AMAT - Applied Materials Increases Cash Dividend by 25 Percent | Benzinga
SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Materials, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a 25-percent increase in the quarterly cash dividend from $0.32 to $0.40 per share. The dividend is payable on June 13, 2024 to shareholders of record as of May 23, 2024.
"Our latest dividend increase reflects our confidence in Applied Materials' ability to generate profitable growth and strong free cash flow," said Brice Hill, Senior Vice President and CFO. "We believe Applied can continue to outperform the semiconductor equipment market in the years ahead, and we expect our services business to deliver double-digit growth and more than enough operating profit to support a growing dividend."
The quarterly cash dividend is a key component of Applied's capital allocation strategy. Today's announcement marks the seventh consecutive year that Applied has raised its dividend. In March 2023, Applied announced a 23.1-percent increase in the quarterly cash dividend from $0.26 to $0.32 per share and indicated its intention to increase the dividend at an accelerated rate over the next several years, which would double the previous dividend per share. With the increase announced today, Applied has grown its quarterly dividend paid per share at a 15-percent compound annual growth rate over the past 10 years.
Forward-Looking Statements
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