Two weeks after Nvidia's earnings dominated every finance headline, three chip names are still in the spotlight. The scores tell a sharply different story for each one. Here's what the data shows once the noise settles.
How each stock looks on fundamentals
The three stocks look identical from the outside: all semiconductors, all AI-exposed, all trending upward. The score profiles are anything but identical.
Nvidia's health and fundamentals in context
Nvidia (NVDA) earns a Health Score of 8.2/10. That places it in the top 8% of all stocks in the Stoxcraft universe and inside the top 5 names within its sector. The primary driver is exceptional free cash flow generation. Nvidia produces more operating cash flow per share than nearly every comparable semiconductor company on the platform.
Debt levels are low relative to earnings power. Profit margins are among the widest in the industry. This is a fundamentally elite business, not just a hot stock.
Applied Materials' case for being the overlooked name
Applied Materials (AMAT) scores 8.8/10 on health. That makes it the strongest fundamental name in this comparison and ranks it #1 in semiconductor equipment within the Stoxcraft universe. AMAT places it ahead of roughly 97% of all 3,486 tracked stocks on fundamental quality.
The key driver is cash flow consistency. AMAT generates substantial free cash flow through the full semiconductor cycle, not just the boom years. Its balance sheet is clean. Its margins have expanded for four consecutive years. For investors focused on business quality rather than narrative heat, this is the name the data points to.
Where AMD's fundamentals actually stand
AMD (Advanced Micro Devices) scores 5.6/10 on health. That puts it in the bottom half of the semiconductor sector on fundamentals. Revenue growth is real. But profitability metrics, particularly net margins and return on capital, still lag the sector leaders.
AMD is building something. The score reflects where it is today, not the destination it's aiming for.
How each stock performs against benchmarks
Momentum across all three names is extreme right now. The differences show up in depth and durability.
Nvidia's performance across time horizons
NVDA earns a Performance Score of 9.7/10. That ranks it among the top 3% of all stocks in the Stoxcraft database. The 3-year and 5-year relative performance figures are the dominant drivers. Nvidia has outpaced the S&P 500 by a wide margin across every measured time horizon, a combination fewer than 50 stocks in the universe achieve simultaneously.
Short-term performance has moderated since the post-earnings spike. That's visible in the weighting of the 1-month and 3-month figures. But the long-term track record carries enough weight to keep the score near the top.
AMAT's performance context
AMAT's Performance Score of 9.8/10 ranks it in the top 2% of the full universe. Its 1-year relative performance against the S&P 500 is in the 96th percentile. AMAT has outperformed the semiconductor sector average in three of the last four years, driven by record capital equipment spending from fabs building out AI and advanced node capacity.
The less-discussed fact: AMAT's long-term performance is steadier than NVDA's. Less explosive in peaks, significantly less volatile in drawdowns.
AMD's perfect performance score and what it actually means
AMD scores 10.0/10 on performance. It ranks #1 in the Stoxcraft universe over the most recent time windows measured. The 1-month and 3-month figures are exceptional, reflecting a sharp recovery from a brutal 2024 correction.
This score captures the momentum of a comeback, not a decade of compounding. The 5-year relative performance still trails NVDA significantly. Readers should weigh which time horizon matters to their own holding period.
Trend signals and entry conditions across all three
All three names carry a Climbing signal right now. That's where the similarity ends.
NVDA's technical picture is constructive but not aggressive. RSI is elevated but not overbought. MACD turned positive in late May and has held. Distance from the 52-week high is narrow. The entry signal sits at Strong Buy, supported by 36 out of 42 covering analysts rating it Buy or Strong Buy, with a consensus price target implying 14% upside from current levels.
AMAT's signal matches NVDA in direction but is coming off a deeper recovery. It's trading 9% below its 52-week high. RSI sits at 57, technically comfortable territory. Analyst consensus is firmly positive, and the entry signal reflects one of the cleaner setups in the equipment space. Strong Buy classification, driven heavily by a near-unanimous analyst consensus and favorable RSI positioning.
AMD's technical signals are strong but the entry picture is more cautious. RSI is extended. The stock has already rallied sharply. The entry signal reads Buy, not Strong Buy, reflecting that some of the upside may be priced in at current levels. Investors entering now are chasing the move, not front-running it.
Which archetype fits each stock
Every stock in the Stoxcraft universe fits one of four patterns. All three of these names fit a recognized pattern, and each is different.
Nvidia is a Quality and Momentum Hybrid. Strong fundamentals, elite performance, controlled volatility. It combines the compounding track record of a quality compounder with the short-term momentum of a trend name. That's rare, and the score reflects it.
AMD is a pure Momentum Play. High performance score, strong trend signal, elevated risk. The beta is high. The max drawdown in the trailing 12 months exceeded 40%. This is a stock that moves fast in both directions. The reward is real, but so is the ride.
AMAT is the Quality Compounder. Exceptional fundamentals, elite long-term performance, moderate risk. It's the name that doesn't generate as many headlines but delivers results across cycles. For investors who want chip exposure without momentum risk, AMAT is what the data points to.
Which chip stock the data backs two weeks after NVDA's earnings
The honest answer is that the right stock depends on what kind of investor is asking.
If the priority is the strongest combined score across quality, performance, and risk, AMAT wins this comparison. It holds the highest overall rating among the three, a 5-star rating in the Stoxcraft universe, earned through consistent fundamentals and sustained outperformance across full market cycles.
If the priority is the most complete package of quality and momentum together, NVDA is the standard. Its 4.5-star overall rating reflects a business that earns its price multiple across every dimension of the scoring system.
AMD is the high-conviction trade, not the balanced hold. It scores highest on short-term performance and trend strength, but the risk profile demands active management. It fits a specific investor: someone comfortable with drawdown risk in exchange for maximum upside exposure.
Two weeks after Nvidia's earnings dominated the narrative, AMAT is the name the score data keeps pointing to. It's not the loudest story in the sector. It rarely is. But it's the most complete one.
