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

KLA vs Lam Research: Which Stock Looks Stronger in 2026?

Lam Research leads structurally, with growth as the clearest single gap between the two profiles. KLA still has the edge on stability, 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 S&P 500 universe, making them directly comparable.

Updated 2026-05-17

Growth still does most of the heavy lifting in this comparison. The overall score gap is 8 points in favour of Lam Research Corporation.

INDUSTRY COMPARISON

Both operate in: Semiconductor Equipment & Materials

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

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

Peer-Relative Score
KLAC
KLA Corporation
45
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.

The clearest separation appears in growth.

Dimension spread: KLAC vs LRCX Profitability 70 72 Stability 44 33 Valuation 37 34 Growth 19 71 KLAC LRCX
Gap Ranking
#1 Growth +52
#2 Stability +11
#3 Valuation +3
#4 Profitability +2
Price Setup

Left means cheaper relative valuation. Higher means stronger structure.

Price setup map for KLAC and LRCX Stronger + cheaper Stronger + richer Weaker + cheaper Weaker + richer KLACLRCX 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 KLAC and LRCX each sit in their own 5-year price and valuation history.

BASED ON 5-YEAR HISTORY KLAC Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 0 pct gap LRCX Elevated · above norm 0th 50th 100th 99th 99th
KLAC (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
Growth
On growth, Lam Research Corporation ranks near the top of the group; KLA Corporation sits in the weaker half.
Stability
KLA Corporation holds the stronger peer position on stability.
Growth — Dominant Gap
KLAC
19
LRCX
71
Gap+52in favour of LRCX

Earnings growth is one contributing factor within the growth lead.

What keeps the gap from being one-sided

KLA Corporation still shows lower market-fundamental divergence, which keeps the wider picture mixed rather than completely one-sided.

What this means for the comparison

Growth answers the question more clearly than the overall score separation does.

Explore full peer positioning in AssetNext

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

Explore full breakdown →
Similar growth-driven comparisons

Explore how KLAC 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.