Applied Materials vs. Intel: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?

When choosing a technology stock, you can weigh a chipmaker against a supplier of the equipment chipmaking requires. Which is the better buy, Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) or Intel (NASDAQ:INTC)?

Applied Materials sells the equipment and services that chipmakers use to fabricate semiconductors, and its fiscal year ends in late October. Intel designs and manufactures its own processors for PCs and data centers, and its fiscal year ends in late December. The two companies sit at different points in the semiconductor supply chain.

In its annual report for the fiscal year ended Oct. 26, 2025, Applied Materials describes itself as the leader in the materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every semiconductor in the world.

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