** Shares of Applied Materials AMAT.O up 0.8% on Thurs, with the chip equipment maker expected to report an increase in rev when it reports quarterly results after the closing bell

** Analysts expect rev of $7.141 bln vs $6.707 bln in the yr ago period, and earnings of $2.29/shr vs $2.13 a yr ago, according to LSEG

** Co has beaten analysts' earnings expectations in all of the past eight reporting periods, per LSEG

** Analyst recommendations on the stock include 27 "strong buy" or "buy" ratings, eight "hold" ratings and one "sell" rating

** Median 12-mo PT is $210, down from $225 in Dec; the stock was last at $182.36

** In late Jan, shares of chipmakers and other AI-linked stocks fell as Chinese discount AI model DeepSeek surged in popularity

** In Dec, AMAT said it was not changing its outlook for Q1 in response to the U.S. government's latest restrictions on semiconductor exports to China

** AMAT is up about 12% YTD vs a roughly 3% gain in the Nasdaq .IXIC

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(Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch)

((caroline.valetkevitch@thomsonreuters.com))