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AMAT vs NXPI
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Applied Materials (AMAT) vs. NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- AMAT has delivered superior year-to-date returns of approximately 70%, significantly outpacing the S&P 500's 8% gain and NXPI's 37% rise.
- Both stocks benefit from semiconductor demand driven by AI, but AMAT focuses on equipment manufacturing while NXPI emphasizes chips for automotive and industrial applications.
- Recent quarters show strong momentum: AMAT with AI-fueled equipment orders and NXPI posting 12% revenue growth in Q1 2026 from broad end-market strength.
- AMAT's market cap exceeds $345 billion, dwarfing NXPI's $74 billion, reflecting broader scale in wafer fabrication equipment (WFE).
- Analyst price targets remain bullish for both, with AMAT reaching up to $500 amid AI chip production ramps.
- Valuation contrast: AMAT trades at a higher P/E of about 45 versus NXPI's 28, signaling growth premium for equipment versus chips.
Introduction
Applied Materials (AMAT) and NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) represent key players in the semiconductor ecosystem, with AMAT providing essential wafer fabrication equipment and NXPI delivering mixed-signal chips for automotive, industrial, and IoT applications. This stock comparison is particularly relevant for traders eyeing relative performance in the AI-driven chip boom and investors assessing sector exposure amid recent market volatility. Both have outperformed the broader market in recent weeks, fueled by demand for advanced computing and electrification trends, offering insights into equipment versus end-chip dynamics in today's semiconductor landscape.
AMAT Overview and Recent Performance
Applied Materials (AMAT), a leading provider of materials engineering solutions for semiconductor manufacturing, has seen robust stock appreciation in recent market activity. Trading around $435 with a market cap over $345 billion, the company benefits from surging demand for its deposition and etching systems used in AI chip production. Year-to-date returns stand at about 70%, far exceeding the S&P 500's 8%, driven by AI-related wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) orders. Sentiment has strengthened with new analyst targets up to $500, citing irreplaceable roles in advanced packaging and angstrom-era logic chips. Recent developments include acquisitions broadening its portfolio and innovations for high-bandwidth memory (HBM), supporting growth in foundry and DRAM segments amid AI hyperscaler investments.
NXPI Overview and Recent Performance
NXP Semiconductors (NXPI), a global leader in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications, trades near $295 with a $74 billion market cap. The company reported Q1 2026 revenue of $3.18 billion, up 12% year-over-year, beating estimates on strength in automotive (up 6%) and industrial & IoT (up 24%). Year-to-date gains of roughly 37% outpace the S&P 500, with recent weeks showing a 43-49% monthly surge post-earnings. Positive sentiment stems from software-defined vehicle programs, radar/connectivity momentum, and edge AI traction, alongside upbeat Q2 guidance. Automotive remains the largest segment at $1.78 billion, bolstered by electrification and design wins for processors like S32N.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
AMAT and NXPI operate complementarily in semiconductors: AMAT as an equipment maker enabling chip production, versus NXPI's focus on designing mixed-signal microcontrollers and processors. Growth drivers differ—AMAT rides AI data center WFE and advanced nodes, while NXPI leverages automotive electrification, software-defined vehicles, and industrial edge AI. Recent momentum favors AMAT with 175% one-year returns versus NXPI's 55%, though NXPI shows catch-up via post-Q1 gains. Risk factors include cyclical WFE demand for AMAT (beta 1.65) and auto production volatility for NXPI (beta 1.78). Both share semiconductor exposure but NXPI diversifies into stable industrial/IoT. Market sentiment tilts toward AMAT's scale and AI purity, trading at a premium P/E of 45 versus NXPI's 28.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors AMAT due to its stronger trend consistency, outsized relative performance, and positioning amid AI equipment catalysts like advanced packaging ramps. While NXPI offers stability from automotive breadth and recent earnings momentum, AMAT's superior YTD gains and analyst upgrades suggest higher probabilistic upside in the prevailing semiconductor upcycle.
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 Disclaimers and Limitations.
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 StrongBuy and NXPI 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 4 FA rating(s) are green whileNXPI’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s).
- AMAT’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- NXPI’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 NXPI’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- AMAT’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 3 bearish.
- NXPI’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 5 bearish.
Price Growth
AMAT (@Electronic Production Equipment) experienced а +1.58% price change this week, while NXPI (@Semiconductors) price change was -11.27% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronic Production Equipment industry was -9.96%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +1.31%, and the average quarterly price growth was +121.85%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Semiconductors industry was -10.58%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -10.31%, and the average quarterly price growth was +83.46%.
Reported Earning Dates
AMAT is expected to report earnings on Aug 13, 2026.
NXPI is expected to report earnings on Jul 28, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronic Production Equipment (-9.96% 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.
@Semiconductors (-10.58% weekly)The semiconductor industry manufacturers all chip-related products, including research and development. These chips are used in innumerable electronic devices, including computers, cell phones, smartphones, and GPSs. Intel Corporation, NVIDIA Corp., and Broadcomm are some of the prominent players in this industry. Semiconductor companies usually tend to do well during periods of healthy economic growth, thereby inducing further research and development in the industry – which in turn augurs well for productivity and growth in the economy. In the near future, demand for semiconductor products (and possibly innovation within the segment) should only expand further, with the proliferation of 5G, autonomous vehicles, IoT, and various AI-driven electronics set to herald a new, advanced chapter in the technology-driven world as we know it. With burgeoning prospects comes great competition. In 2015, SIA estimated that U.S. semiconductor industry ranks as the second most competitive U.S. industry out of 2882 U.S. industries designated manufacturers by the U.S. Census Bureau.
| AMAT | NXPI | AMAT / NXPI | |
| Capitalization | 498B | 69.9B | 712% |
| EBITDA | 11.1B | 4.72B | 235% |
| Gain YTD | 144.524 | 28.721 | 503% |
| P/E Ratio | 60.22 | 28.67 | 210% |
| Revenue | 29B | 12.6B | 230% |
| Total Cash | 8.24B | 3.38B | 244% |
| Total Debt | 7.27B | 11.7B | 62% |
AMAT | NXPI | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 34 | 66 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 78 Overvalued | 45 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 6 | 63 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 24 | 36 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 2 | 41 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 5 | 31 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 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.
NXPI's Valuation (45) in the Semiconductors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for AMAT (78) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry. This means that NXPI’s stock grew somewhat faster than AMAT’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's Profit vs Risk Rating (6) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is somewhat better than the same rating for NXPI (63) in the Semiconductors industry. This means that AMAT’s stock grew somewhat faster than NXPI’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's SMR Rating (24) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as NXPI (36) in the Semiconductors industry. This means that AMAT’s stock grew similarly to NXPI’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's Price Growth Rating (2) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is somewhat better than the same rating for NXPI (41) in the Semiconductors industry. This means that AMAT’s stock grew somewhat faster than NXPI’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's P/E Growth Rating (5) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as NXPI (31) in the Semiconductors industry. This means that AMAT’s stock grew similarly to NXPI’s over the last 12 months.
| AMAT | NXPI | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 60% | 2 days ago 84% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 74% | 2 days ago 83% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 82% | 2 days ago 72% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 73% | 2 days ago 71% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 77% | 2 days ago 70% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 77% | 2 days ago 68% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 77% | 6 days ago 65% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | N/A | 4 days ago 65% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 69% | 2 days ago 76% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 75% | 2 days ago 63% |
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AMAT and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, AMAT has been closely correlated with LRCX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 88% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if AMAT jumps, then LRCX could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To AMAT | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMAT | 100% | -6.16% | ||
| LRCX - AMAT | 88% Closely correlated | -5.66% | ||
| KLAC - AMAT | 85% Closely correlated | -3.93% | ||
| NVMI - AMAT | 78% Closely correlated | -8.67% | ||
| ASML - AMAT | 77% Closely correlated | -2.53% | ||
| ONTO - AMAT | 77% Closely correlated | -5.90% | ||
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NXPI and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, NXPI has been closely correlated with ENTG. These tickers have moved in lockstep 78% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if NXPI jumps, then ENTG could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To NXPI | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NXPI | 100% | -7.24% | ||
| ENTG - NXPI | 78% Closely correlated | -8.42% | ||
| MCHP - NXPI | 77% Closely correlated | -6.58% | ||
| LRCX - NXPI | 77% Closely correlated | -5.66% | ||
| KLAC - NXPI | 76% Closely correlated | -3.93% | ||
| MCHPP - NXPI | 75% Closely correlated | -5.65% | ||
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