Applied Materials is the world’s largest manufacturer of equipment, machines, and software used to build semiconductors and advanced flat-panel displays. Its chipmaking expertise is used in the data centers that develop artificial intelligence applications.
With a market capitalization of more than $400 billion as of early August 2026, Applied Materials is a significant player AI chip manufacturing. Here’s a look at how many times Applied Materials conducted stock splits.
Applied Materials stock split quick facts
- Number of stock splits: 9
- Most recent stock split: April 17, 2002
- First stock split: April 2, 1980
- Decade with most stock splits: 1990s
- Most common stock split ratio: 2:1
When did Applied Materials conduct its first stock split?
Applied Materials first went public on October 5, 1972, but it wouldn’t have its first stock split until April 2, 1980, when it offered two shares for each stock held.
When was Applied Materials’ last stock split?
Applied Materials last conducted a stock split more than two decades ago — on April 17, 2002, when it gave stockholders two shares for every one owned. After this, rather than continue with stock splits, Applied focused on returning value to shareholders by paying dividends.
Applied’s stock hit a peak in 2000, and following the dot-com bubble and eventual bust, the stock declined and largely traded within a narrow range. It would not match its 2000 high until 2017.
Related: Alphabet’s stock splits: History & prospects explained
How many times has Applied Materials split its stock?
Applied Materials conducted a total of nine stock splits over a 22-year span. The most frequent split ratio was 2-for-1, and the greatest number of stock splits in a decade was four, during the 1990s.
Applied Materials’ stock split history at a glance
| Effective date | Split ratio |
|---|---|
|
April 17, 2002 |
2 for 1 |
|
March 16, 2000 |
2 for 1 |
|
October 14, 1997 |
2 for 1 |
|
October 13, 1995 |
2 for 1 |
|
October 6, 1993 |
2 for 1 |
|
April 7, 1992 |
2 for 1 |
|
May 16, 1986 |
2 for 1 |
|
February 6, 1981 |
3 for 2 |
|
April 2, 1980 |
3 for 2 |
Source: Applied Materials
Applied Materials’ stock price performance
Applied Materials went public on October 5, 1972, with an IPO price of $10 per share. On a split-adjusted basis, that comes out to $0.035 a share.
From its IPO price, the stock rose 15,070 times, as of the August 6, 2026, closing price of $527.48. That compares to a 68-fold gain for the S&P 500 Index in the same period. A $10,000 investment in Applied’s IPO would be worth $150.7 million as of this article’s last update.
Applied’s shares have only risen significantly in recent years. In the 12 months through early August 2026, the stock more than tripled in value, and it closed at a record high of $723 on June 30, 2026.
Applied Materials’ stock price since IPO, from Google Finance via Google Sheets
More on stock splits:
- Netflix’s stock split history (& prospects) explained
- Walmart’s stock split history (& prospects) explained
- Oracle’s stock splits: History & prospects explained
What would Applied Materials’ stock price be in 2026 if it hadn’t conducted any stock splits?
Applied Materials’ share price, had the stock not been split nine times, can be calculated by multiplying the current stock price by the cumulative stock split ratio, in this case, 288:
Current Applied Materials stock price x (1.5×1.5×2×2×2×2×2×2×2) = Applied stock price had the stock never been split
Current Applied Materials stock price x (288) = Applied stock price had the stock never been split
Had Applied never implemented stock splits, a share would be valued at $151,914.24, based on the August 8, 2026, closing price of $527.48. At that 6-digit price, Applied would be out of the price range for many retail investors, unless they could buy fractional shares.
Is Applied Materials going to split its stock again?
Applied Materials last split its shares in 2002. With the company prioritizing dividends to reward shareholders, it isn’t considered likely that Applied will conduct a stock split anytime soon. Still, with its stock near record highs (or if it sets new record highs in the future), there’s always a possibility that Applied Materials’ leadership could consider splitting its stock once again.
Related: Has Meta conducted a stock split? What sets this ‘Mag 7’ stock apart
