Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT)

AMAT has been very flat for quite some time now. Management has been busy cleaning house of products that have been dragging them down. Their recent acquisition of Baccini has enabled AMAT to expand their Solar Energy Sector into a State-of-the-Art division ready to distribute the latest technology available of a much needed product....world-wide. Financially, AMAT is absolutely sound! I believe they are way ahead of the competition in this area. With being well established world-widwe, the recession here in the U.S. will if anything only slow them a bit. Their debt is very manageable. Their P/E ratio has been sound for years. I believe were looking at a good buy at a 52 week low of a company that is getting ready to awake from a deep sleep.

I own this stock so i hope it outperforms. Great ratings for a great company, they are well diversified.

This company has done well long term. In Jan 2008 market, tech stocks down, this puppy knocked down but bucking trend.

even with only a small percentage of profits comin from solar (a number im sure will slide to the higher side as years go on) the diversification into semiconductors acts as both a buffer and another reason to purchase as that market is doing well.

solar panels

In the late 1800's there was a Gold Rush in Alaska. Men from all corners of the US dropped their things, left their families, and sold their belongings, all for the pursuit of Gold.

A lucky few struck it big, finding massive deposits of Gold. However, most endured freezing temperatures, vicious territorial fights, and even animal attacks only to find nothing but a few worthless garnets and stones.

The thing all of these men had in common is that they bought their supplies from outfitters in Seattle, on their way to the the Great White North.

What's the point of this drawn out (and perhaps far too long) anectote? Ironically, it was these outfitters and suppliers that really struck it rich during the Alaskan gold rush, not the minners. At the demand of the miners, these outfitters sold rations, equipment, and clothing to the miners hand over fist, creating huge revenues and healthy profits.

What's the connection to Applied Materials? Well, we have a 'black gold rush' on our hands here. Not the oil variey, we're talking about photovoltaic cells. And Applied Materials is the one of the top outfitters selling equipment to the miners, or in today's case, solar cell manufacturers.

Applied Materials is selling the required equipment to manufacture solar cells (with little competition, I might add), and will reap the gold of the PV boom.

Buy! Buy! Buy!

Historically cheap. You can play an industry without having to choose a specific technology.

Good company, now selling at a discount...

Magic Formula Pick, 5 star on Morningstar, and the fact they are in the Solar Industry (which is growing at 50% each) was good enough for me.

Foray into solar business will pay off.

Picking AMAT based on their move into solar glass "wafer" production equipment.

Timing after down news for 4Q 2007 means a slightly cheaper buy, for a long term play.

undervalued chip company rated 5 stars by Morningstar

AMAT fabricates equipment, so no matter who wins in the solar race, they win too.

They are at a low compared to the S&P for the year and I think they will return.

rated 4 here and 9! on msn.

Yahoo target of 23 gives room to grow.

25 billion market cap makes them maybe the biggest player in solar? and a PE of only 15.

stockpicker says buy.

AMAT still generates a ton of cash. Their entry into the thin film solar industry is good for the company and may even be good for the planet (an inconvenient capitalist truth).

I keep waiting for AMAT to take off, but it has gone nowhere much, and where is something to change that?

nano,nano

AMAT is getting into solar market. which in a few years will soar for need to alternative power.
this will be big like all the eco and environmentally products. and with other AMAT products, there will always be a need for new techlonlogy

Semi equip cycle supposedly nearing bottom, and 5.7 square meter solar panels should sell like hotcakes.

Solar