Applied Materials (AMAT) vs NVIDIA (NVDA)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Applied Materials (AMAT) has outperformed NVIDIA (NVDA) over the past year, gaining 146.1% versus a gain of 28.3%. Over five years, NVDA leads with a +986.2% price change compared with +295.7% for AMAT. NVIDIA is the larger company by market cap ($5.73 trillion vs $413.19 billion), about 13.9 times the size.
On valuation, NVIDIA trades at a lower forward P/E (14.9x vs 28.2x for Applied Materials). Applied Materials offers the higher dividend yield (0.38% vs 0.12%). NVIDIA converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 55.6% versus 24.7%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | AMAT | NVDA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $520.65 | $237.47 |
| Market cap | $413.19B | $5.73T |
| 1-day change | -1.81% | -0.74% |
| YTD return | +102.60% | +27.33% |
| 1-year return | +146.10% | +28.33% |
| 5-year return | +295.66% | +986.22% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 44.92 | 30.02 |
| Forward P/E | 28.20 | 14.92 |
| EPS (TTM) | $11.59 | $7.91 |
| Dividend yield | 0.38% | 0.12% |
| Annual dividend | $1.98 | $0.28 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $28.37B | $215.94B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +4.39% | +65.47% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $7.00B | $120.07B |
| Gross margin | 48.67% | 71.07% |
| Operating margin | 29.22% | 60.38% |
| Net margin | 24.67% | 55.60% |
| 52-week high | $739.67 | $243.37 |
| 52-week low | $203.40 | $164.27 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -29.61% | -2.42% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +22.72% | +38.43% |
| Average volume | 7.11M | 122.16M |
| Shares outstanding | 793.60M | 24.15B |
| Employees | 38,900 | 42,000 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Semiconductors | Semiconductors |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- NVIDIA is about 13.9 times larger than Applied Materials by market value ($5.73T vs $413.19B).
- AMAT has outperformed NVDA by 117.8 percentage points over the past year.
- Applied Materials trades at a higher earnings multiple (44.9x vs 30.0x trailing P/E).
- NVIDIA is more profitable, keeping 55.6 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 24.7 cents for Applied Materials.
- NVIDIA grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+65.47% vs +4.39%).
About Applied Materials
AMAT stock →Applied Materials, Inc. provides materials engineering solutions, equipment, services, and software to the semiconductor and related industries in the United States, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, and internationally.
Technology · Semiconductors · 38,900 employees
About NVIDIA
NVDA stock →NVIDIA Corporation operates as a data center scale AI infrastructure company in the United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Europe, and internationally. It operates through Compute & Networking, and Graphics segments.
Technology · Semiconductors · 42,000 employees
AMAT vs NVDA FAQ
Which is bigger, Applied Materials or NVIDIA?
NVIDIA (NVDA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $5.73T compared with $413.19B for Applied Materials (AMAT).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, AMAT or NVDA?
AMAT returned +146.10% over the past 12 months, compared with +28.33% for NVDA (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, AMAT or NVDA?
NVDA has the lower trailing P/E at 30.0, versus 44.9 for AMAT. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Applied Materials or NVIDIA?
Applied Materials has the higher yield at 0.38%, compared with 0.12% for NVIDIA.
Are Applied Materials and NVIDIA in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Semiconductors industry within the Technology sector.