This paper provides exponential stability results for two system classes. The first class includes a family of nonlinear ODE systems while the second consists of semi-linear parabolic PDEs. A common feature of both classes is that the systems they include involve sampled-data states and a time-varying gain. Sufficient conditions ensuring global exponential stability are established in terms of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) derived on the basis of Lyapunov–Krasovskii functionals. The established stability results prove to be useful in designing exponentially convergent observers based on sampled-data measurements. It is shown throughout simulated examples from the literature that the introduction of time-varying gains is beneficial to the enlargement of sampling intervals while preserving the stability of the system.