Applied Materials to Increase Its Stake in Dutch Chip Equipment Maker Besi to About 20%

Applied Materials said on Monday, October 26, that it had entered into an accelerated share purchase agreement to increase its holding in Dutch semiconductor equipment maker BE Semiconductor Industries, known as Besi, to approximately 20% of the company's outstanding shares.

The planned purchase would build on Applied Materials' existing investment, made in April 2025. Independent reporting indicated the current holding was about 9%. The announcement concerns an agreement to acquire additional shares, not a completed transfer of ownership. Delivery of the shares remains subject to the applicable waiting period under US antitrust law.

The companies have collaborated since 2020 on technologies used to connect and package semiconductor components. Their relationship recently expanded when Besi joined Applied Materials' EPIC Center as an innovation partner. The two businesses intend to work on hybrid bonding, three-dimensional chip integration and other advanced interconnect methods.

These manufacturing techniques are relevant to AI processors and memory systems, where moving data efficiently between components is increasingly important for computing performance and energy use. The companies have not announced a purchase price in the materials reviewed for this report.

Applied Materials said it views the holding as a long-term investment. It does not currently intend to increase its ownership beyond approximately 20% or seek representation on Besi's board. Those statements describe current intentions rather than binding guarantees about future decisions.