Research and then describe Applied Materials, Inc. company's primary business activities. Then, address all the following topics:

1. Inform your readers how Part 1 aligns with the project objective
2. A brief historical summary
3. A discussion of competitors, including the reason for the choice of competitors (rather than just a list of competitors)
4. The company's position within the industry
5. Recent developments within the company/industry
6. The key risk factors
7. The strategic direction of the company
8. Other items of significance to your corporation
9. Provide a brief summary of your findings in your conclusion and inform your readers of your next steps within the project objective

Thanks