Key Takeaways
- Applied Materials Inc. announced Monday it was raising its quarterly dividend 25%, to 40 cents from 32 cents a share.
- Applied Materials finance chief Brice Hill said the semiconductor equipment maker is confident its continued growth will provide enough profit to cover the dividend increase.
- Shares of Applied Materials, which hit an all-time high Thursday, slipped about 2% in Monday afternoon trading but are still up about 80% over the past year.
Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) on Monday boosted its quarterly dividend by 25%, to 40 cents from 32 cents a share, but stock in the semiconductor equipment maker—which reached an all-time high price Thursday—slipped about 2% in afternoon trading Monday.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Brice Hill said the dividend increase reflects the company’s “ability to generate profitable growth and strong free cash flow.” He added that Applied Materials believes it will continue to outperform its sector, and “we expect our services business to deliver double-digit growth and more than enough operating profit to support a growing dividend.”
The company said that it has raised its dividend seven consecutive years, the last time in March 2023, when the payout went to 32 cents from 26 cents per share. At that time, Hill explained that Applied Materials intended to grow the dividend “at an accelerated rate over the next several years,” doubling the previous per-share amount over the next several years.
The new dividend will be payable June 13 to shareholders of record on May 23.
Despite Monday’s decline, shares of Applied Materials have advanced by almost 80% over the past year.
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