New York, Jan 20, 2026, 10:55 EST — Regular session
- Applied Materials shares dropped roughly 2.8% in early trading, lagging behind the wider tech sector decline.
- Trump’s revived tariff threats on Europe pushed volatility up, prompting investors to dial back risk.
- Traders have shifted focus to Applied’s upcoming earnings report on Feb. 12 as the next key catalyst.
Applied Materials, Inc. shares dropped roughly 2.8% to $317.70 Tuesday, continuing to retreat from last week’s $327.01 close amid a softer market. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF dipped about 1.1%, with the Invesco QQQ also down near 1.1%. Semiconductor ETF SMH edged lower by 0.9%. Among peers, KLA slid around 2.8%, while Lam Research saw little movement.
Investors pulled back on risk after U.S. President Donald Trump renewed tariff threats targeting European nations involved in a Greenland dispute, rattling stocks, the dollar, and long-term Treasuries. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), known as Wall Street’s “fear gauge,” surged to an eight-week peak. “It’s a very significant shift,” said Jim Carroll, senior wealth adviser and portfolio manager at Ballast Rock Private Wealth. Reuters
Across Europe, TD Cowen analysts described the move as “the most unusual and potentially serious shift” in U.S. foreign policy, noting “there’s no playbook for this.” Investors monitored developments from the World Economic Forum in Davos and braced for key U.S. Supreme Court decisions this week, including one on the legality of Trump’s tariffs. Reuters
Amid the wider backdrop, one Wall Street desk stood out with a more optimistic take on chip-tool demand. Needham analyst Charles Shi bumped up his price target on Applied Materials from $260 to $390, maintaining a Strong Buy rating. He pointed to a “broad-based demand improvement” highlighted at the Needham Growth Conference and insisted the outlook for “semicap” — semiconductor capital equipment — is still on the upswing. TipRanks
Trade policy remains a hot issue for the group. Taiwan’s lead negotiator revealed a new tariffs deal with Washington would cut duties on semiconductors and certain manufacturing gear shipped into the U.S. It also opens the door for some products to enter duty-free, aimed at chipmakers ramping up U.S. output, including TSMC.
Applied, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, provides deposition, etch, and other tools for chip fabrication. Investors remain focused on its exposure to China. In November, the company projected a drop in chipmaking equipment spending in China in 2026 due to stricter U.S. export controls curbing access. Still, it expects revenue to pick up later in the year, driven by AI and memory demand.
Traders are now focused on whether this week’s tariff talk will solidify into a schedule that shifts corporate spending. Reuters reported Monday that Trump threatened tariffs kicking in Feb. 1, increasing by June 1, sparking fresh concerns about a “Sell America” trade that previously weighed on U.S. assets. Reuters
The downside is clear: a worsening trade dispute could drive up equipment costs, disrupt international supply chains, and lead customers to delay or spread out major fab orders. Tighter export controls would further complicate matters, especially for toolmakers heavily reliant on China-related demand.
At this stage, the stock will probably track policy headlines and sector flows, particularly following a steep rally that’s left chip-equipment names vulnerable to changes in risk appetite. Traders are also eyeing chipmakers’ capital spending plans, as those will ultimately dictate tool demand.
Applied is set to release its fiscal first-quarter results on Feb. 12. Investors will zero in on order trends, memory-related demand, and any news regarding China exposure and export compliance.
