Sell-side analysts are projecting that Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) will report a current quarter EPS of 0.76 when the company issues their next quarterly report. This is the consensus number according to data provided by Zacks Research. This estimate is using projections given by 7 sell-side analysts. Last quarter, the company posted a quarterly EPS of 0.7. How the estimated EPS differs from the actual earnings number is what investors will be paying particularly close attention to. Analysts covering the stock are typically very busy during earnings season. Before the release, they might be reviewing and updating estimates. After the earnings release, they will closely review the reported data and update accordingly. Sifting through the numbers after the report may allow investors to add another piece of data to the investing equation.
Investors may be taking a closer look stock market trends as we move into the second half of the year. Investors often have to grapple with the timing of selling a stock. After all the research is done and the portfolio is rounded out, the time will eventually come when decisions need to be made about whether to hold a winner or sell to lock up some profits. Often times, investors will hold on to a certain stock for much too long letting profits erode. Thinking that a hot stock will keep going higher and higher, may lead to lost profits further down the road. On the flip side, investors may become emotionally attached to a stock and not be able to part ways when the time has come. Avoiding the trap of waiting for a stock to bounce back and just break even can lead to the undoing of the portfolio. The belief that a particular stock will definitely come back to the buying level may leave investors out in the cold. Being able to keep the emotions in check and stay focused on the pertinent data, may help the stock portfolio thrive into the future.
Taking a look at some target price information, we note that shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) presently have an average target price of $49.5. This is the consensus target price using estimates offered by analysts polled by Zacks Research. Sell-side analysts can calculate price target projections using various methods. Many investors will track stock target prices, especially when analysts make changes to the target. A thorough research report will generally give detailed reasoning for a certain target projection. Some investors may watch sell-side targets very closely and use the data to help with their own stock research.
Let’s shift the focus and look at some historical stock price action on shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT). After a recent market scan, we have seen that the stock has been trading near the $46.33 level. Investors may also be tracking the current stock price in relation to its 52-week high and low. The 52-week high is currently sitting at $52.14, and the 52-week low is $28.99. When the stock starts moving towards the 52-week high or 52-week low, investors may pay added attention to see if there will be a breakthrough that level. Over the last 12 weeks, the stock has moved 15.8%. Since the beginning of the calendar year, we can see that shares have changed 41.51%. Over the past 4 weeks, shares have moved 5.37%. Over the previous 5 sessions, the stock has moved -8.67%.
Sell-side Street analysts often offer stock ratings for companies that they cover. Based on analysts polled by Zacks Research, the present average broker rating on shares of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is presently 1.94. This average rating includes analysts who have given Sell, Buy and Hold ratings on the equity. This rating uses a numerical recommendation scale from 1 to 5. A score of 1 would represent a Buy recommendation, and a score of 5 would indicate a Sell recommendation. Out of all the analysts providing recommendations, 10 have rated the stock a Strong Buy or Buy, based on data provided by Zacks Research.
Investors paying close attention to the daily ebbs and flows of the stock market may be trying to guess which way momentum will swing into the next couple of months. Finding those stocks that are ready to ride the lightning may not be the easiest task with markets chugging along near all time highs. Investors may have to first figure out how much risk they want to take on when picking the next round of stocks. Once the risk appetite is determined, investors can start to decide whether they think it is best to go with the flow or buck the trend. Either way, paying attention to short-term and long-term price moves may help paint a clearer picture of what is happening with a particular stock. Maybe those stocks that were sure-fire winners a few months ago have lost some steam. Adjusting the portfolio may or may not be necessary, but knowing exactly what stocks are owned and how they are performing may help with additional decision making along the way. Of course nobody wants to be on the outside looking in as a stock is taking off, but there should be plenty of other opportunities in the future. Staying current with global economic conditions and keeping a finger on the pulse of the company during earnings season can help shed some light on where the stock may be headed next.
