The Fund’s best performer was Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT), the semiconductor-equipment manufacturer. The stock soared 72.8% during the year, from $18.67 to $32.27, increasing the Fund’s return by an astounding 216 basis points. Demand accelerated for the company’s equipment, spurred by the transition in NAND-flash memory architecture from planar to 3D and the adoption of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens in smartphones. Investors celebrated, as new orders and product backlog both hit all-time highs and the company forecasted more growth at its analyst meeting in September.
From the Parnassus Fund fourth quarter 2016 commentary.
