APPLIED MATERIALS INC /DE (AMAT)

Business overview

Business Applied Materials, Inc. is the leader in the materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every semiconductor in the world. Semiconductors provide the foundation for advances in technology that are reshaping the global economy, including artificial intelligence, the internet of things, robotics, electric and autonomous vehicles, and clean energy. We are experts in the design, development, production, and servicing of the critical wafer fabrication tools our customers need to manufacture semiconductors. Our customers’ products are used across personal computing devices, mobile phones, artificial intelligence (AI) and data center servers, automobiles, connected devices, industrial applications and consumer electronics. We are well positioned to address the increasing complexity in manufacturing semiconductors, by leveraging the semiconductor capital equipment industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of products to connect and co-optimize our technologies.

This enables our customers to evolve their semiconductor technology roadmaps and achieve superior results in their products. Incorporated in 1967, we are a Delaware corporation. Our fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in October. We operate in two reportable segments: Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services® (AGS). The Semiconductor Systems segment represents the largest contributor to our net revenue. A summary of financial information for each reportable segment is found in Note 15 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

A discussion of factors that could affect operations is set forth under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A, which is incorporated herein by reference. Semiconductor Systems Our Semiconductor Systems segment designs, develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of equipment used to fabricate semiconductor chips, also referred to as integrated circuits (ICs). The Semiconductor Systems segment consists of the semiconductor capital equipment industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of products used in the chip making process. Our products address steps across materials engineering, process control and advanced packaging, including the conversion of patterns into device structures, transistor and interconnect fabrication, metrology, inspection and review, and packaging technologies for connecting finished IC die. In addition to providing equipment for individual process steps, we have the ability to combine, co-optimize and integrate our technologies to develop highly differentiated solutions for our customers.

Our equipment helps customers improve the power, performance, yield and costs of semiconductor devices. Our patterning systems and technologies address challenges resulting from shrinking pattern dimensions and the growing complexity in vertical stacking found in today’s most advanced semiconductor devices. Our transistor and interconnect products and technologies enable continued power and performance improvements of 3D transistors. Our process control systems employ optical and eBeam technologies that allow customers to inspect and review critical semiconductor architectures throughout the manufacturing process, helping improve chip yields. Our advanced packaging systems use our materials engineering expertise to allow customers to connect multiple chips together through heterogeneous integration, enabling them to advance the technology roadmap beyond a single chip, leading to performance and energy-efficiency improvements.

Our Semiconductor Systems sales are to customers that serve the following markets: foundry, logic and other; dynamic random access memory (DRAM); and flash memory (NAND). Foundry, logic, and other is comprised of leading-edge and non-leading edge technology nodes. Leading-edge represents customers that are producing on the most advanced technology nodes, defined as 7 nanometers and smaller. Non-leading edge technology nodes serve markets such as internet of things, communications, automotive, power and sensors. 4 Applied Global Services Our AGS segment provides services, spares and factory automation software to customer fabrication plants globally. Through October 26, 2025, our AGS segment also manufactured and sold 200 millimeter (200mm) and other equipment to customers globally that serve non-leading-edge markets.

Effective the first quarter of fiscal 2026, our 200mm equipment business will be moved to our Semiconductor Systems segment. AGS’s transactional and subscription service products, spares and factory automation software is purchased by customers to optimize the performance of our large, global installed base of semiconductor and other equipment. These solutions are also used to optimize plant performance and productivity. Customer demand is fulfilled through a global distribution system and trained field engineers located near customer sites to support our semiconductor and other equipment worldwide. Other We also manufacture products and serve customers in certain other industries, including manufacturing equipment for the display industry. The financial results of our businesses that are not included in our Semiconductor Systems segment or our AGS segment, such as our display business, are reported in the Corporate and Other category. 5 Backlog We manufacture systems to meet demand represented by order backlog and customer commitments. […]

Management discussion and analysis

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Introduction Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) is intended to facilitate an understanding of our business and results of operations. This MD&A should be read in conjunction with our Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Form 10-K. The following discussion contains forward-looking statements and should also be read in conjunction with the cautionary statement set forth at the beginning of this Form 10-K. The following section generally discusses 2025 and 2024 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2025 and 2024. Discussions of 2024 items and year-to-year comparisons between 2024 and 2023 that are not included in this Form 10-K can be found in “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 27, 2024, filed on December 13, 2024.

Overview We provide equipment, services and software to the semiconductor and related industries. Our customers include manufacturers of semiconductor wafers and chips and other electronic devices. Our customers’ products are used in a wide variety of products such as personal computing devices, mobile phones, artificial intelligence (AI) and data center servers, automobiles, connected devices, industrial applications and consumer electronics. Each of our segments is subject to variable industry conditions, as demand for equipment and services can change depending on supply and demand for chips and other electronic devices, as well as other factors, such as global economic, political and market conditions, and the nature and timing of technological advances in fabrication processes.

Our strategic priorities include developing products that help solve customers’ challenges at technology inflections, growing our service business, and expanding our served market opportunities in the semiconductor industry. Our long-term growth strategy requires continued development of new materials engineering capabilities, including products and platforms that enable expansion into new and adjacent markets. Our significant investments in research, development and engineering (RD&E) are intended to enable us to deliver new products and technologies before the emergence of strong demand, allowing customers to incorporate these products into their manufacturing plans during early-stage technology selection. We collaborate closely with our global customers to design systems and processes to meet their technical and production requirements.

Our future operating results depend to a considerable extent on our ability to maintain a competitive advantage in the equipment and service products we provide. Development cycles depend on whether the product is an enhancement of an existing product, which typically has a shorter development cycle, or a new product, which typically has a longer development cycle. Most of our existing products resulted from internal development activities and innovations involving new technologies, materials and processes. In certain instances, we acquire technologies, either in existing or new product areas, to complement our existing technology capabilities and to reduce time to market. Product development and manufacturing activities occur primarily in the United States, Europe, Israel, and Asia.

Our portfolio of equipment and service products are highly technical and are sold primarily through a direct sales force. We believe that it is critical to make substantial investments in RD&E to assure the availability of innovative technology that meets the current and projected requirements of our customers’ most advanced designs. We have and continue to invest in RD&E in order to continue to offer new products and technologies. We operate in two reportable segments: Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services® (AGS). As of October 26, 2025, management no longer considers Display a significant operating segment for separate reporting purposes. The financial results of our other operating segments that do not meet the requirements for a reportable segment, including our Display operating segment, are included in Corporate and Other.

Prior-year Corporate and Other balances have been recast to include Display financial results. A summary of financial information for each reportable segment is found in Note 15 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. A discussion of factors that could affect our operations is set forth under “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A, which is incorporated herein by reference. Our results are driven primarily by customer spending on capital equipment and services to support key technology transitions or to increase production volume in response to worldwide demand for semiconductors. 28 The Semiconductor Systems segment is comprised primarily of capital equipment used to fabricate semiconductor chips. […]

Key risk disclosures

Risk Factors The following risk factors could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations and cause reputational harm, and should be carefully considered in evaluating our business, in addition to other information presented elsewhere in this report. Business and Industry Risks The industries we serve can be volatile and difficult to predict. The industries in which we operate, including the global semiconductor industry, have historically been cyclical and are subject to volatility in customer demand. Demand for our products and services is impacted by technology inflections and advances in fabrication processes, new and emerging technologies and market drivers, production capacity relative to demand for semiconductor chips and electronic devices, end-user demand, the timing of customers’ investment in new or expanded fabrication plants, customers’ capacity utilization, production volumes, access to affordable capital, business and consumer buying patterns and general economic and political conditions.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and technologies related to AI are a significant demand driver for the industries we serve. AI is evolving rapidly and the expected timing and amount of investments related to AI can change significantly. As a result, it is difficult to accurately forecast demand for our products related to AI. Changes in demand can affect the timing and amounts of customer investments in technology and manufacturing equipment and can significantly impact our operating results. The amount and mix of our customers’ capital equipment spending between different products and technologies can also significantly impact our operating results. To meet rapidly changing demand, we must accurately forecast demand and effectively manage our resources, investments, production capacity, supply chain, workforce, inventory and other components of our business.

We may incur unexpected or additional costs to align our business operations with changes in demand. If we do not effectively manage these challenges, our business performance and operating results may be adversely impacted. Even with effective allocation of resources and management of costs, our gross and operating margins, cash flows and earnings may be adversely impacted during periods of changing demand. We are exposed to risks associated with an uncertain global economy. Our business and the industries in which we operate can be impacted by uncertain or adverse economic and business conditions, including uncertainties and volatility in the financial markets, national debt, fiscal or monetary concerns, inflation and changes in interest rates, bank failures, tariffs and trade policies and economic recession.

These conditions have caused, and may in the future cause, our customers to delay, cancel or refrain from purchasing our equipment or services, which could negatively impact demand for our products and services, reduce our backlog and increase our inventory. Customers may also scale back operations, exit businesses, merge with other manufacturers, or file for bankruptcy, which can reduce our revenue and result in additional inventory or bad debt expense. Other equipment manufacturers may also consolidate or form strategic alliances, which could adversely affect our ability to compete. These conditions make it more difficult to accurately forecast operating and financial results and make business and investment decisions. We may be required to implement additional cost reduction efforts, including restructuring activities, which may adversely impact our ability to capitalize on opportunities.

Even during periods of economic uncertainty or lower demand, we must continue to invest in research and development and maintain a global business infrastructure to compete effectively and support our customers. The consequences of these conditions could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our investment portfolio is subject to general credit, liquidity, market and interest rate risks, which may be exacerbated by rising inflation, rising interest rates, bank failures or economic recession and the value and liquidity of our portfolio and returns on pension assets could be negatively impacted and lead to impairment charges. We also maintain cash balances in various bank accounts globally and if any of these financial institutions become insolvent, it could limit our ability to access our cash and affect our ability to manage our operations.

We are exposed to the risks of operating a global business. We have product development, engineering, manufacturing, sales and other operations distributed throughout many countries, and some of our business activities are concentrated in certain geographic areas. In fiscal 2025, approximately 89% of our net revenue was to customers in regions outside the United States. […]

Source and methodology

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