Applied Materials to lift its BESI stake to about 20%
Applied Materials agreed to buy more shares of BE Semiconductor Industries, taking its holding from 9% to about 20%. Closing depends on US antitrust review.
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what happened
Applied Materials said it plans to raise its holding in Dutch chip-equipment maker BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI) to about 20% from 9%. The company announced the move on Monday, October 26, through an accelerated share purchase agreement.
Delivery of the shares is subject to the expiry or termination of the US HSR Act waiting period. According to TradingView, citing filings with the SEC, Applied Materials regards the investment as long term, has no current plan to go above roughly 20%, and does not intend to seek a board seat at BESI. Reuters notes that Applied Materials became BESI's largest shareholder after buying its 9% stake in April 2025.
The two companies have worked together since 2020 on hybrid bonding, a key advanced packaging method for high-performance AI chips. The expanded partnership will focus on new chip-connection and packaging technologies.
why it matters
For investors the deal signals a bet on advanced chip packaging, a area tied to AI accelerators. The move concerns two specific companies, so its reach across the broad market is limited, but it stands out in the chip-equipment sector. Final terms depend on antitrust clearance.
market impact
BESI and Applied Materials: deeper tie-up in AI chip packaging supports both companies' sector positioning
tags
instruments
sources
- Applied Materials to Raise Besi Stake to Approximately 20% — TradingView, 26 October 2026 at 20:43 UTC
- Applied Materials to raise BESI stake to about 20% — Reuters, 26 October 2026 at 21:01 UTC
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