Applied Materials Value Stock - Dividend - Research Selection

Incorporated in 1967, Applied is a Delaware corporation. A global company with a broad set of capabilities in materials engineering, Applied provides manufacturing equipment, services and software to the global semiconductor, display and related industries. With its diverse technology capabilities, Applied delivers products and services that improve device performance, yield and cost. Applied’s customers include manufacturers of semiconductor chips, liquid crystal and other displays, and other electronic devices. These customers may use what they manufacture in their own end products or sell the items to other companies for use in advanced electronic components. Applied’s fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in October.

As of October 30, 2016, Applied operates in three reportable segments: Semiconductor Systems (previously Silicon Systems), Applied Global Services, and Display and Adjacent Markets. A summary of financial information for each reportable segment is found in Note 14 of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. A discussion of factors that could affect operations is set forth under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Effective in the third quarter of fiscal 2016, Applied began to account for its flexible coating systems (previously included in its Energy and Environmental Solutions segment) and display upgrade equipment (previously included in its Applied Global Services segment) under its Display and Adjacent Markets segment (previously Display). As a result of these changes, Applied’s solar business (previously included in the Energy and Environmental Solutions segment) is included in Corporate and Other as it did not meet the threshold for a separate reportable segment. Results from prior periods have been recast to conform to the current presentation.

Semiconductor Systems

Applied’s Semiconductor Systems segment develops, manufactures and sells a wide range of manufacturing equipment used to fabricate semiconductor chips, also referred to as integrated circuits (ICs). The Semiconductor Systems segment includes semiconductor capital equipment for deposition, etch, ion implantation, rapid thermal processing, chemical mechanical planarization, metrology and inspection, and wafer packaging. The majority of Applied’s new equipment sales are to leading integrated device manufacturers and foundries worldwide.

Transistor and Interconnect

Applied’s transistor and interconnect products and technologies have enabled multiple generations of device scaling from planar transistors to today’s 3D multi-gate FinFET transistors. Applied offers products and technologies for transistor and interconnect fabrication, including epitaxy, ion implantation, oxidation and nitridation, rapid thermal processing, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, chemical mechanical planarization and electrochemical deposition. Many of these process steps are used multiple times throughout the semiconductor chip fabrication process.

Imaging and Process Control

Applied offers a suite of metrology, inspection and review systems for front- and back-end-of-line applications. These systems’ imaging capabilities and algorithms employ optical and e-beam technologies to meet the most advanced technical demands, such as self-aligned double and quad patterning, extreme ultraviolet layers, measurement-intensive optimal proximity correction mask qualification, and emerging 3D architectures. Applied delivers leading-edge capabilities that enable chipmakers to establish accurate statistical process control, ramp up production runs rapidly, and achieve consistently high production yields.

Applied Global Services

The Applied Global Services (AGS) segment provides integrated solutions to optimize equipment and fab performance and productivity, including spares, upgrades, services, remanufactured earlier generation equipment and factory automation software for semiconductor, display and other products. Customer demand for products and services is fulfilled through a global distribution system with trained service engineers located in close proximity to customer sites in more than a dozen countries and 82 locations to support approximately 34,000 installed Applied semiconductor, display and other manufacturing systems worldwide. Applied offers the following general types of services and products under the Applied Global Services segment.

Display and Adjacent Markets

The Display and Adjacent Markets segment is comprised of products for manufacturing liquid crystal displays (LCDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and other display technologies for TVs, personal computers (PCs), tablets, smart phones, and other consumer-oriented devices as well as equipment for flexible substrates. While similarities exist between the technologies utilized in semiconductor and display fabrication, the most significant differences are in the size and composition of the substrate. Substrates used to manufacture display panels and other devices are typically glass, although newer flexible materials are entering the market. Display and Adjacent Markets industry growth depends primarily on consumer demand for increasingly larger and more advanced TVs and high resolution displays for mobile devices as well as new form factors, including thin, light and curved displays, and new applications such as virtual reality.

Manufacturing, Raw Materials and Supplies

Applied’s manufacturing activities consist primarily of assembly, test and integration of various proprietary and commercial parts, components and subassemblies that are used to manufacture systems. Applied has implemented a distributed manufacturing model under which manufacturing and supply chain activities are conducted in various countries, including Germany, Israel, Italy, Singapore, Taiwan, the United States and other countries in Asia. Applied uses numerous vendors, including contract manufacturers, to supply parts and assembly services for the manufacture and support of its products, including some systems being completed at customer sites.

Although Applied makes reasonable efforts to assure that parts are available from multiple qualified suppliers, this is not always possible. Accordingly, some key parts may be obtained from only a single supplier or a limited group of suppliers. Applied seeks to reduce costs and to lower the risks of manufacturing and service interruptions by selecting and qualifying alternate suppliers for key parts; monitoring the financial condition of key suppliers; maintaining appropriate inventories of key parts; qualifying new parts on a timely basis; and ensuring quality and performance of parts.

Research, Development and Engineering

Applied’s long-term growth strategy requires continued development of new materials engineering capabilities, including products and platforms that enable expansion into new and adjacent markets. Applied’s significant investments in research, development and engineering (RD&E) must generally enable it to deliver new products and technologies before the emergence of strong demand, thus allowing customers to incorporate these products into their manufacturing plans during early-stage technology selection. Applied works closely with its global customers to design systems and processes that meet their planned technical and production requirements.

Applied’s product development and engineering organizations are located primarily in the United States, as well as in Canada, China, Europe, India, Israel, Singapore and Taiwan. In addition, certain outsourced RD&E activities, process support and customer demonstrations are performed in the United States, India, China, Singapore and Taiwan.

Applied’s investments in RD&E for product development and engineering programs over the last three fiscal years were as follows: $1.5 billion (14 percent of net sales) in fiscal 2016, $1.5 billion (15 percent of net sales) in fiscal 2015, and $1.4 billion (16 percent of net sales) in fiscal 2014. Applied has spent an average of 15 percent of net sales in RD&E over the last five years. In addition to RD&E for specific product technologies, Applied maintains ongoing programs for automation control systems, materials research, environmental control and product ideation.

Competition

The industries in which Applied operates are highly competitive and characterized by rapid technological change. Applied’s ability to compete generally depends on its ability to timely commercialize its technology, continually improve its products, and develop new products that meet constantly evolving customer requirements. Significant competitive factors include technical capability and differentiation, productivity, cost-effectiveness and the ability to support a global customer base. The importance of these factors varies according to customers’ needs, including product mix and respective product requirements, applications, and the timing and circumstances of purchasing decisions. Substantial competition exists in all areas of Applied’s business. Competitors range from small companies that compete in a single region, which may benefit from policies and regulations that favor domestic companies, to global, diversified companies. Applied’s ability to compete requires a high level of investment in RD&E, marketing and sales, and global customer support activities. Management believes that many of Applied’s products have strong competitive positions.

The semiconductor industry has been increasingly driven by consumer demand for lower-cost electronic products with increased capability, particularly mobility devices such as smartphones and tablets. The growth of data and new innovations such as augmented and virtual reality and smart vehicles are also creating new opportunities for the industry. As a result, products within the Semiconductor Systems segment are subject to significant changes in customer requirements, including transitions to smaller dimensions, new materials and an increasing number of applications. While certain existing technologies may be adapted to new requirements, some applications create the need for an entirely different technological approach. The rapid pace of technological change can quickly diminish the value of current technologies and products and create opportunities for existing and new competitors. Applied offers a variety of technologically-differentiated products that must continuously evolve to satisfy customers’ requirements in order to compete effectively in the marketplace. Applied allocates resources among its numerous product offerings and therefore may decide not to invest in an individual product to the same degree as competitors who specialize in fewer products. There are a number of competitors serving the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry, which has experienced increasing consolidation. Some of these competitors offer a single product line and others offer multiple product lines, and range from suppliers serving a single region to global, diversified companies. The competitive environment for Semiconductor Systems in fiscal 2016 reflected steady overall demand for semiconductor equipment, with continued investments by memory customers in technology upgrades and additional capacity, reflecting primarily the transition from planar technology to 3D architectures. Demand from foundry customers reflected investments in new technology at advanced nodes, driven by demand for advanced mobile chips.

Products and services within the Applied Global Services segment complement Semiconductor Systems and Display and Adjacent Markets segments’ products in markets that are characterized by demanding worldwide service requirements and a diverse group of numerous competitors. To compete effectively, Applied offers products and services to improve tool performance, lower overall cost of ownership, and increase the productivity and energy efficiency of customers’ fab operations. Significant competitive factors include productivity, cost-effectiveness, and the level of technical service and support. The importance of these factors varies according to customers’ needs and the type of products or services offered. Industry conditions that affected Applied Global Services’ sales of spares and services in fiscal 2016 were principally semiconductor manufacturers’ wafer starts and factory utilization rates.

Products in the Display and Adjacent Markets segment are generally subject to strong competition from a number of major competitors primarily in Asia. Applied holds established market positions with its technically-differentiated LCD and OLED manufacturing solutions for PECVD, color filter PVD, PVD array, PVD touch panel, and TFT array testing, although its market position could change quickly due to customers’ evolving requirements. The Company has also entered a new business in yield control with its new inline e-beam review (EBR) system. The competitive environment for the Display and Adjacent Markets Groups in fiscal 2016 was characterized by increasing demand for manufacturing equipment for high-end mobile devices and continued demand for TV manufacturing equipment, although the TV manufacturing equipment sector remains susceptible to cyclical conditions. Important factors affecting the competitive position of Applied’s Display and Adjacent Markets products include: industry trends, Applied’s ability to innovate and develop new products, and the extent to which Applied’s products are technically-differentiated, as well as which customers within a highly concentrated customer base are making capital equipment investments and Applied’s existing position at these customers.