Applied Materials stock pulls back from 52-week high as chip-tool trade cools
New York, January 7, 2026, 15:04 EST — Regular session Applied Materials shares fell about 1.1% to $292.66 in afternoon trade on Wednesday, easing alongside other chip-equipment names. Lam Research and KLA were also lower, while Nvidia rose, and Applied traded between $286.90 and $295.05. The move matters because chip-tool makers have turned into a clean read on how long the industry’s spending cycle can run. Investors have piled in on the view that demand tied to artificial intelligence keeps chip plants busy and pushes customers to add capacity. Applied sells the machinery that helps make chips — deposition and