Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) is one of the most important companies you may have never heard of before. The semiconductor equipment maker -- don't worry, we'll explain what that is -- has posted phenomenal returns for long-term shareholders. Shares are up an astonishing 615,000% since its IPO in 1972, meaning every $1,000 invested at the IPO is worth over $6 million today.

With its dominant position in the semiconductor equipment market, a lot of these returns have come in the last five years, with shares up over 400% as investors get excited about the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. This revolution needs the kind of products Applied Materials makes, and that's been good for shareholders.

But will this party continue? Where will Applied Materials stock be five years from now? Let's do some digging and find out.

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Source Fool.com