Home Compare AMAT vs LRCX
Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Semiconductor Equipment & Mate

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

The structural profiles are close, with Lam Research carrying a narrow edge on profitability. 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 2026-08-16

Most of the separation is still concentrated in profitability.

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.
51
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500
vs
LRCX
Lam Research Corporation
56
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: S&P 500

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

The clearest separation appears in profitability.

Dimension spread: AMAT vs LRCX Profitability 63 82 Stability 26 31 Valuation 40 34 Growth 73 75 AMAT LRCX
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +19
#2 Valuation +6
#3 Stability +5
#4 Growth +2
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

The setup is mixed: neither company clearly combines the stronger profile with the more supportive price setup.

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 2 pct gap LRCX Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 97th 98th
AMAT (97th percentile) and LRCX (98th 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
Profitability
Both rank well on profitability, but Lam Research Corporation still holds a clear edge.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
AMAT
63
LRCX
82
Gap+19in favour of LRCX

Capital efficiency adds support, with a 50-point ROIC advantage.

What else supports the lead

Recent snapshots suggest this is not just a one-period edge; the lead has persisted across more than one cut of the data.

What this means for the comparison

Profitability is the clearest driver, and valuation also supports Lam Research Corporation's broader structural position.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

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

Explore full breakdown →
Similar profitability-and-valuation 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.