. The decline is reinforced by the stock's sharp move below its 20-day and 50-day moving averages, indicating strong short- and medium-term weakness.
Highlights
- Applied Materials reported record $7.91 billion revenue in Q2 2026, up 13% sequentially, fueled by AI chip equipment demand.
- Hedge fund ownership increased sharply from 111 to 138 portfolios, but shares remained under selling pressure.
- The stock is trading below near-term moving averages with technical indicators signaling oversold conditions and a likely sideways consolidation between $390.92 and $500.4.
Hedge fund inflows persist amid sustained sector-wide pressure
Applied Materials was mentioned by the Columbia Seligman Global Technology Fund for its role in providing materials engineering solutions to the semiconductor industry. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, the company reported record revenue of $7.91 billion, representing a 13% sequential and 11% year-over-year increase driven by demand for AI wafer fabrication equipment. The number of hedge fund portfolios holding Applied Materials shares rose from 111 to 138 at the end of the first quarter, though price action has remained under broader selling pressure.
Momentum firmly bearish as key supports hold against volatility
AMAT is trading sharply below its 20-day ($573.18) and 50-day ($539.81) moving averages, indicating strong short- and medium-term selling pressure, although it remains above the 200-day ($369.48) moving average, which maintains a longer-term bullish tilt. Immediate resistance stands at $467.01, with support at $442.02. Momentum indicators confirm a strong bearish tone: MACD and ADX highlight broad selling and a weak trend, while the RSI at 37.8, CCI at -176.12, and Stochastic RSI at 0 signal oversold conditions. Bull/Bear Power at -54.01 and the Awesome Oscillator also point to sellers dominating intraday momentum, with the stock down $30.8 today following a downside gap. Intraday volatility is elevated at 7.06%, and the price is trading near session lows, keeping the tone firmly negative.
Earlier, analysts noted that Applied Materials faced persistent selling despite maintaining a bullish long-term technical profile. The recent acceleration of downside momentum amid record revenues and heightened volatility raises the importance of monitoring whether support at $442.02 can contain further weakness in the days ahead.