NVDA vs AMAT Stock Comparison

NVDA currently leads AMAT in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 55 vs 45. The clearest difference is momentum.

Market data as of Oct 21, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 10 points
NVDA
Technology
vs
AMAT
Technology
NVDA
NVIDIA Corporation
Leads
Price
$222
Day move
+2.54%
AIQ Score
55/100
Best edge
Momentum
Sector
Technology
AMAT
Applied Materials, Inc.
Price
$409
Day move
+0.98%
AIQ Score
45/100
Best edge
Balanced
Sector
Technology

What is the main difference between NVDA and AMAT?

NVDA leads the current stock comparison as NVIDIA Corporation, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

NVIDIA Corporation vs Applied Materials, Inc.

Data as of Oct 21, 2026· market close· Technology· Coverage 66/66 fields· High confidence
AIQ VerdictFragileAIQ Comparison Conviction 5/10

NVDA leads

NVDA leads by 10 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience, having only recently taken the lead back from AMAT. Wall Street currently favors AMAT on target upside.

Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support NVDA, the lead recently changed hands, and its current signal state is conflicted.

Evidence agreement: 4 of 6Comparison trend: Reversed
NVDA

NVIDIA Corporation

Leads
AIQ Score
55/100
AIQ Edge Score
6/10
AMAT

Applied Materials, Inc.

AIQ Score
45/100
AIQ Edge Score
4/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors NVDA over AMAT, 55 versus 45 as of Oct 21, 2026. NVDA's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience. NVDA also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors AMAT. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor NVDA today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. NVDA lead: Reversed — AMAT led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; NVDA now leads by 10.

Compare NVIDIA Corporation and Applied Materials, Inc. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.

NVDA
+856.7%
AMAT
+210.6%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested

NVDA $95,670 · AMAT $31,056

Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.

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AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

NVDA advantage
0
AMAT advantage
  • Momentum29 vs 8
    NVDA +21
  • Risk Resilience57 vs 45
    NVDA +12
  • Quality97 vs 88
    NVDA +9
  • Value35 vs 32
    Even

4 of 6 evidence groups favor NVDA. NVDA’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.

NVDA-1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -2

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 2 active signals are unchanged.

AMAT0 AIQ

No factor moved materially.

No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 6 active signals are unchanged.

NVDA's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — NVDA and AMAT both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

NVDA (NVIDIA Corporation): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.

AMAT (Applied Materials, Inc.): the counter-case, on analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 45.5% against 23.5%.

The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

NVDA

NVDA on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

NVDA

NVDA on combined revenue and EPS growth.

Value

Even

The two are level on Value.

Momentum

NVDA

NVDA on the Momentum factor, by 21 points.

Lower downside

NVDA

NVDA on Risk Resilience, by 12 points.

Analyst upside

AMAT

AMAT on implied upside to the consensus price target.

AIQ vs Wall Street

The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors NVDA, analyst targets favor AMAT. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.

MeasureNVDAAMATNote
Implied upside to target+46.4%+49.5%AMAT has more room
Target dispersion+93.9%+68.7%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusBuyBuyContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering2924Higher coverage generally improves confidence

The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Dividend growth

NVDA vs AMAT: regular dividend growth
Dividend metricNVDAAMAT
5Y dividend CAGR20.11%15.39%
2020 regular DPS$0.016$0.870
2025 regular DPS$0.040$1.780
Years increased25
No cut in windowYesYes
Cohort rank#14#32

NVDA grew its split-adjusted regular dividend faster over 2020–2025 — 20.11% a year against AMAT's 15.39%. Neither company reduced its regular dividend in any year of the window.

Yield and payout ratio shown elsewhere on this page are current values, not part of the study window.

Split-adjusted regular dividends per share, 2020–2025, excluding special dividends. Research as of Sep 19, 2026.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor NVDA. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreNVDA55 vs 45
FundamentalsNVDArevenue growth 17.9% vs 15.2%; EPS growth 2.9% vs -9.3%; TTM ROE 110.1% vs 40.4%; gross margin 74.7% vs 49.4%; operating margin 65.2% vs 30.5%
ValuationEvenValue 35 vs 32
TechnicalsNVDAPrice vs 50-day -0.4% vs -14.3%; vs 200-day 6.5% vs -6.7%
Risk ResilienceNVDARisk Resilience 57 vs 45
Analyst expectationsAMATTarget upside 46.4% vs 49.5%

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of NVDA and AMAT and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Fragile

The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.

  • The AIQ gap is moderate at 10 points.
  • The lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on NVDA.

How the comparison changed

120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20

NVDA lead: Reversed — AMAT led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; NVDA now leads by 10.

Jun 21NVDA leads above the line · AMAT leads belowOct 20
Today
NVDA +10
55 vs 45
7 sessions ago
NVDA +11
57 vs 46
30 sessions ago
AMAT +1
65 vs 66
90 sessions ago
NVDA +12
69 vs 57

The lead changed hands 2 times in this window, most recently on Sep 29 when AMAT moved ahead of NVDA.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

NVDAConflicted

1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted

No signal that the other name lacks.

AMATConflicted

2 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted

Only AMAT

  • ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (5.00%)
  • Keltner Channel Breakdown — bearish, volatility, short horizon
  • RSI Oversold - Potential Bounce — bullish, momentum, short horizon
  • Beta Spike Warning — bearish, risk, long horizon

Both carry 2 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, MACD Bearish Crossover.

NVDA leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

NVDADivergence

Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +2.54%, AIQ -1 points).

AMATNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.98%, AIQ 0 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1AMAT closes the Momentum gap — currently 21 points behind, the largest single contributor to NVDA's edge.
  2. 2AMAT's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
  3. 3NVDA's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
  4. 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

NVDA leads on balance
MetricNVDAAMAT
Revenue growth (YoY)17.9%15.2%
EPS growth (YoY)2.9%-9.3%
Gross margin74.7%49.4%
Operating margin65.2%30.5%
Return on equity (TTM)110.1%40.4%
Debt to equity0.170.29

Performance

NVDA leads 4 of 6 windows
MetricNVDAAMAT
1 week (5 sessions)-5.3%-12.8%
1 month (20 sessions)-5.4%-14.3%
3 months (63 sessions)2.1%-26.9%
6 months (126 sessions)8.3%5.1%
Year to date16.1%57.6%
1 year (252 sessions)19.1%79.9%

Technicals

NVDA has the stronger structure
MetricNVDAAMAT
RSI (14)36.519.7
ADX (14)1824.8
Price vs 50-day-0.4%-14.3%
Price vs 200-day6.5%-6.7%
Volatility (1M, annualized)23.5%45.5%

Risk

NVDA is the more resilient
MetricNVDAAMAT
Beta1.942.69
Sharpe ratio0.531.22
Sortino ratio0.921.95
Max drawdown-20.2%-44%
Current drawdown-9.5%-44%
Annualized volatility37.8%60%
Value at risk (95%)-3.7%-6.2%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, NVDA or AMAT?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, NVDA is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 55 against AMAT's 45. The edge comes from momentum and risk resilience. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is NVDA or AMAT the better buy right now?

NVDA carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the lead has already changed hands inside the comparison window. Treat the lead as provisional.

Why does the AIQ Score favor NVDA over AMAT?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. NVDA leads Momentum by 21 points; NVDA leads Risk Resilience by 12 points; NVDA leads Quality by 9 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, NVDA or AMAT?

Analyst price targets imply +46.4% upside for NVDA and +49.5% for AMAT, so the Street currently favors AMAT. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors NVDA. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, NVDA or AMAT?

Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, NVDA or AMAT?

NVDA on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, NVDA or AMAT?

NVDA on the Momentum factor, by 21 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, NVDA or AMAT?

NVDA is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. NVDA on Risk Resilience, by 12 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is NVDA more profitable than AMAT?

NVDA leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 74.7% vs 49.4%; operating margin 65.2% vs 30.5%; ttm roe 110.1% vs 40.4%.

Is NVDA's lead over AMAT getting stronger or weaker?

NVDA lead: Reversed — AMAT led by 1 AIQ points 30 sessions ago; NVDA now leads by 10. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 2 times in that window, most recently on 2026-09-29, when AMAT moved ahead of NVDA.

What would change the NVDA vs AMAT verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: AMAT closes the Momentum gap — currently 21 points behind, the largest single contributor to NVDA's edge; AMAT's Keltner Channel Breakdown resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it; NVDA's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

What do the current signals say about NVDA and AMAT?

NVDA: 1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. AMAT: 2 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on NVDA is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On AMAT it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Compare NVDA and AMAT with others

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.