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Stock Comparison · Industry comparison · Semiconductor Equipment & Mate

ASML Holding N.V. vs KLA: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

KLA holds the cleaner structural position, with profitability as the main driver and growth adding further support. ASML still has the edge on growth, which keeps the comparison from looking entirely one-sided. 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 Nasdaq 100 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

Most of the lead runs through profitability, while stability helps make the separation broader. KLA Corporation leads by 9 points on the overall comparison score.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Semiconductor Equipment & Materials

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

For a similarity-based comparison, see how ASML and KLA each position within their functional peer groups in AssetNext.

Peer-Relative Score
ASML
ASML Holding N.V.
38
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: Nasdaq 100
vs
KLAC
KLA Corporation
47
Peer-Score
Signal qualitylow
Peer basis: Nasdaq 100

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

The largest gaps do not all point in the same direction.

Dimension spread: ASML vs KLAC Profitability 39 70 Stability 29 47 Valuation 45 45 Growth 36 17 ASML KLAC
Gap Ranking
#1 Profitability +31
#2 Growth +19
#3 Stability +18
#4 Valuation
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for ASML and KLAC Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer ASMLKLAC Relative valuation Structural strength

The setup stays mixed because structure and the price setup do not align cleanly in one direction.

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

Entry today — historical context

Where ASML and KLAC each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY ASML Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 0 pct gap KLAC Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 99th 99th
ASML (99th percentile) and KLAC (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
Profitability
On profitability, KLA Corporation ranks near the top of the group; ASML Holding N.V. sits in the weaker half.
Growth
Both sit in the weaker half on growth, with ASML Holding N.V. still coming out ahead.
Profitability — Dominant Gap
ASML
39
KLAC
70
Gap+31in favour of KLAC

Return on equity adds support too, with a 43-point advantage.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

A meaningful counterforce remains in growth, which keeps the comparison from looking completely one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

Profitability is the clearest driver of the lead, with growth adding further support — though growth still provides a real counterweight.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

Break down the ASML vs KLAC comparison across all dimensions with the full interactive tool.

Explore full breakdown →
Similar profitability-and-growth comparisons

Explore how ASML and KLAC 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.