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AI demand drives a surge in chipmaking equipment orders

AI demand drives a surge in chipmaking equipment orders

Money Moves

Applied Materials, the largest U.S. maker of chip-manufacturing tools, projects double-digit growth as AI factories buy up gear

Today: Applied Materials reports fiscal Q3 2026 results

Overview

Applied Materials makes the machines that build chips. On August 13, the company said its equipment business should grow more than 30% in 2026, and its advanced-packaging business more than 50%, both tied to demand for artificial-intelligence chips.

The report is a read on how long the AI buildout lasts. When chipmakers order more tools, they are betting on years of higher demand. Applied Materials' order book is one of the earliest places that bet shows up.

Why it matters

Chip tools set how fast AI computing can grow. Applied Materials' orders are an early signal of whether the buildout keeps accelerating or starts to cool.

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Key Indicators

$8.95B
Fiscal Q3 2026 revenue
Guided quarterly sales, about 23% above the same quarter a year earlier.
>30%
2026 equipment growth
Projected full-year growth in the semiconductor-equipment business.
>50%
Advanced-packaging growth
Projected 2026 growth as chipmakers stitch AI chips together with chiplets.
$600M
China export-curb hit
Revenue the company expects to lose in fiscal 2026 from tighter U.S. controls.
€43-45B
ASML 2026 forecast
Rival ASML's raised 2026 sales outlook, a second corroborating demand signal.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

October 2022 August 2026

6 events Latest: Today
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Applied Materials reports fiscal Q3 2026 results

    Today Earnings

    Management points to about $8.95 billion in quarterly revenue and projects 30%-plus equipment growth and 50%-plus advanced-packaging growth for 2026.

  2. Applied Materials sets its report date

    Statement

    The company confirms it will release fiscal third-quarter 2026 results after market close on August 13.

  3. ASML raises its 2026 forecast again

    Guidance

    ASML lifts 2026 revenue guidance to €43-45 billion, its second increase of the year, citing accelerating AI chip demand.

  4. Applied Materials warns of a China revenue hit

    Guidance

    The company flags a roughly $600 million fiscal 2026 revenue loss from expanded U.S. export curbs, even as AI demand stays strong.

  5. Nvidia guidance kicks off the AI capex narrative

    Milestone

    Nvidia's blowout sales forecast signals a wave of AI datacenter spending, setting off a race to add chip capacity.

  6. U.S. starts restricting chip-tool sales to China

    Rule Change

    The Commerce Department imposes broad export controls on advanced chipmaking equipment bound for China, the first of several rounds.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2000-2001

Dot-com telecom and chip-equipment bust (2001)

Telecom and internet firms poured money into fiber and chips during the dot-com boom. When demand fell short, orders collapsed. Semiconductor-equipment sales dropped by roughly half in 2001, and Applied Materials cut thousands of jobs.

Then

Equipment makers slashed guidance and staff as customers froze spending almost overnight.

Now

The bust showed how far equipment orders can overshoot real demand before snapping back.

Why this matters now

Today's AI buildout rests on a bet that datacenter demand keeps rising. The 2001 crash is a reminder that capacity can get ordered faster than it gets used.

Late 2018-2019

Memory glut and equipment downturn (2018-2019)

A 2017-2018 boom in DRAM and NAND memory pushed chipmakers to buy tools aggressively. Prices then crashed as supply outran demand. Memory makers cut capital spending, and equipment revenue at Applied Materials and Lam Research fell sharply.

Then

Memory-related tool orders dried up within months, dragging down equipment-maker sales through 2019.

Now

It confirmed that memory capex swings hard and fast, making it a volatile part of any equipment maker's book.

Why this matters now

Applied Materials cites strong memory output tied to AI as a growth driver. The 2018-2019 glut shows how quickly that same demand can reverse.

Sources

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