Advertisement
AMAT vs COHU
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Applied Materials (AMAT) vs. Cohu (COHU) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- AMAT has delivered YTD returns exceeding 108%, significantly outpacing the S&P 500, driven by sustained demand in semiconductor equipment for AI applications.
- COHU reported Q2 2026 net sales of $149 million, representing a 38% year-over-year increase, with improved test cell utilization reaching approximately 80%.
- Both companies operate in the semiconductor capital equipment sector, exposing them to similar cyclical and technological drivers, though AMAT maintains a larger scale and broader product portfolio.
- Recent market activity shows AMAT trading near $539–$542 with notable volatility around its June highs near $740, while COHU trades near $53 with a 52-week range of $18.67 to $74.60.
- Upcoming earnings for AMAT on August 13, 2026, and COHU's recent results highlight differing near-term catalysts amid AI-related semiconductor growth.
- Relative positioning favors larger players like AMAT for trend consistency, while COHU offers higher percentage growth potential in a recovery phase.
Introduction
Applied Materials (AMAT) and Cohu (COHU) represent two distinct segments within the semiconductor equipment industry, making them relevant for comparison among investors and traders seeking exposure to chip manufacturing and testing technologies. AMAT provides a wide array of fabrication equipment, while COHU specializes in test and inspection solutions. This analysis appeals to those evaluating relative performance, sector momentum, and positioning in the current environment shaped by artificial intelligence demand and supply chain dynamics. The comparison draws on observable metrics such as revenue trends, stock behavior, and market context to highlight trade-offs without favoring either security.
AMAT Overview and Recent Performance
Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) develops equipment used in semiconductor wafer fabrication, including deposition, etching, and inspection systems critical for advanced chip production. In recent market activity, the stock has shown strong year-to-date gains above 108%, far exceeding the S&P 500's approximately 13% return, supported by broad AI-related demand for memory and logic chips. Performance in recent weeks included a rebound from July lows near $436, though the share price remains below its June peak near $740 amid sector volatility. Sentiment has been influenced by expectations for robust fiscal third-quarter results, scheduled for August 13, 2026, alongside ongoing considerations around international trade policies and customer capital expenditure patterns in the semiconductor space.
COHU Overview and Recent Performance
Cohu, Inc. (COHU) supplies semiconductor test handlers, contactors, and related services that optimize manufacturing yield and productivity. Recent performance reflects notable recovery, with the stock posting year-to-date returns around 127%. The company reported second-quarter 2026 net sales of $149 million, up 38% from the prior year, alongside non-GAAP earnings of $0.26 per share and improved utilization rates near 80% by the end of June. Broader market activity has seen the shares trade in a wide 52-week range, with recent levels near $53 benefiting from expanding high-performance computing pipelines and broad-based end-market improvement. Factors shaping sentiment include order momentum and operational efficiency gains within the test equipment segment.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron maintains a curated selection of AI trading bots on its Trending AI Robots page. The platform offers hundreds of AI Trading Bots capable of trading thousands of different tickers, yet only the highest-performing and most suitable for prevailing market conditions earn placement in this focused section. Available bots demonstrate performance metrics such as returns reaching up to +241% with win rates in the 70–80% range, spanning strategies across semiconductors, space, penny stocks, micro caps, and small caps. These systems employ varied trading styles, timeframes from 5-minute to 60-minute intervals, adaptive models, and configurations including single-asset, multi-asset, and leveraged approaches. All bots differ in their statistical profiles, risk parameters, and ticker universes. Review the full selection on the Trending AI Robots page for detailed comparisons.
Head-to-Head Comparison
In business model terms, AMAT operates at a larger scale with diversified exposure across the semiconductor fabrication process, while COHU focuses more narrowly on backend test and inspection equipment, resulting in different revenue stability profiles. Growth drivers overlap in AI and advanced packaging demand, yet AMAT benefits from broader customer relationships and higher absolute revenue, whereas COHU has exhibited sharper percentage revenue acceleration in its latest quarter. Recent momentum favors both amid sector tailwinds, though AMAT displays greater price consistency over multi-month periods compared with COHU's wider volatility range. Risk factors include shared exposure to cyclical capital spending and geopolitical trade restrictions, with COHU potentially more sensitive to utilization swings. Sector exposure centers on semiconductors for both, though market sentiment has rewarded AMAT's established positioning while highlighting COHU's recovery trajectory.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors including trend consistency across recent periods, scale of operations, and positioning within AI-driven semiconductor demand, Tickeron’s AI models would currently assign a higher probabilistic preference to AMAT. Its larger market presence and steadier performance metrics relative to broader benchmarks provide a more stable profile amid sector fluctuations, though COHU demonstrates competitive growth attributes that could narrow the gap depending on execution in subsequent quarters.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is AMAT is a Hold and COHU is a Hold.
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
AMAT’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileCOHU’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- AMAT’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- COHU’s FA Score: 1 green, 4 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
AMAT’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while COHU’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s).
- AMAT’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 6 bearish.
- COHU’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
AMAT (@Electronic Production Equipment) experienced а -2.83% price change this week, while COHU (@Electronic Production Equipment) price change was -8.31% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronic Production Equipment industry was -10.00%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +70.42%, and the average quarterly price growth was +74.27%.
Reported Earning Dates
AMAT is expected to report earnings on Nov 12, 2026.
COHU is expected to report earnings on Oct 29, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronic Production Equipment (-10.00% weekly)The electronic production equipment industry makes equipment used to produce semiconductors. Such equipment includes wafer fabrication, plasma etching and photo-resist processing equipment. The industry also makes chemical vapor deposition processing systems and photomasks, which are high-purity quartz plates that contain patterns to define integrated circuits layouts. Applied Materials, Inc., Lam Research Corporation, and KLA-Tencor Corporation are examples of electronic production equipment manufacturing companies.
| AMAT | COHU | AMAT / COHU | |
| Capitalization | 391B | 2.57B | 15,190% |
| EBITDA | 11.5B | 21.3M | 53,991% |
| Gain YTD | 92.255 | 133.648 | 69% |
| P/E Ratio | 42.48 | 51.42 | 83% |
| Revenue | 30.8B | 523M | 5,889% |
| Total Cash | 1.5B | 498M | 301% |
| Total Debt | 7.27B | 327M | 2,223% |
AMAT | COHU | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 50 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 67 Overvalued | 53 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 40 | 70 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 14 | 91 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 38 | 37 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 8 | 6 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 75 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
COHU's Valuation (53) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as AMAT (67). This means that COHU’s stock grew similarly to AMAT’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's Profit vs Risk Rating (40) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as COHU (70). This means that AMAT’s stock grew similarly to COHU’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's SMR Rating (14) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is significantly better than the same rating for COHU (91). This means that AMAT’s stock grew significantly faster than COHU’s over the last 12 months.
COHU's Price Growth Rating (37) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as AMAT (38). This means that COHU’s stock grew similarly to AMAT’s over the last 12 months.
COHU's P/E Growth Rating (6) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as AMAT (8). This means that COHU’s stock grew similarly to AMAT’s over the last 12 months.
| AMAT | COHU | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 85% | 3 days ago 78% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 80% | 3 days ago 73% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 71% | 3 days ago 78% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 73% | 3 days ago 76% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 66% | 3 days ago 69% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 66% | 3 days ago 68% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 12 days ago 78% | 10 days ago 74% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 10 days ago 64% | 4 days ago 70% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 86% | 3 days ago 82% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 59% | 3 days ago 72% |
Advertisement
COHU and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, COHU has been closely correlated with AMKR. These tickers have moved in lockstep 77% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if COHU jumps, then AMKR could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To COHU | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COHU | 100% | +0.48% | ||
| AMKR - COHU | 77% Closely correlated | -1.18% | ||
| UCTT - COHU | 77% Closely correlated | +4.68% | ||
| ONTO - COHU | 77% Closely correlated | -1.84% | ||
| LRCX - COHU | 76% Closely correlated | +1.12% | ||
| AMAT - COHU | 75% Closely correlated | -0.78% | ||
More | ||||