Applied Materials CEO flags at least eight quarters of customer demand visibility, backing a multi-year AI capex cycle
Applied Materials (AMAT) CEO Gary Dickerson said the company’s largest customers are now supporting equipment-demand forecasts at least eight quarters ahead, along with directional visibility of roughly three years. Applied Materials expects its semiconductor equipment business to grow by more than 30% year over year in calendar-year 2026 and said advanced packaging equipment revenue is expected to rise 50% this year. The guidance underscores a longer-lasting, AI-driven semiconductor capital spending cycle, which also benefits peers such as Lam Research (LRCX) and ASML (ASML).