Tech Stocks Rise on Friday Afternoon
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 13 2026
0mins
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Market Recovery: Tech stocks broadly rose on Friday afternoon, reflecting a gradual restoration of investor confidence in the technology sector, which could drive stock prices of related companies higher.
- Strong ETF Performance: The State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XPREMIUM) showed robust performance during trading, indicating positive sentiment towards the tech sector that may attract more capital inflows.
- Improved Investor Sentiment: With the rise in tech stocks, investor sentiment has improved, potentially leading more investors to reassess their portfolios and increase allocations to technology stocks.
- Optimistic Industry Outlook: The recovery in the tech sector may signal future economic recovery, especially against the backdrop of accelerated digital transformation, where demand for technology investments from businesses is expected to continue growing.
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Analyst Views on AMAT
Wall Street analysts forecast AMAT stock price to fall
22 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 650.910
Low
190.00
Averages
288.05
High
425.00
Current: 650.910
Low
190.00
Averages
288.05
High
425.00
About AMAT
Applied Materials, Inc. is a materials engineering solution company. The Company provides equipment, services and software to the semiconductor, display, and related industries. It operates through two segments: Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services (AGS). The Semiconductor Systems segment includes semiconductor capital equipment to enable materials engineering steps including etch, rapid thermal processing, deposition, chemical mechanical planarization, metrology and inspection, wafer packaging, and ion implantation. The AGS segment provides integrated solutions to optimize equipment and fab performance and productivity, including services, spares and factory automation software for semiconductor and other products. Its products include personal computing devices, mobile phones, artificial intelligence (AI) and data center servers, automobiles, connected devices, industrial applications and consumer electronics.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Applied Materials Q1 Earnings Exceed Expectations
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- Kulicke and Soffa's Strong Quarter: Kulicke and Soffa achieved Q1 revenues of $242.6 million, a remarkable 49.8% year-over-year increase, surpassing expectations by 5.5%, with its stock rising 29.7% since the report, reflecting positive market sentiment towards its performance.
- Photronics' Weak Results: Photronics reported Q1 revenues of $209.9 million, flat year-over-year, falling short of analyst expectations, leading to a 46.1% decline in its stock price, highlighting challenges in a competitive market.
- Stable Performance from Semtech and KLA: Semtech's Q1 revenues reached $291 million, up 15.9% year-over-year, exceeding expectations by 2.6%; KLA reported revenues of $3.42 billion, an 11.5% increase, both demonstrating resilience and growth potential in the semiconductor industry.
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Semiconductor Stocks Rebound, ASML Price Target Raised
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- Intel and AMD Gains: Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw their shares increase by 2.5% and 3% respectively, reflecting investor optimism about a recovery in the semiconductor market, particularly driven by rising demand from artificial intelligence.
- ASML Price Target Increase: ASML's stock rose by 4% after Bernstein raised its price target by over 30% to $2,300, with analysts citing unprecedented expansion in both logic and DRAM capacity as a key driver.
- Telecom Stock Recovery: T-Mobile U.S. shares increased by more than 1.5% after Bank of America upgraded its rating from neutral to buy, with analysts suggesting that peak bearishness in the telecommunications sector has been reached, noting the stock's more than 20% decline from its 2026 highs is overdone.
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- Industry Structure Analysis: The ETF tracks the NYSE Semiconductor Index, which consists of 30 U.S.-listed semiconductor companies, with the top five capped at 8%, allowing for broad exposure to semiconductor stocks and mitigating over-reliance on any single company.
- Capital Expenditure Drive: Micron Technology announced plans to increase its fiscal 2026 capital spending to $27 billion from $15.9 billion in 2025, reflecting strong demand for memory chips and a market characterized by supply-demand imbalances.
- Investment Opportunities: The market dynamics in June present diverse investment themes for semiconductor investors, who can capture upside potential by purchasing the iShares ETF, ensuring they benefit from the industry's recovery.
See More
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- ETF Performance Surge: The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ: SOXX) rose 12.6% in June, indicating a robust recovery in the semiconductor sector, and despite a dip in July, it has surged 88% in 2026, reflecting strong market demand and investor confidence.
- Diversified Investment Strategy: The ETF ensures portfolio diversity by holding modified float-adjusted market-cap-weighted positions in the 30 largest U.S.-listed semiconductor companies, with the top five capped at 8%, effectively reducing reliance on Nvidia and enhancing overall investment stability.
- Capital Expenditure Surge: Micron Technology confirmed it will increase its fiscal capital spending to $27 billion in fiscal 2026, up from $15.9 billion in 2025, indicating sustained strong demand for memory chips and further driving growth potential in the semiconductor industry.
- Significant Industry Trends: June's industry dynamics highlighted a surge in demand for AI chips and rising capital expenditures; although Trump's claim of a chip manufacturing agreement between Intel and Apple remains unconfirmed, it has already boosted Intel's stock price, showcasing optimistic market expectations for the semiconductor sector.
See More
Michael Burry Discloses Short Positions Against Tech Stocks
- Shorting Tech Stocks: Notable investor Michael Burry disclosed short positions against Nvidia, Tesla, and Micron on his Substack, reflecting concerns over the AI trade, particularly as these stocks reach historical valuation extremes.
- Micron's Impressive Earnings: Micron's fiscal Q3 revenue surged over fourfold year-over-year to $41.5 billion; however, Burry argues that its stock price remains above historical averages, suggesting that market optimism about its future profitability may be overly optimistic.
- Tesla Delivery Figures: Tesla delivered 480,126 vehicles in Q2, a 25% year-over-year increase, yet its stock trades at over 350 times earnings, indicating high market expectations for future profitability, which Burry questions.
- Nvidia's Strong Growth: Nvidia's fiscal Q1 revenue rose 85% year-over-year to $81.6 billion, yet its stock trades at a 30 times earnings multiple, leading Burry to suggest that such valuations may not be sustainable, especially if the market's enthusiasm for AI proves to be a bubble.
See More
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- Short Position Disclosure: Renowned hedge fund manager Michael Burry revealed his short positions against Nvidia, Tesla, and Applied Materials this week, indicating strong skepticism towards AI-related stocks, particularly as their valuations reach historical highs.
- Micron Technology Risks: Burry highlighted that Micron's stock trades significantly above its 200-day moving average, with its fiscal Q3 revenue soaring over 400% year-over-year to $41.5 billion; however, he believes such high earnings levels are unsustainable and may face downside risks.
- Nvidia Valuation Defense: Despite Nvidia's fiscal Q1 revenue rising 85% year-over-year to $81.6 billion, with data center revenue climbing 92%, its stock trades at about 30 times earnings, leading Burry to question whether this high valuation can be maintained amid potential AI bubble concerns.
- Tesla Profitability Challenges: Tesla delivered 480,126 vehicles in Q2, up 25% year-over-year, yet its stock fell 7.5%, with Burry arguing that its high price-to-earnings ratio exceeding 350 times raises significant risks, especially if future profitability from robotaxi and software services is delayed.
See More
Applied Materials Q1 Earnings Exceed Expectations
- Applied Materials Performance: Applied Materials reported Q1 revenues of $7.91 billion, an 11.4% year-over-year increase, exceeding analyst expectations by 2.7%, indicating strong demand in the semiconductor equipment market, with projections for over 30% growth in its semiconductor equipment business by 2026.
- Kulicke and Soffa's Strong Quarter: Kulicke and Soffa achieved Q1 revenues of $242.6 million, a remarkable 49.8% year-over-year increase, surpassing expectations by 5.5%, with its stock rising 29.7% since the report, reflecting positive market sentiment towards its performance.
- Photronics' Weak Results: Photronics reported Q1 revenues of $209.9 million, flat year-over-year, falling short of analyst expectations, leading to a 46.1% decline in its stock price, highlighting challenges in a competitive market.
- Stable Performance from Semtech and KLA: Semtech's Q1 revenues reached $291 million, up 15.9% year-over-year, exceeding expectations by 2.6%; KLA reported revenues of $3.42 billion, an 11.5% increase, both demonstrating resilience and growth potential in the semiconductor industry.
See More
Semiconductor Stocks Rebound, ASML Price Target Raised
- Semiconductor ETF Rebound: The iShares Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) rose over 2.5% in premarket trading on Monday, recovering from a two-day slide last week that saw an 11% drop, indicating renewed market confidence in the semiconductor sector.
- Intel and AMD Gains: Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) saw their shares increase by 2.5% and 3% respectively, reflecting investor optimism about a recovery in the semiconductor market, particularly driven by rising demand from artificial intelligence.
- ASML Price Target Increase: ASML's stock rose by 4% after Bernstein raised its price target by over 30% to $2,300, with analysts citing unprecedented expansion in both logic and DRAM capacity as a key driver.
- Telecom Stock Recovery: T-Mobile U.S. shares increased by more than 1.5% after Bank of America upgraded its rating from neutral to buy, with analysts suggesting that peak bearishness in the telecommunications sector has been reached, noting the stock's more than 20% decline from its 2026 highs is overdone.
See More
iShares Semiconductor ETF Rises 12.6% in June
- Strong June Performance: The iShares Semiconductor ETF rose 12.6% in June, marking a robust performance for the semiconductor sector, and despite a dip in July, it has surged 88% in 2026, indicating significant recovery potential in the industry.
- Industry Structure Analysis: The ETF tracks the NYSE Semiconductor Index, which consists of 30 U.S.-listed semiconductor companies, with the top five capped at 8%, allowing for broad exposure to semiconductor stocks and mitigating over-reliance on any single company.
- Capital Expenditure Drive: Micron Technology announced plans to increase its fiscal 2026 capital spending to $27 billion from $15.9 billion in 2025, reflecting strong demand for memory chips and a market characterized by supply-demand imbalances.
- Investment Opportunities: The market dynamics in June present diverse investment themes for semiconductor investors, who can capture upside potential by purchasing the iShares ETF, ensuring they benefit from the industry's recovery.
See More
Strong Performance of Semiconductor ETF Draws Investor Attention
- ETF Performance Surge: The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ: SOXX) rose 12.6% in June, indicating a robust recovery in the semiconductor sector, and despite a dip in July, it has surged 88% in 2026, reflecting strong market demand and investor confidence.
- Diversified Investment Strategy: The ETF ensures portfolio diversity by holding modified float-adjusted market-cap-weighted positions in the 30 largest U.S.-listed semiconductor companies, with the top five capped at 8%, effectively reducing reliance on Nvidia and enhancing overall investment stability.
- Capital Expenditure Surge: Micron Technology confirmed it will increase its fiscal capital spending to $27 billion in fiscal 2026, up from $15.9 billion in 2025, indicating sustained strong demand for memory chips and further driving growth potential in the semiconductor industry.
- Significant Industry Trends: June's industry dynamics highlighted a surge in demand for AI chips and rising capital expenditures; although Trump's claim of a chip manufacturing agreement between Intel and Apple remains unconfirmed, it has already boosted Intel's stock price, showcasing optimistic market expectations for the semiconductor sector.
See More
Michael Burry Discloses Short Positions Against Tech Stocks
- Shorting Tech Stocks: Notable investor Michael Burry disclosed short positions against Nvidia, Tesla, and Micron on his Substack, reflecting concerns over the AI trade, particularly as these stocks reach historical valuation extremes.
- Micron's Impressive Earnings: Micron's fiscal Q3 revenue surged over fourfold year-over-year to $41.5 billion; however, Burry argues that its stock price remains above historical averages, suggesting that market optimism about its future profitability may be overly optimistic.
- Tesla Delivery Figures: Tesla delivered 480,126 vehicles in Q2, a 25% year-over-year increase, yet its stock trades at over 350 times earnings, indicating high market expectations for future profitability, which Burry questions.
- Nvidia's Strong Growth: Nvidia's fiscal Q1 revenue rose 85% year-over-year to $81.6 billion, yet its stock trades at a 30 times earnings multiple, leading Burry to suggest that such valuations may not be sustainable, especially if the market's enthusiasm for AI proves to be a bubble.
See More
Michael Burry Bets Against AI Stocks Amid Valuation Concerns
- Short Position Disclosure: Renowned hedge fund manager Michael Burry revealed his short positions against Nvidia, Tesla, and Applied Materials this week, indicating strong skepticism towards AI-related stocks, particularly as their valuations reach historical highs.
- Micron Technology Risks: Burry highlighted that Micron's stock trades significantly above its 200-day moving average, with its fiscal Q3 revenue soaring over 400% year-over-year to $41.5 billion; however, he believes such high earnings levels are unsustainable and may face downside risks.
- Nvidia Valuation Defense: Despite Nvidia's fiscal Q1 revenue rising 85% year-over-year to $81.6 billion, with data center revenue climbing 92%, its stock trades at about 30 times earnings, leading Burry to question whether this high valuation can be maintained amid potential AI bubble concerns.
- Tesla Profitability Challenges: Tesla delivered 480,126 vehicles in Q2, up 25% year-over-year, yet its stock fell 7.5%, with Burry arguing that its high price-to-earnings ratio exceeding 350 times raises significant risks, especially if future profitability from robotaxi and software services is delayed.
See More
