Applied Materials to Increase its Strategic Investment in BE Semiconductor Industries

Share delivery remains subject to an antitrust waiting period, and Applied does not intend to seek Besi board representation.

Rhea-AI Summary

Applied Materials (AMAT) has entered into an agreement to increase its investment in BE Semiconductor Industries to approximately 20 percent of outstanding shares.

The accelerated share purchase would add to Applied’s investment initially made in April 2025. Delivery remains subject to expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. Applied views the investment as long term, currently has no intention to increase it beyond approximately 20 percent and does not intend to seek board representation at Besi. The companies’ collaboration began in 2020 and recently expanded with Besi joining Applied’s EPIC Center as an Innovation Partner, extending their work beyond hybrid bonding into new interconnect architectures and applications.

2 points · 0 major

PositiveiHow this balance works

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0 major · 1 point

Hollow bars mark forward-looking points. How the balance works

Positive

• Moderate point. Forward-looking: it has not happened yet and may not happen.Accelerated share purchase agreement would increase Applied’s Besi investment to approximately 20 percent of outstanding shares.
• Minor pointExpanded Besi collaboration extends joint development beyond hybrid bonding into new interconnect architectures and applications.

Negative

• Minor pointShare delivery remains subject to expiration or termination of the applicable Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period.

Key Figures

Besi stake: ≈20% of outstanding shares

Besi stake

≈20% of outstanding shares

Target stake after the share purchase

Historical Context

1 past event · Latest: Oct 12

1 event

1. Oct 12

   EPIC Center launch

   24h Move

   -6.7%

   Unveiled the EPIC Center as a hub for collaborative semiconductor technology development.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

accelerated share purchase agreement, hart-scott-rodino antitrust improvements act, hybrid bonding, 3d ic

4 terms

accelerated share purchase agreement financial

"entered into an accelerated share purchase agreement for the Besi shares"

An accelerated share purchase agreement is a quick method a company uses to buy back a large block of its own shares through an investment bank: the bank delivers shares to the company immediately while the final number and price are settled over a short period. For investors, it can shrink the number of shares outstanding and lift earnings per share like trimming a pie into fewer slices, but it can also use cash or borrowing and introduce short-term settlement or valuation uncertainty.

hart-scott-rodino antitrust improvements act regulatory

"under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976"

A U.S. law that requires companies planning large mergers or acquisitions to notify federal antitrust authorities and wait for review before completing the deal. Think of it like applying for a building permit: regulators check whether the combined business would unfairly hurt competition and can clear the deal, impose changes, or seek to stop it, so the process affects transaction timing, cost, and whether expected benefits reach investors.

hybrid bonding technical

"co-innovation beyond hybrid bonding into new interconnect architectures"

Hybrid bonding is a chip-assembly method that joins two silicon pieces face-to-face using very small metal and insulating connections, creating many tiny direct electrical links instead of relying on larger external wires. For investors, it matters because it lets device makers build smaller, faster and more energy-efficient processors and memory stacks, potentially improving product performance, reducing manufacturing costs, and creating competitive advantages along the semiconductor supply chain.

3d ic technical

"next-generation 3D IC scaling, logic and memory integration"

A 3D IC is a semiconductor chip made by stacking multiple layers of circuitry vertically and electrically linking them so they function as a single unit, like stacking floors in a building instead of spreading everything across a single floor. For investors, 3D ICs can deliver faster speeds, lower power use and smaller devices, which can boost product competitiveness, affect manufacturing costs and influence a company’s growth prospects.

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Applied enters into agreement to increase its investment to approximately 20 percent of outstanding shares, reinforcing the companies’ long-term strategic partnership in advanced packaging

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) today announced it is increasing its investment in BE Semiconductor Industries N.V. (Besi) (Euronext Amsterdam: BESI), a leading manufacturer of assembly equipment for the semiconductor industry, to approximately 20 percent of Besi’s outstanding shares. The share purchase would add to Applied Materials’ current investment in Besi, which Applied initially made in April 2025.

The companies have a longstanding strategic collaboration, which began in 2020 and was recently expanded with Besi joining Applied Materials’ EPIC Center as an Innovation Partner. The expanded partnership extends the companies’ co-innovation beyond hybrid bonding into new interconnect architectures and applications supporting the semiconductor industry’s AI-driven scaling roadmap. Areas of collaboration include next-generation 3D IC scaling, logic and memory integration, scaling of thermo-compression bonding and new die-on-wafer, die-on-die and die-on-panel integration platforms.

“Applied Materials is adding to its investment in Besi as hybrid bonding technology and next-generation interconnect architectures become increasingly critical enablers of energy-efficient AI compute performance,” said Dr. Prabu Raja, President of the Semiconductor Products Group at Applied Materials. “We also look forward to furthering our strategic collaboration with Besi and delivering the innovative products and technologies our customers need to scale AI systems.”

Applied Materials has entered into an accelerated share purchase agreement for the Besi shares, and the delivery of the shares is subject to the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the HSR Act).

Applied Materials views its investment in Besi as long term. Applied currently has no intention to increase its investment in Besi beyond approximately 20 percent, and Applied does not intend to seek board representation at Besi.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the purchase of Besi shares by Applied Materials. These statements and their underlying assumptions are subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements include the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the HSR Act and the risks and uncertainties described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All forward-looking statements are based on management’s current estimates, projections and assumptions, and we assume no obligation to update them.

About Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT) is the leader in materials engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor and advanced display in the world. The technology we create is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation chips. At Applied, we push the boundaries of science and engineering to deliver material innovation that changes the world. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

Contact:
Ricky Gradwohl (editorial/media) 408.235.4676
Mike Sullivan (financial community) 408.986.7977

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

How much of Besi does Applied Materials plan to own?

Applied Materials has entered into an accelerated share purchase agreement to increase its investment to approximately 20 percent of Besi’s outstanding shares. Applied currently has no intention to increase its investment beyond that level and does not intend to seek board representation.

What condition must be met for Applied Materials to receive the Besi shares?

Delivery of the Besi shares is subject to expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.