10-Q – 2025-08-21 – amat-20250727.htm

• the nature, timing and degree of visibility of changes in demand for semiconductor chips and electronic devices, including those related to fluctuations in consumer buying patterns tied to general economic or geopolitical conditions, seasonality or the introduction of new products, and the effects of these changes on customers’ businesses and on demand for our products;
• increasing capital requirements for building and operating new fabrication plants and customers’ ability to raise the necessary capital;
• trade, regulatory, tax or government incentives impacting the timing of customers’ investment in new or expanded fabrication plants;
• differences and volatility in growth rates among the semiconductor, display and related industries in which we operate;
• the importance of establishing, improving and maintaining strong relationships with customers;
• the cost and complexity for customers to move from product design to volume manufacturing, which may slow the adoption rate of new manufacturing technology;
• the importance of reducing the total cost of manufacturing system ownership;
• the importance to customers of system reliability and productivity and the effect on demand for fabrication systems as a result of their increasing productivity, device yield and reliability;
• manufacturers’ ability to reconfigure and re-use fabrication systems which can reduce demand for new equipment;
• the importance of developing products with sufficient differentiation to influence customers’ purchasing decisions;
• requirements for shorter cycle times for the development, manufacture and installation of our equipment;
• price and performance trends for semiconductor devices and displays, and the impact on demand for such products;
• the importance of the availability of spare parts to maximize the time that customers’ systems are available for production;
• government incentives for local suppliers and domestic semiconductor research and development, and increased investment in manufacturing capabilities;
• the increasing role for and complexity of software in our products; and
• the focus on reducing energy usage and improving the environmental impact and sustainability associated with manufacturing operations, and the availability of adequate and reliable sources of energy.
If we do not effectively address these factors, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely impacted.
We are exposed to factors specific to the semiconductor industry.
The largest proportion of our consolidated net revenue and profitability is derived from our Semiconductor Systems segment’s sale of a wide range of equipment used to fabricate semiconductor chips to the global semiconductor industry, and a majority of the revenues of Applied Global Services is from sales to semiconductor manufacturers. The semiconductor industry is characterized by factors particular to this industry that impact demand for and the profitability of our semiconductor manufacturing equipment and service products, including:
• the frequency and complexity of technology transitions and inflections, and our ability to timely and effectively anticipate and adapt to these changes;
• the cost of research and development due to many factors, including shrinking geometries, the use of new materials, new and more complex device structures, more applications and process steps, increasing chip design costs, and the cost and complexity of integrated manufacturing processes;
• the need to reduce product development time and meet technical challenges;
• the number of types and varieties of semiconductors and number of applications;
• the cost and complexity for semiconductor manufacturers to move more technically advanced capability and smaller geometries to volume manufacturing, and the impact on investment in capital equipment;
• semiconductor manufacturers’ levels of capital expenditures and the allocation of capital investment to market segments that we do not serve, such as lithography, or segments where our products have lower relative market presence;
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• delays in installation of our equipment delivered to customers;
• the importance of increasing market positions in segments with growing demand;
• semiconductor manufacturers’ ability to reconfigure and re-use equipment, resulting in diminished need to purchase new equipment and services from us, and challenges in providing parts for reused equipment;
• shorter cycle times between order placements by customers and product shipment require greater reliance on forecasting of customer investment, which may lead to inventory write-offs and manufacturing inefficiencies that decrease gross margin;
• competitive factors that make it difficult to enhance position, including challenges in securing development-tool-of-record (DTOR) and production-tool-of-record (PTOR) positions with customers;
• consolidation in the semiconductor industry, including among semiconductor manufacturers and among semiconductor equipment suppliers;
• shifts in sourcing strategies by computer and electronics companies, and manufacturing processes for advanced circuit technologies, that impact the equipment requirements of our foundry customers;
• the concentration of new wafer starts in Korea and Taiwan, where our service penetration and service-revenue-per-wafer-start have been lower than in other regions;
• the increasing fragmentation of semiconductor markets, leading certain markets to become too small to support the cost of a new fabrication plant, while others require less technologically advanced products; the continuing importance of specialty markets (such as internet of things, communications, automotive, power and sensors) that use process technologies that have a low barrier to entry; and
• the importance of advanced packaging to artificial intelligence computing.
If we do not accurately forecast and allocate appropriate resources and investment towards addressing key technology changes and inflections, successfully develop and commercialize products to meet demand for new technologies, and effectively address industry trends, our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely impacted.
We are exposed to factors specific to the display industry.
The global display industry has experienced considerable volatility in capital equipment investment levels, due in part to the limited number of display manufacturers, the concentrated nature of end-use applications, production capacity relative to end-use demand, the speed of adopting new technologies into production, and panel manufacturer profitability. Industry growth depends primarily on consumer demand for increasingly larger and more advanced TVs, and on demand for advanced smartphones and mobile device displays, which demand is highly sensitive to cost and improvements in technologies and features. The display industry is characterized by factors particular to this industry that impact demand for and the profitability of our display products and services, including:
• the importance of new types of display technologies, such as organic light-emitting diode (OLED), low temperature polysilicon (LTPS) and metal oxide transistor backplanes, flexible displays, and new touch panel films;
• the increasing cost of research and development, and complexity of technology transitions and inflections, and our ability to timely and effectively anticipate and adapt to these changes;
• the timing and extent of an expansion of manufacturing facilities in China, which may be affected by changes in economic conditions and governmental regulations, including trade policies and export regulations;
• the importance of increasing market positions in products and technologies with growing demand;
• the rate of transition to new display technologies for TVs, information technology products and mobile applications, and augmented and virtual reality applications, and the resulting effect on capital intensity in the industry and on our product differentiation, gross margin and return on investment;
• the concentration of display manufacturer customers, and fluctuations in customer spending quarter over quarter and year over year for display fabrication equipment; and
• the dependence on a limited number of display manufacturer customers’ selection of new technologies, and their ability to successfully commercialize new products and technologies, and uncertainty with respect to future display technology end-use applications and growth drivers.
The display industry has experienced decreased levels of investment in display fabrication equipment. If we do not successfully develop and commercialize products to meet demand for new and emerging display technologies, or if industry
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demand for display fabrication equipment and technologies does not grow, our business and our operating results may continue to be adversely impacted.
The industries in which we operate are highly competitive and subject to rapid technological and market changes.
We operate in a highly competitive environment in which innovation is critical, and our future success depends on many factors, including the development of new technologies and effective commercialization and customer acceptance of our equipment, services and related products, and our ability to increase our position in our current markets, expand into adjacent and new markets, and optimize operational performance. The development, introduction and support of products in a geographically diverse and competitive environment requires collaboration with customers and other industry participants, which has grown more complex and expensive over time. New or improved products may entail higher costs, longer development cycles, lower profits and may have unforeseen product design or manufacturing defects. To compete successfully, we must:
• identify and address technology inflections, market changes, competitor innovations, new applications, customer requirements and end-use demand in a timely and effective manner;
• develop new products and disruptive technologies, improve and develop new applications for existing products, and adapt products for use by customers in different applications and markets with varying technical requirements;
• complete our new Equipment and Process Innovation and Commercialization Center and other major infrastructure projects on schedule and on budget, and realize the anticipated benefits of those projects;
• differentiate our products from those of competitors, meet customers’ performance specifications (including those related to energy consumption and environmental impact more broadly), appropriately price products, and achieve market acceptance;
• maintain operating flexibility to enable responses to changing markets, applications and customer requirements;
• enhance our worldwide operations across our businesses to reduce cycle time, enable continuous quality improvement, reduce costs, and enhance design for manufacturability and serviceability;
• focus on product development and sales and marketing strategies that address customers’ high value problems and strengthen customer relationships;
• effectively allocate resources between our existing products and markets, the development of new products, and expanding into new and adjacent markets;
• improve the productivity of capital invested in R&D activities;
• accurately forecast demand, work with suppliers and meet production schedules for our products;
• improve our manufacturing processes and achieve cost efficiencies across product offerings;
• adapt to changes in value offered by companies in different parts of the supply chain;
• qualify products for evaluation and volume manufacturing with our customers; and
• implement changes in our design engineering methodology to reduce material costs and cycle time, increase commonality of platforms and types of parts used in different systems, and improve product life cycle management.
If we do not successfully anticipate technology inflections, develop and commercialize new products and technologies, and respond to changes in customer requirements and market trends, our business performance and operating results may be materially and adversely impacted.
We are exposed to risks related to government incentives and other agreements that may involve government entities.
From time to time we enter into agreements with government entities for grants, tax benefits and other incentives, or other funding related to our investment, research and development and production activities, or for sale of our products to government entities or government-funded programs. These agreements typically include terms that are not common in similar agreements with non-governmental entities, including representations and warranties, covenants and certifications, and record-keeping, accounting, audit, intellectual property rights-sharing, information handling, supply chain management, headcount, security, disclosure and other requirements. These agreements may also require us to achieve or maintain certain levels of investment, capital spending and performance milestones. Compliance with these requirements may add complexity to our operations and increase our costs, and a failure to comply could result in cancelation of agreements or transactions, investigations, civil and criminal penalties, forfeiture of profits, reduction, termination or clawback of any funding, suspension or debarment from doing business with the government, or other penalties, any of which could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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We are exposed to risks associated with expanding into new and related markets and industries.
As part of our growth strategy, we seek to continue to expand into related or new markets and industries, either with our existing products or with new products developed internally, or those developed in collaboration with third parties, or obtained through acquisitions. Our ability to successfully expand our business into new and related markets and industries may be adversely affected by a number of factors, including:
• the need to devote additional resources to develop new products for, and operate in, new markets;
• the need to develop new sales and technical marketing strategies, and to develop relationships with new customers;
• differing rates of profitability and growth among multiple businesses;
• our ability to anticipate demand, capitalize on opportunities, and avoid or minimize risks;
• the complexity of managing multiple businesses with variations in production planning, execution, supply chain management and logistics;
• the adoption of new business models, business processes and systems;
• the complexity of entering into and effectively managing strategic alliances or partnering opportunities;
• new materials, processes and technologies;
• the need to attract, motivate and retain employees with skills and expertise in these new areas;
• new and more diverse customers and suppliers, including some with limited operating histories, uncertain or limited funding, evolving business models or locations in regions where we do not have, or have limited, operations;
• new or different competitors with potentially more financial or other resources, industry experience and established customer relationships;
• entry into new industries and countries, with differing levels of government involvement, laws and regulations, and business, employment and safety practices and requirements;
• third parties’ intellectual property rights; and
• the need to comply with, or work to establish, industry standards and practices.
We are exposed to risks related to the use of artificial intelligence by us and our competitors.
We are increasingly incorporating artificial intelligence capabilities into the development of technologies and our business operations, and into our products and services. Artificial intelligence technology is complex and rapidly evolving, and may subject us to significant competitive, legal, regulatory, operational and other risks. The implementation of artificial intelligence can be costly, and there is no guarantee that our use of artificial intelligence will enhance our technologies, benefit our business operations, or produce products and services that are preferred by our customers. Our competitors may be more successful in their artificial intelligence strategy and develop superior products and services with the aid of artificial intelligence technology. Additionally, artificial intelligence algorithms or training methodologies may be flawed, and datasets may contain irrelevant, insufficient or biased information, which can cause errors in outputs. This may give rise to legal liability, damage our reputation, and materially harm our business. The use of artificial intelligence in the development of our products and services could also cause loss of intellectual property, as well as subject us to risks related to intellectual property infringement or misappropriation, data privacy and cybersecurity. Additionally, artificial intelligence technology may also create ethical issues, which could impair market adoption of such technology and impair demand for our products and services. Furthermore, the United States and other countries may adopt laws and regulations related to artificial intelligence. Such laws and regulations could cause us to incur greater compliance costs and limit the use of artificial intelligence in the development of our products and services. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with such regulatory requirements could subject us to legal liabilities, damage our reputation, or otherwise have a material and adverse impact on our business.
Operational and Financial Risks
We are exposed to risks related to protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights.
Our success depends on the protection of our technology using patents, trade secrets, copyrights and other intellectual property rights. Infringement or misappropriation of our intellectual property rights, such as the manufacture or sale of equipment or spare parts that use our technology without authorization, could result in uncompensated lost market and revenue opportunities. Monitoring and detecting any unauthorized access, use or disclosure of our intellectual property is difficult and costly and we cannot be certain that the protective measures we have implemented will completely prevent misuse. Our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights is subject to litigation risks and uncertainty as to the protection and enforceability of
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those rights in some countries. If we seek to enforce our intellectual property rights, we may be subject to claims that those rights are invalid or unenforceable, and others may seek counterclaims against us, which could have a negative impact on our business. If we are unable to enforce and protect intellectual property rights, or if they are circumvented, rendered obsolete, invalidated by the rapid pace of technological change, or stolen or misappropriated by employees or third parties, it could have an adverse impact on our competitive position and business. Changes in intellectual property laws or their interpretation may impact our ability to protect and assert our intellectual property rights, increase costs and uncertainties in the prosecution of patent applications or related enforcement actions, and diminish the value and competitive advantage conferred by our intellectual property assets.
From time to time third parties have asserted, and may continue to assert, intellectual property claims against us and our products. Claims that our products infringe the rights of others, whether or not meritorious, can be expensive and time-consuming to defend and resolve, and may divert the efforts and attention of management and personnel. The inability to obtain rights to use third-party intellectual property on commercially reasonable terms could have an adverse impact on our business. We may face claims based on the theft or unauthorized use or disclosure of third-party trade secrets and other confidential business information. Any such incidents and claims could severely harm our business and reputation, result in significant expenses, harm our competitive position, and prevent us from selling certain products, all of which could have a material and adverse impact on our business and results of operations.
We are exposed to cybersecurity threats and incidents.
In the conduct of our business, we collect, use, transmit, store, and otherwise process data using information technology systems, including systems owned and maintained by us or our third-party providers. These data include confidential information and intellectual property belonging to us or our customers or other business partners, and personal information of individuals. All information technology systems are subject to disruptions, outages, failures, and security breaches or incidents, which may be caused by a variety of internal and external factors. We and our third-party providers have experienced, and expect to continue to experience, cybersecurity incidents. Cybersecurity incidents may range from physical attacks on our computer system or network infrastructure, to employee or contractor error or misuse or unauthorized use of information technology systems or confidential information, to individual attempts to gain unauthorized access to these information systems, to sophisticated cybersecurity attacks, or advanced persistent threats, any of which may target or impact us directly or indirectly through our third-party providers and global supply chain. Threat actors may also attempt to influence employees, suppliers and other third-party providers, or customers to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to our, our customers’ or business partners’ data. Cybersecurity attacks are increasing in number and the attackers are increasingly organized and well-financed, or at times supported by state actors. Geopolitical tensions or conflicts, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increasing tension with China, may create a heightened risk of cybersecurity attacks. To the extent artificial intelligence capabilities improve and are increasingly adopted by threat actors, they may be used to identify vulnerabilities and craft increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity attacks. Artificial intelligence and deepfake technologies could be used to attack information systems by creating more effective phishing emails or social engineering and by exploiting vulnerabilities in electronic security programs utilizing false image or voice recognition. Vulnerabilities, technical errors and other risks may be introduced through the use of artificial intelligence by us, our customers, suppliers and other business partners and third-party providers, or through the use of third-party hardware and software. Although we are not aware of any cybersecurity incidents impacting our information systems that have been determined to have a material impact on us to date, we continue to devote significant resources to network security, data encryption, and other measures to protect our systems and data from unauthorized access or misuse, and we may be required to expend greater resources in the future, especially in the face of evolving and increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity threats and laws, regulations, and other actual and asserted obligations to which we are or may become subject relating to privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity. We may be unable to anticipate, prevent, or remediate future attacks, vulnerabilities, breaches, or incidents, and in some instances we may be unaware of vulnerabilities or cybersecurity breaches or incidents or their magnitude and effects, particularly as attackers are increasingly able to circumvent controls and remove forensic evidence. Cybersecurity incidents, including cybersecurity incidents on third-party provider networks, may result in business disruption; delay in the development and delivery of our products; disruption of our manufacturing processes, internal communications, interactions with customers and suppliers and processing and reporting financial results; the theft or misappropriation of intellectual property; corruption, loss of, or inability to access (e.g., through ransomware or denial of service) confidential information and critical data (i.e., that of our company and our third-party providers and customers); reputational damage; private claims, demands, and litigation or regulatory investigations, enforcement actions, or other proceedings related to contractual or regulatory privacy, cybersecurity, data protection, or other confidentiality obligations; diminution in the value of our investment in research, development and engineering; and increased costs associated with the implementation of cybersecurity measures to detect, deter, protect against, and recover from such incidents. Our efforts to comply with, and changes to, laws, regulations, and contractual and other actual and asserted obligations concerning privacy, cybersecurity, and data protection, including developing restrictions on cross-border data transfer and data localization, could result in significant expense, and any actual or alleged failure to comply could result in
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inquiries, investigations, and other proceedings against us by regulatory authorities or other third parties. Customers and third-party providers increasingly demand rigorous contractual provisions regarding privacy, cybersecurity, data protection, confidentiality, and intellectual property, which may increase our overall compliance burden.
We are exposed to risks associated with business combinations, acquisitions, strategic investments and divestitures.
We may engage in acquisitions of or investments in companies, technologies or products in existing, related or new markets. Business combinations, acquisitions and investments involve numerous risks to our business, financial condition and operating results, including:
• inability to complete proposed transactions timely or at all due to the failure to obtain regulatory or other approvals, including through expanding global national security regimes that impose prohibitions on foreign investments in or acquisitions of local businesses; litigation or other disputes, and any ensuing obligation to pay a termination fee;
• diversion of management’s attention and disruption of ongoing businesses;
• the failure to realize expected revenues, gross and operating margins, net income and other returns from acquired businesses;
• requirements imposed by government regulators in connection with their review of a transaction, including post-closing investigations of non-notified transactions, which may include, among other things, divestitures and restrictions on the conduct of our existing business or the acquired business;
• following completion of acquisitions, ineffective integration of businesses, operations, systems, digital and physical security, technologies, products, employees, compliance programs, changes in laws or regulations, including tax laws, or other factors, may impact the ability to realize anticipated synergies or other benefits;
• failure to commercialize technologies from acquired businesses or developed through strategic investments;
• dependence on unfamiliar supply chains or relatively small supply partners;
• inability to capitalize on characteristics of new markets that may be significantly different from our existing markets and where competitors may have stronger market positions and customer relationships;
• failure to retain and motivate key employees of acquired businesses;
• the impact of the announcement or consummation of a proposed transaction on relationships with third parties;
• changes in our credit rating, which could adversely impact our access to and cost of capital;
• increases in debt obligations to finance activities associated with a transaction, which increase interest expense, and reductions in cash balances, which reduce the availability of cash flow for general corporate or other purposes, including share repurchases and dividends;
• exposure to new operational risks, rules, regulations, worker expectations, customs and practices to the extent acquired businesses are located in regions where we have not historically conducted business;
• challenges associated with managing new, more diverse and more widespread operations, projects and people;
• inability to obtain and protect intellectual property rights in key technologies;
• inadequacy or ineffectiveness of an acquired company’s internal financial controls, disclosure controls and procedures, cybersecurity, privacy policies and compliance programs, trade control processes or programs, or environmental, health and safety, anti-corruption, human resource, or other policies or practices;
• impairment of acquired intangible assets and goodwill as a result of changing business conditions, technological advancements or worse-than-expected performance of the segment;
• the risk of litigation or claims associated with a proposed or completed transaction;
• unknown, underestimated, undisclosed or undetected commitments or liabilities, including potential intellectual property infringement claims, or non-compliance with laws, regulations or policies; and
• the inappropriate scale of acquired entities’ critical resources or facilities for business needs.
We make investments in other companies, including companies formed as joint ventures, which may decline in value or not meet desired objectives. The success of these investments depends on various factors over which we may have limited or no control and, particularly with respect to joint ventures, requires ongoing and effective cooperation with partners. In addition, new legislation, additional regulations or global economic or political conditions may affect or impair our ability to invest in certain countries or require us to obtain regulatory approvals to do so. We may not receive the necessary regulatory approvals,
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or the approvals may come with significant conditions or obligations. The risks to our investment portfolio may be exacerbated by unfavorable financial market and macroeconomic conditions and, as a result, the value of the investment portfolio could be negatively impacted and lead to impairment charges.
We may seek to divest portions of our business that are not deemed to fit with our strategic plan. Divestitures involve additional risks and uncertainties, such as ability to sell such businesses on satisfactory price and terms and in a timely manner, or at all, disruption to other parts of the businesses and distraction of management, allocation of internal resources that would otherwise be devoted to completing strategic acquisitions or other strategic projects or initiatives, loss of key employees or customers, loss of access by retained business units to critical intellectual property or other assets transferred with the divested business, exposure to unanticipated liabilities or ongoing obligations to support the businesses following such divestitures, and other adverse financial impacts.
The ability to attract, retain and motivate key employees is vital to our success.
Our success depends in large part on our ability to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees and leaders with the necessary expertise and capabilities, representing diverse backgrounds and experiences. Achieving this objective may be difficult due to many factors, including fluctuations in global economic and industry conditions, management or organizational changes, ongoing competition for talent, the availability of qualified employees, the ability to obtain necessary authorizations for workers to provide services outside their home countries, the attractiveness of our compensation and benefit programs, our career growth and development opportunities, and our employment policies. If we are unable to attract, retain and motivate qualified employees and leaders, we may be unable to fully capitalize on current and new market opportunities, which could adversely impact our business and results of operations. The loss of knowledgeable and experienced employees may result in unexpected costs, reduced productivity, or difficulties with respect to internal processes and controls.
We operate in jurisdictions with complex and changing tax laws.
We are subject to income taxes in the United States and foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgment is required to determine and estimate worldwide tax liabilities. Our provision for income taxes and effective tax rates could be affected by numerous factors, including changes in applicable tax laws, interpretations of applicable tax laws, amount and composition of pre-tax income in jurisdictions with differing tax rates, and valuation of deferred tax assets.
There have been a number of enacted and proposed changes in the tax laws that could have a material impact on our provision for income taxes and effective tax rate. An increase in our provision for income taxes and effective tax rate could, in turn, have a material and adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition. For example, various countries where we do business have enacted or plan to enact new tax laws to implement the global minimum tax regimes based on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Project, and where enacted, the rules began to be effective in fiscal 2025. Additionally, on July 4, 2025, the U.S. government enacted the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Key tax provisions of the OBBBA are designed to accelerate tax deductions, but that may have a detrimental impact on our ability to use certain deferred tax assets. For example, as a result of the acceleration of certain tax deductions under the OBBBA, we are unable to forecast utilization of our existing corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) credit deferred tax asset. We have recorded a full valuation allowance against the CAMT credit deferred tax asset, which increased our effective tax rate and provision for income taxes in fiscal 2025. The amount of the valuation allowance may be adjusted in future quarters if estimates of our future taxable income change. We continue to monitor developments and evaluate the impact, if any, of enacted and proposed changes in the tax laws on our results of operations and cash flows. The adoption and effective dates of changes in the tax laws vary by country and could increase tax complexity and uncertainty and may adversely affect our provision for income taxes in future years.
We have been granted additional conditional reduced tax rates in Singapore that expire beginning in fiscal 2030. There is risk our conditional reduced tax rates may not be renewed.
Consistent with the international nature of our business, we conduct certain manufacturing, supply chain, and other operations in Asia, bringing these activities closer to customers and reducing operating costs. In some foreign jurisdictions, we must meet certain requirements to continue to qualify for tax incentives. There is no assurance we will be able to meet such requirements in the future to fully realize benefits from these incentives. Furthermore, the proposed plans to implement global minimum tax regimes could reduce or eliminate the benefits of our tax incentives.
We are subject to examination by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities, and from time to time amend previously filed tax returns. We regularly assess the likelihood of favorable or unfavorable outcomes resulting from these examinations and amendments to determine the adequacy of our provision for income taxes, which requires estimates and judgments. Although we believe our tax estimates are reasonable, there can be no assurance the tax authorities will agree with such estimates. We may have to engage in litigation to achieve the results reflected in the estimates, which may be time-
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consuming and expensive. There can be no assurance that we will be successful or that any final determination will not be materially different from the treatment reflected in our historical income tax provisions and effective tax rates.
Our indebtedness and debt covenants could adversely affect our financial condition and business.
As of July 27, 2025 we had $6.2 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes outstanding. Under the indenture governing the senior unsecured notes, we may be required to offer to repurchase the notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if we experience a change of control and a contemporaneous downgrade of the notes below investment grade. We also have in place a $2.0 billion revolving credit facility. While no amounts were outstanding under this credit facility as of July 27, 2025, we may borrow amounts in the future under this credit facility or enter into new financing arrangements. Our ability to satisfy our debt obligations is dependent upon the results of our business operations and subject to other risks discussed in this section. If we fail to satisfy our debt obligations, or comply with financial and other debt covenants, we may be in default and any borrowings may become immediately due and payable, and such default may constitute a default under our other obligations. There can be no assurance that we would have sufficient financial resources or be able to arrange financing to repay any borrowings at such time. Significant changes in our credit rating, disruptions in the global financial markets, or incurrence of new or refinancing of existing indebtedness at higher interest rates could have a material and adverse impact on our access to and cost of capital for future financings, and financial condition.
Our business depends on the successful implementation and proper functioning of information systems we use.
Our business depends on certain information systems, including, enterprise resource planning, product research and development, financial reporting, information technology network management, and telecommunications. These systems may be maintained by us or by our third-party vendors. Failures of information systems we use could disrupt our operations, impede our ability to timely and accurately process and report financial results, and adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We periodically implement new or enhanced information systems. Implementation of new business processes and information systems requires the commitment of significant personnel, training and financial resources, and entails risks to our business operations. If the implementation or improvement of information systems is delayed or unsuccessful, we may not realize anticipated productivity improvements or cost efficiencies, and may experience interruptions in service and operational difficulties, which could result in quality issues, reputational harm, lost market and revenue opportunities, and otherwise adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may incur impairment charges related to goodwill or long-lived assets.
We have a significant amount of goodwill and other acquired intangible assets related to acquisitions. Goodwill and purchased intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are not amortized but are reviewed for impairment annually during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year, and more frequently when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. The review compares the fair value for each of our reporting units to its associated carrying value, including goodwill. Factors that could lead to impairment of goodwill and intangible assets include adverse industry or economic trends, reduced estimates of future cash flows, declines in the market price of our common stock, changes in our strategies or product portfolio, and restructuring activities. Our valuation methodology for assessing impairment requires management to make judgments and assumptions based on historical experience and projections of future operating performance. We may be required to record future charges to earnings during the period in which an impairment of goodwill or intangible assets is determined to exist.
We may not continue to declare cash dividends or repurchase our shares.
Our ability to continue to pay quarterly dividends and to repurchase our shares is subject to capital availability and periodic determinations by our Board of Directors that cash dividends and share repurchases are in the best interest of our stockholders and are in compliance with applicable laws and agreements. Future dividends and share repurchases may be affected by, among other factors, our cash flow; potential future capital requirements for investments, acquisitions, infrastructure projects, and research and development; changes in applicable tax, corporate, or other laws; contractual restrictions, such as financial or operating covenants in our debt arrangements; and changes to our business model. Our dividend payments and share repurchases may change from time to time, and we cannot provide assurance that we will continue to declare dividends or repurchase shares in any particular amounts or at all. A reduction or suspension in our dividend payments or share repurchases could have a negative effect on the price of our common stock.
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Legal, Compliance, and Other Risks
We are exposed to risks related to legal proceedings, claims and investigations.
From time to time we are, and in the future may be, involved in legal proceedings or claims regarding patent infringement, trade secret misappropriation, other intellectual property rights, trade compliance, including import, export and customs, antitrust, environmental regulations, cybersecurity, privacy, data protection, securities, contracts, product performance, product liability, unfair competition, employment, workplace safety, and other matters. We may receive, and have received, inquiries, warrants, subpoenas, and other requests for information in connection with government investigations of potential or suspected violations of law or regulations by our company and/or our employees. For example, we have received subpoenas from government authorities requesting information relating to China customer shipments, export controls compliance, certain federal award applications and information submitted to the federal government. We also on occasion receive notifications from customers who believe we owe them indemnification, product warranty or have other obligations related to claims made against such customers by third parties.
Legal proceedings, claims, and government investigations, whether with or without merit, and internal investigations, may be time-consuming and expensive to prosecute, defend or conduct; divert management’s attention and our other resources; constrain our ability to sell our products and services; result in adverse judgments for damages, injunctive relief, penalties and fines; and negatively affect our business. We cannot predict the outcome of current or future legal proceedings, claims or investigations.
We are exposed to risks related to the global regulatory environment.
We are subject to the laws of the United States and multiple foreign jurisdictions and the rules and regulations of various governing bodies, which may differ among jurisdictions, including those related to financial and other disclosures, accounting standards, securities, corporate governance, public procurement and public funding, intellectual property, tax, trade (including import, export and customs), antitrust, cybersecurity, environment (including those relating to sustainability and climate), health and safety, employment, immigration and travel regulations, human rights, privacy, data protection and localization, and anti-corruption. Changing, inconsistent or conflicting laws, rules and regulations, and ambiguities in their interpretation and application create uncertainty and challenges, and compliance with laws, rules and regulations may be onerous and expensive, divert management time and attention from revenue-generating activities, and otherwise adversely impact our business operations. Violations of law, rules and regulations, including, among others, those related to financial and other disclosures, trade (including import and export regulations), antitrust, environment, health and safety, privacy, data protection, and anti-corruption, could result in fines, criminal penalties, restrictions on our business, and damage to our reputation, and could have an adverse impact on our business operations, financial condition and results of operations.
Implementation and reporting on our sustainability strategies and targets could result in additional costs, and our inability to achieve them could have an adverse impact on our reputation and performance.
We periodically communicate our strategies and targets related to sustainability matters. These strategies and targets, and their underlying assumptions, reflect our current plans and aspirations, and we may be unable to achieve them. Changing customer and shareholder sustainability expectations, including increasing customer demand for sustainable products, and regulatory requirements, as well as actions taken to achieve our sustainability targets, could cause us to incur substantial expense and alter our manufacturing, operations or equipment designs and processes. Any failure or perceived failure to timely meet these sustainability requirements, expectations or targets, or a failure to realize the anticipated benefits of planned investments and technology innovations related to sustainability, could adversely impact the demand for our products and subject us to significant costs and liabilities and reputational risks that could in turn adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, standards and processes for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions and other sustainability metrics may change over time, and may result in inconsistent data, increase our costs, result in significant revisions to our strategies and targets, or impact our ability to achieve them. We also are or may become subject to new climate and sustainability laws and regulations, such as the State of California’s new climate change disclosure rules and the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. Compliance with such laws and regulations, as well as increased scrutiny from regulators, customers and other stakeholders on our sustainability practices, could result in additional costs and expose us to new risks. Any scrutiny of our greenhouse gas emissions or other sustainability disclosures, our failure to achieve related strategies and targets, or our failure to disclose our sustainability measures consistent with applicable laws and regulations or to the satisfaction of regulators or our stakeholders could negatively impact our reputation or performance.
We are subject to risks associated with environmental, health and safety regulations.
We are subject to environmental, health and safety regulations in connection with our global business operations, including but not limited to: regulations related to the design, manufacture, sale, shipping, import, export and use of our
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products; use, handling, discharge, recycling, transportation and disposal of hazardous materials used in our products or in producing our products; the operation of our facilities; and the use of our real property, including in connection with construction of our infrastructure projects. The failure or inability to comply with existing or future environmental, health and safety regulations could result in: significant remediation or other legal liabilities; the imposition of penalties and fines; restrictions on the development, manufacture, sale, shipping or use of certain of our products; limitations on the operation of our facilities or ability to use our real property; and a decrease in the value of our real property. We could be required to alter our product design, manufacturing, and operations, and incur substantial expense in order to comply with environmental, health and safety regulations, including reporting requirements. Any failure to comply with these regulations could subject us to significant costs and liabilities that could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Item 2.     Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
 
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
In March 2025, our Board of Directors approved a common stock repurchase program authorizing $10.0 billion in repurchases, which supplemented the previously existing $10.0 billion authorization approved from March 2023. As of July 27, 2025, approximately $14.8 billion remained available for future stock repurchases under the repurchase program.

Period Total Number
 of
Shares Purchased Average
Price Paid
per Share *
Aggregate
Price
 Paid *
Total Number of
Shares Purchased as
Part of Publicly
Announced Program Maximum Dollar
Value of Shares
That May Yet be
Purchased Under
the Program *

  (In millions, except per share amounts)
Month #1
(April 28, 2025 to May 25, 2025) 3.7  $ 159.65  $ 586  3.7  $ 15,284 
Month #2
(May 26, 2025 to June 22, 2025) 2.1  $ 166.37  345  2.1  $ 14,939 
Month #3
(June 23, 2025 to July 27, 2025) 0.5  $ 188.76  107  0.5  $ 14,832 
Total 6.3  $ 164.47  $ 1,038  6.3 

___________________________
* Amounts include the 1% surcharge on stock repurchases under the Inflation Reduction Act’s excise tax. This excise tax is recorded in equity and reduces the amount available under the repurchase program, as applicable.

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities
None

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.

Item 5. Other Information
During the three months ended July 27, 2025, no director or officer, as defined in Rule 16a-1(f), adopted or terminated a “Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement” or a “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement,” each as defined in Regulation S-K Item 408.
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Item 6.     Exhibits
Exhibits are numbered in accordance with the Exhibit Table of Item 601 of Regulation S-K:

    Incorporated by Reference
Exhibit
No.
Description Form File No. Exhibit No. Filing Date
31.1 Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002†

31.2 Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002†

32.1 Certification of the Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002‡

32.2 Certification of the Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002‡

101.SCH Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document‡
101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document‡
101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document‡
101.LAB Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document‡
101.PRE Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document‡
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)

 
† Filed herewith.
‡     Furnished herewith.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 
APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

August 21, 2025 By: /s/ BRICE HILL
Brice Hill
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)

August 21, 2025 By: /s/ ADAM SANDERS
Adam Sanders
Vice President,
Corporate Controller and
Chief Accounting Officer
(Principal Accounting Officer)

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