Nasdaq Composite Gains 111% Over Three Years, Driven by AI Adoption
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 25 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
- Nasdaq Outperformance: The Nasdaq Composite has surged 111% over the past three years, significantly outpacing the S&P 500's 74% increase, reflecting robust growth in the tech sector driven by widespread AI adoption, a trend expected to continue into 2026.
- Global AI Spending Surge: According to Gartner, global AI spending is projected to reach $2.5 trillion in 2023, marking a nearly 44% increase from last year, with an anticipated 32% growth in 2027, providing strong growth momentum for tech stocks.
- Positive Outlook for Applied Materials: Shares of Applied Materials (AMAT) have risen 72% in the past six months, fueled by strong demand for AI-specific semiconductor equipment, with semiconductor equipment sales expected to increase from $133 billion to $145 billion in 2026, driving revenue growth.
- SentinelOne Acquisition Boosts Growth: SentinelOne's acquisition of Observo AI for $225 million enhances its real-time threat detection capabilities, with Q3 revenue up 23% year-over-year to $259 million, and expectations for future growth to exceed market forecasts, potentially driving a 48% stock price increase.
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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: 500.770
Low
190.00
Averages
288.05
High
425.00
Current: 500.770
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.
Mixed US Stock Market with Tech Stocks Under Pressure
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- Weak Employment Data: Initial jobless claims in the US rose by 13,000 to 225,000, reaching a 3.75-month high, indicating a weakening labor market that could lead to downward revisions in growth expectations.
- Healthcare Stocks Strong: UnitedHealth Group (UNH) surged over 6%, leading gains in the S&P 500, after Bank of America upgraded its rating from neutral to buy with a price target of $450, showcasing resilience in the healthcare sector.
- International Market Volatility: European markets showed mixed results, with Eurozone April retail sales falling 0.4% month-over-month, worse than the expected 0.3%, indicating weak consumer spending that could pressure future economic growth.
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US Stock Indices Decline Amid Tensions and Economic Data
- Market Retreat: On Wednesday, the S&P 500 index fell by 0.74%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 1.21%, and the Nasdaq 100 index decreased by 0.29%, indicating market vulnerability amid escalating US-Iran tensions that negatively impacted investor sentiment.
- Oil Price Surge: WTI crude oil prices rose over 2% to a 1.5-week high following the US interception of Iranian missiles and drones, heightening concerns about Middle Eastern stability and potentially affecting global supply chains and inflation expectations.
- Strong Employment Data: The US May ADP employment change increased by 122,000, surpassing expectations of 120,000, signaling signs of economic recovery that could support the stock market, although overall market performance remains influenced by other factors.
- Divergent Tech Stock Performance: While Marvell Technology rose over 3%, software and cybersecurity stocks faced significant declines, with Datadog and IBM dropping more than 6%, reflecting a lack of confidence in the tech sector despite some positive developments.
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- Market Decline: The S&P 500 index fell by 0.40%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 0.74%, and the Nasdaq 100 decreased by 0.08%, indicating market pressure due to escalating geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and Iran.
- Rising Oil Prices: The WTI crude oil price surged over 1% to a 1.5-week high amid US-Iran clashes, which could further elevate inflation expectations and impact Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.
- Strong Employment Data: The US May ADP employment change rose by 122,000, exceeding expectations of 120,000, indicating signs of economic recovery that may support the stock market, although the overall market remains weighed down by declines in software and cybersecurity stocks.
- Divergent Tech Stock Performance: Despite overall market pressure, Marvell Technology's stock rose over 7% following Nvidia CEO's prediction that it would reach a $1 trillion valuation, highlighting the supportive role of AI infrastructure spending on technology stocks.
See More
US Stock Market Under Pressure with Mixed Tech Performance
- Market Decline: The S&P 500 index fell by 0.57%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 0.58%, and the Nasdaq 100 decreased by 0.60%, indicating market vulnerability amid escalating US-Iran tensions, which negatively impacted investor sentiment.
- Mixed Tech Performance: While Marvell Technology surged over 6%, software companies like Atlassian and Datadog saw declines exceeding 7%, highlighting significant internal divergence within the tech sector that could affect overall market stability.
- Supportive Employment Data: The May ADP employment change rose by 122,000, surpassing expectations of 120,000 and marking the largest increase in 16 months, indicating resilience in the US labor market that may provide support for stocks.
- Mortgage Applications Decline: For the week ending May 29, US MBA mortgage applications fell by 2.5%, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down 2.9%, reflecting pressure from rising interest rates on the housing market, which could impact future consumer spending.
See More
US Stocks Close at All-Time Highs as AI Investments Surge
- Strong Market Performance: The S&P 500 rose by 0.13%, the Dow Jones by 0.45%, and the Nasdaq 100 by 0.48%, with all three indices reaching new all-time highs, reflecting strong investor confidence in tech stocks amid a surge in AI investments.
- Marvell Technology Soars: Marvell Technology's stock surged over 32% after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicted the company would be the next to achieve a $1 trillion valuation, significantly boosting investor confidence in its future growth prospects.
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Strong Earnings: Hewlett Packard Enterprise's stock jumped more than 19% after reporting Q2 adjusted EPS of 79 cents, well above the consensus estimate of 54 cents, and raising its full-year adjusted EPS forecast to $3.35-$3.45, reflecting robust demand driven by AI.
- Labor Market Strength: US April JOLTS job openings unexpectedly rose by 731,000 to a 23-month high of 7.618 million, surpassing expectations of a decline to 6.866 million, indicating resilience in the labor market and further propelling stock market gains.
See More
US Stocks Rise Slightly, Tech Stocks Show Strong Rebound
- Strong Labor Market: US April JOLTS job openings unexpectedly rose by 731,000 to a 23-month high of 7.618 million, surpassing expectations of 6.866 million, indicating labor market resilience and driving stock market gains, particularly in tech stocks.
- Tech Stock Surge: Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) shares surged over 25% after reporting Q2 adjusted EPS of 79 cents, significantly above the consensus estimate of 54 cents, and raising its full-year adjusted EPS forecast to $3.35-$3.45, reflecting robust growth in AI-driven demand.
- Market Volatility Factors: Despite overall market gains, initial declines occurred due to uncertainty surrounding a US-Iran ceasefire, with oil prices slightly down as President Trump stated negotiations with Iran are progressing “at a rapid pace,” potentially affecting investor sentiment.
- Software Stocks Under Pressure: Intuit (INTU) saw its stock drop over 10% after Goldman Sachs downgraded it to sell with a price target of $276, leading to a broader decline in the software sector, highlighting a divergence in market performance among tech stocks.
See More
Mixed US Stock Market with Tech Stocks Under Pressure
- Tech Stock Decline: Broadcom (AVGO) shares plummeted over 15% after its AI revenue forecast fell short, marking it as the largest decliner in the Nasdaq 100, which reflects growing concerns about the tech sector and may dampen investor confidence.
- Weak Employment Data: Initial jobless claims in the US rose by 13,000 to 225,000, reaching a 3.75-month high, indicating a weakening labor market that could lead to downward revisions in growth expectations.
- Healthcare Stocks Strong: UnitedHealth Group (UNH) surged over 6%, leading gains in the S&P 500, after Bank of America upgraded its rating from neutral to buy with a price target of $450, showcasing resilience in the healthcare sector.
- International Market Volatility: European markets showed mixed results, with Eurozone April retail sales falling 0.4% month-over-month, worse than the expected 0.3%, indicating weak consumer spending that could pressure future economic growth.
See More
US Stock Indices Decline Amid Tensions and Economic Data
- Market Retreat: On Wednesday, the S&P 500 index fell by 0.74%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 1.21%, and the Nasdaq 100 index decreased by 0.29%, indicating market vulnerability amid escalating US-Iran tensions that negatively impacted investor sentiment.
- Oil Price Surge: WTI crude oil prices rose over 2% to a 1.5-week high following the US interception of Iranian missiles and drones, heightening concerns about Middle Eastern stability and potentially affecting global supply chains and inflation expectations.
- Strong Employment Data: The US May ADP employment change increased by 122,000, surpassing expectations of 120,000, signaling signs of economic recovery that could support the stock market, although overall market performance remains influenced by other factors.
- Divergent Tech Stock Performance: While Marvell Technology rose over 3%, software and cybersecurity stocks faced significant declines, with Datadog and IBM dropping more than 6%, reflecting a lack of confidence in the tech sector despite some positive developments.
See More
US Stock Market Slides Amid Geopolitical Tensions
- Market Decline: The S&P 500 index fell by 0.40%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 0.74%, and the Nasdaq 100 decreased by 0.08%, indicating market pressure due to escalating geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and Iran.
- Rising Oil Prices: The WTI crude oil price surged over 1% to a 1.5-week high amid US-Iran clashes, which could further elevate inflation expectations and impact Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions.
- Strong Employment Data: The US May ADP employment change rose by 122,000, exceeding expectations of 120,000, indicating signs of economic recovery that may support the stock market, although the overall market remains weighed down by declines in software and cybersecurity stocks.
- Divergent Tech Stock Performance: Despite overall market pressure, Marvell Technology's stock rose over 7% following Nvidia CEO's prediction that it would reach a $1 trillion valuation, highlighting the supportive role of AI infrastructure spending on technology stocks.
See More
US Stock Market Under Pressure with Mixed Tech Performance
- Market Decline: The S&P 500 index fell by 0.57%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 0.58%, and the Nasdaq 100 decreased by 0.60%, indicating market vulnerability amid escalating US-Iran tensions, which negatively impacted investor sentiment.
- Mixed Tech Performance: While Marvell Technology surged over 6%, software companies like Atlassian and Datadog saw declines exceeding 7%, highlighting significant internal divergence within the tech sector that could affect overall market stability.
- Supportive Employment Data: The May ADP employment change rose by 122,000, surpassing expectations of 120,000 and marking the largest increase in 16 months, indicating resilience in the US labor market that may provide support for stocks.
- Mortgage Applications Decline: For the week ending May 29, US MBA mortgage applications fell by 2.5%, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down 2.9%, reflecting pressure from rising interest rates on the housing market, which could impact future consumer spending.
See More
US Stocks Close at All-Time Highs as AI Investments Surge
- Strong Market Performance: The S&P 500 rose by 0.13%, the Dow Jones by 0.45%, and the Nasdaq 100 by 0.48%, with all three indices reaching new all-time highs, reflecting strong investor confidence in tech stocks amid a surge in AI investments.
- Marvell Technology Soars: Marvell Technology's stock surged over 32% after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang predicted the company would be the next to achieve a $1 trillion valuation, significantly boosting investor confidence in its future growth prospects.
- Hewlett Packard Enterprise's Strong Earnings: Hewlett Packard Enterprise's stock jumped more than 19% after reporting Q2 adjusted EPS of 79 cents, well above the consensus estimate of 54 cents, and raising its full-year adjusted EPS forecast to $3.35-$3.45, reflecting robust demand driven by AI.
- Labor Market Strength: US April JOLTS job openings unexpectedly rose by 731,000 to a 23-month high of 7.618 million, surpassing expectations of a decline to 6.866 million, indicating resilience in the labor market and further propelling stock market gains.
See More
US Stocks Rise Slightly, Tech Stocks Show Strong Rebound
- Strong Labor Market: US April JOLTS job openings unexpectedly rose by 731,000 to a 23-month high of 7.618 million, surpassing expectations of 6.866 million, indicating labor market resilience and driving stock market gains, particularly in tech stocks.
- Tech Stock Surge: Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE) shares surged over 25% after reporting Q2 adjusted EPS of 79 cents, significantly above the consensus estimate of 54 cents, and raising its full-year adjusted EPS forecast to $3.35-$3.45, reflecting robust growth in AI-driven demand.
- Market Volatility Factors: Despite overall market gains, initial declines occurred due to uncertainty surrounding a US-Iran ceasefire, with oil prices slightly down as President Trump stated negotiations with Iran are progressing “at a rapid pace,” potentially affecting investor sentiment.
- Software Stocks Under Pressure: Intuit (INTU) saw its stock drop over 10% after Goldman Sachs downgraded it to sell with a price target of $276, leading to a broader decline in the software sector, highlighting a divergence in market performance among tech stocks.
See More
