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Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Semiconductor Equipment & Mate

Applied Materials vs Lam Research: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Structurally, Applied Materials and Lam Research are closely matched — neither holds a meaningful edge overall. The remaining gap is narrow enough that the comparison remains open to different readings. The market setup is broadly comparable for both — no clear directional signal from price behavior. The market is not adding a decisive signal either way — the structural read carries the weight.

The comparison is based on similar long-term financial trajectories, not sector labels. Both peer scores are relative to the S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

On valuation, the clearer edge sits with Applied Materials, Inc., while the broader score remains level.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Semiconductor Equipment & Materials

This comparison is based on industry proximity, not on functional trajectory similarity. AMAT and LRCX share the same industry classification.

For a similarity-based comparison, see how Applied Materials and Lam Research each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
AMAT
Applied Materials, Inc.
53
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
LRCX
Lam Research Corporation
53
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

Scores reflect position relative to comparable companies with similar long-term financial trajectories.

Pricing shapes this comparison more than a broad operating gap.

Dimension spread: AMAT vs LRCX Profitability 65 72 Stability 32 33 Valuation 43 34 Growth 71 71 AMAT LRCX
Gap Ranking
#1 Valuation +9
#2 Profitability +7
#3 Stability +1
#4 Growth
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for AMAT and LRCX Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer AMATLRCX Relative valuation Structural strength

Applied Materials, Inc. and Lam Research Corporation look relatively close on structure, but the price setup still leans toward Applied Materials, Inc..

Valuation position uses peer-relative PE percentile (idx_pct_pe) where available.

Entry today — historical context

Where AMAT and LRCX each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY AMAT Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 0 pct gap LRCX Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 99th 99th
AMAT (99th percentile) and LRCX (99th percentile) both sit in the upper portion of their own 5-year ranges. The historical entry context is broadly similar for both. This reflects entry timing, not which company is structurally stronger.

Describes historical entry positioning only. Descriptive — not investment advice.

Relative Position vs Comparable Companies
Valuation
Applied Materials, Inc. holds the stronger peer position on valuation.
Valuation — Dominant Gap
AMAT
43
LRCX
34
Gap+9in favour of AMAT

The multiple-based pricing edge comes from a forward P/E that is 8.5 turns lower.

What else supports the lead

Applied Materials, Inc. also shows lower market-fundamental divergence, which makes the lead look less detached from the underlying business picture.

What this means for the comparison

Valuation provides the clearer read here, while the broader score remains level.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the AMAT vs LRCX comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Other close comparisons

Explore how AMAT and LRCX each compare against other companies in their peer groups.

Rule-based, descriptive analysis only. Derived from peer percentile dimensions. Not investment advice. Peer groups are determined algorithmically based on structural similarity — not by sector classification alone.

How AssetNext Peer Scores Work

AssetNext scores reflect each company's structural position within its functional peer group — not a ranking against all stocks simultaneously. Peers are identified by similarity across eight financial dimensions, including revenue growth trajectory, margin structure, capital intensity, and earnings stability. A score of 75 means the company ranks in the top quartile within its own peer group, not the entire market.

Four dimension scores drive the overall peer score: Growth (revenue trajectory and expansion dynamics), Quality (margin structure and capital efficiency), Valuation (peer-relative pricing on standard multiples), and Stability (earnings consistency and financial predictability). Each dimension is scored 0–100 relative to the peer group, then combined into an overall peer score using equal weighting.

Because scores are peer-relative, the same company can have slightly different scores in different index universes. On comparison pages, both companies are shown within their shared peer universe wherever possible — so the scores are directly comparable. The peer basis is stated on each score card.

Scores are recalculated periodically as underlying financial data is updated. All analysis is descriptive and rule-based — AssetNext describes structural realities and never issues buy, sell or hold recommendations.