Applied Materials to raise BESI stake to about 20%

Applied Materials plans to increase its investment in BE Semiconductor Industries, or BESI, from 9 per cent to about 20 per cent. The move would deepen a partnership focused on advanced chip-packaging technologies for artificial-intelligence applications. Applied Materials has been BESI’s largest shareholder since buying its initial stake in April 2025.

The purchase will use an accelerated share purchase agreement. This arrangement lets the buyer acquire shares through a structured transaction rather than gradually purchasing them in the market. The additional shares still require US antitrust review before the deal can proceed.

Applied Materials says the larger stake is intended to support closer technology cooperation. The companies plan to work on chip-connection and packaging technologies for next-generation AI semiconductors. Applied Materials also says it does not plan to increase its holding beyond about 20 per cent or seek a board seat at BESI.

Applied Materials’ holding would increase from 9 per cent to about 20 per cent. In percentage-point terms, that is an increase of about 11 points. In relative terms, the planned stake is more than twice the current one. It would represent roughly one-fifth of BESI’s shares.

Owning about 20 per cent usually gives an investor a significant economic interest and a stronger voice than a 9 per cent holding. It can benefit from BESI’s performance and may carry influence with other shareholders. However, ownership alone does not automatically mean complete control of a company. The article does not state that Applied Materials will control BESI.

The companies emphasize limits on the investment. Applied Materials says it does not plan to go beyond about 20 per cent or seek a board seat. That suggests the stated purpose is a deeper commercial and technology partnership, rather than taking formal management control.

BESI stands for BE Semiconductor Industries, a Dutch semiconductor equipment maker. The article identifies it as Applied Materials’ partner in advanced chip-packaging work. It does not provide a detailed list of BESI’s products, but it places the company in the equipment industry that supports semiconductor production.

In general, semiconductor equipment makers produce industrial systems used at different stages of chip manufacturing. These machines can help process wafers, assemble chips, connect multiple chip components, or package finished devices for use in electronics. Packaging equipment is especially relevant here because the partnership targets advanced ways to connect and package AI semiconductors.

BESI has worked with Applied Materials on hybrid bonding technology since 2020. The article calls hybrid bonding a key advanced-packaging technique for high-performance chips. The planned investment would deepen cooperation between the two companies, while Applied Materials says it will not seek a BESI board seat.

US antitrust review examines whether a transaction could reduce competition or give one company excessive influence in a market. The article says the share purchase is subject to that review, but it does not state the regulators’ specific concern. Applied Materials is increasing its stake in BESI, a semiconductor equipment maker and its technology partner, so the transaction will receive regulatory scrutiny.

The planned holding is about 20 per cent, up from 9 per cent. That is a meaningful investment, even though it is not described as full ownership. A larger shareholding can give an investor greater economic interest and influence, which is why competition authorities may assess the arrangement.

Applied Materials says it will not seek board representation at BESI or raise its stake beyond about 20 per cent. Those commitments may reassure investors and regulators that the deal is meant to deepen collaboration without pursuing broader corporate control. The article does not say whether the review has been completed.

The expanded partnership will focus on new chip-connection and packaging technologies. These technologies are intended for next-generation AI semiconductors. The article does not name specific new products or designs, but it makes clear that the work targets the part of chip development where components are connected and assembled into usable packages.

That focus matters because advanced AI chips depend on effective connections between semiconductor components. Packaging technologies determine how those components are brought together in a finished device. The companies have already collaborated on hybrid bonding, which the article identifies as a key advanced-packaging technique used in high-performance chips.

The investment would give the partnership a larger financial foundation while keeping its stated scope focused. Applied Materials plans to raise its BESI stake to about 20 per cent, but not beyond that level. It also does not plan to seek a board seat, so the immediate emphasis remains technology development rather than formal governance.

Hybrid bonding is an advanced chip-packaging technique that joins semiconductor components through direct connections between prepared surfaces. Unlike conventional approaches that rely mainly on separate bumps or similar connection structures, hybrid bonding can create very dense links between components. The source article does not explain the process in technical detail, so this definition uses established semiconductor knowledge.

In practice, hybrid bonding can help place chip components close together and connect them with many short electrical paths. That can support faster movement of signals between components and may help packaging designers build more capable systems. These benefits make the technique relevant to high-performance chips, including processors used in demanding AI applications.

Applied Materials and BESI have collaborated on hybrid bonding since 2020. The article calls it a key advanced-packaging technique used in high-performance chips. Their expanded partnership will pursue additional chip-connection and packaging technologies for next-generation AI semiconductors.

Advanced chip packaging is more than a protective outer layer. It connects semiconductor components and brings them together in a finished device. Those connections affect how quickly signals travel between components, how much energy movement requires, and how much computing capability can fit into one package. The source article links this work to high-performance chips and AI applications.

For example, hybrid bonding can connect components through very fine, direct bonds. Shorter and denser connections can help data move between chip elements efficiently. That is important when AI semiconductors must process large amounts of information. The article identifies hybrid bonding as a key advanced-packaging technique, while the companies also plan new connection and packaging technologies.

The partnership therefore addresses a foundational part of AI-chip development, not only the chip designs themselves. Applied Materials and BESI have collaborated since 2020, and the larger investment is intended to deepen that work. The article does not quantify expected performance or energy gains, so those results remain unspecified.