December 1, 2025 09:05 PM GMT Semiconductor Capital Equipment 4Q'25 WFE update, New DRAM WFE Paradigm We revise up our 2026/27 WFE market forecast from +11%/+7% to +11%/+13% driven by DRAM and TSMC. We see two very strong years of growth. What's Changed? We leave our 2026 forecast largely unchanged at $129bn (up 11% y/y) and revise up our 2027 forecast from $137bn (up 7%) to $145bn (up 13%). For 2026 we revise up foundry logic by $1bn and revise down NAND by $1bn, while for 2027 we revise up DRAM by $5bn, f ...

Valued at a market cap of $154.4 billion, KLA Corporation (KLAC) is a leading U.S.-based semiconductor equipment company that develops advanced process-control and yield-management systems used in chip manufacturing. Headquartered in Milpitas, California, KLA provides inspection, metrology, and defect-detection tools that help semiconductor producers improve efficiency, precision, and production yields across advanced technology nodes. Companies worth $10 billion or more are typically classified as “large-c ...

Core Insights - Zacks Premium offers various tools to help investors make informed decisions and enhance their confidence in the stock market [1] - The Zacks Style Scores provide a unique rating system for stocks based on value, growth, and momentum characteristics, aiding investors in selecting securities with high potential for market outperformance [2][3] Zacks Style Scores Overview - Stocks are rated from A to F based on their value, growth, and momentum, with higher scores indicating a better chance of outperforming the market [3] - The Style Scores are categorized into four types: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score, each focusing on different investment strategies [3][4][5][6] Value Score - The Value Score identifies attractive and discounted stocks using various financial ratios such as P/E, PEG, and Price/Sales, appealing to value investors [3] Growth Score - The Growth Score assesses stocks based on projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow, targeting growth investors interested in sustainable long-term growth [4] Momentum Score - The Momentum Score helps investors capitalize on price trends by analyzing short-term price changes and earnings estimate revisions [5] VGM Score - The VGM Score combines the three Style Scores to identify stocks with the best value, growth potential, and momentum, serving as a strong indicator alongside the Zacks Rank [6] Zacks Rank Integration - The Zacks Rank utilizes earnings estimate revisions to guide investors in building successful portfolios, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks historically yielding an average annual return of +23.93% since 1988 [7][8] - To maximize returns, investors should focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank of 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B [9] Company Spotlight: KLA Corporation - KLA Corporation, based in San Jose, CA, specializes in process diagnostics and control equipment for semiconductor manufacturing, with a diverse product portfolio [11] - Currently rated 3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, KLA has a VGM Score of B and a Growth Style Score of B, indicating a projected year-over-year earnings growth of 6.4% for the current fiscal year [12] - With positive earnings estimate revisions and a history of earnings surprises, KLA is positioned as a potential growth investment [12][13]

Core Viewpoint - KLA (KLAC) stock is considered a promising investment opportunity due to strong margins, a low-debt capital structure, and significant growth potential, as it is currently 11% below its 52-week high [1][3]. Performance and Growth Potential - KLAC has experienced a 76% increase in stock price year-to-date, with further growth potential due to solid fundamentals [3]. - The stock recently declined by nearly 6% amid a broader tech sell-off, indicating volatility in the market [3]. - Revenue is forecasted to exceed $925 million in 2025, representing a 70% annual increase [4]. - The September 2025 quarter achieved a 43% operating margin, supported by a favorable product mix and manufacturing efficiencies [5]. - The service sector grew by 16% year-over-year, reaching $745 million [5]. - KLA's free cash flow of $3.9 billion over the past year supports its low-debt capital structure, emphasizing strong momentum with a year-to-date return exceeding 80% [6]. Fundamentals Comparison - KLA's operating cash flow margin averages approximately 34.0%, with an operating margin of 38.9% over the last three years [12]. - The company has shown revenue growth of 22.1% over the last twelve months and 8.7% over the last three-year average [12]. - Despite its momentum, KLAC trades 11% below its 52-week high, indicating room for further growth [12]. Investment Criteria - KLA meets several investment criteria, including a market cap greater than $2 billion, high operating or cash flow margins, no significant revenue decline in the past five years, a low-debt capital structure, and strong momentum [13].

Core Insights - KLA Corporation is a leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer with a market cap of $149 billion, specializing in process control, metrology, and inspection systems for chip fabrication, playing a crucial role in advanced technologies like AI and 5G [1] Performance Summary - KLA shares have increased 81.1% over the past 52 weeks, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 12.3% rise, and are up 78.2% year-to-date compared to the S&P 500's 12.5% increase [2] - The stock has also outperformed the Invesco Semiconductors ETF, which rose 31.5% over the past 52 weeks [3] Financial Results - For the first quarter, KLA reported revenue of $3.21 billion, a 13% year-over-year increase, with GAAP diluted EPS of $8.47 and non-GAAP EPS of $8.81, indicating strong profitability [4] - The company provided Q2 guidance with expected revenue of approximately $3.23 billion, a non-GAAP gross margin near 62%, and non-GAAP EPS of roughly $8.70 [4] Analyst Expectations - Analysts project KLA's EPS to grow 6.4% year-over-year to $35.40 for the fiscal year ending June 2026, with a history of exceeding consensus estimates in the last four quarters [5] - The consensus rating among 26 analysts is a "Moderate Buy," consisting of ten "Strong Buy" ratings, one "Moderate Buy," and 15 "Holds" [5] Analyst Ratings Update - The consensus has become more bullish compared to a month ago, with Citigroup analyst Atif Malik reaffirming a "Buy" rating and raising the price target to $1,450 from $1,060, indicating a 36.8% increase [6]

Group 1 - Significant investors have taken a bullish stance on KLA, with 48% of trades being bullish and 28% bearish, indicating a positive sentiment in the options market [1] - The predicted price range for KLA over the recent three months is between $880.0 and $1620.0, suggesting a wide range of expectations among investors [2] - KLA is a leading manufacturer in the semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment market, specializing in semiconductor process control, and holds a majority market share [8] Group 2 - Recent options activity shows a mix of neutral and bearish sentiments, with notable trades including puts and calls at various strike prices [7] - Expert analysts have set an average price target of $1330.0 for KLA, with individual targets ranging from $1200 to $1450, reflecting a generally positive outlook [10][11] - The current trading volume for KLA is 643,410, with a slight decrease of -0.3%, indicating a stable trading environment [13]

Core Insights - The article discusses the importance of quality control in semiconductor manufacturing, particularly for advanced AI chips, highlighting KLA Corp.'s technology as essential for chip manufacturers serving data center clients [1][7] - It emphasizes the potential investment opportunities in lesser-known tech companies that are addressing critical AI bottlenecks, despite the focus on larger players like NVIDIA [2][5] - The long-term outlook for AI and data center spending remains positive, even amidst recent market volatility [6] Group 1: KLA Corp. - KLA's quality control suite is crucial for inspecting chips throughout the manufacturing process, ensuring accurate fabrication of each layer [7] - The company forecasts $925 million in revenue from advanced packaging services in fiscal Q1 2026, representing a 70% year-over-year increase [8] - Despite a recent stock pullback, KLA's price consolidation in a bullish wedge pattern suggests a potential breakout could be imminent [9] Group 2: ARM Holdings - ARM Holdings has a unique business model, licensing out intellectual property rather than manufacturing its own chips, positioning it strongly within the AI ecosystem [10] - The Neoverse platform has achieved a 25% penetration rate in the data center CPU market, with ARM reporting over 34% year-over-year revenue growth in fiscal Q2 2026 [11] - ARM shares have faced volatility despite record revenue, with the stock potentially approaching a short-term bottom near the 200-day simple moving average [12][13] Group 3: Vertiv Holdings - Vertiv specializes in electrical thermal management, providing liquid-cooling systems essential for scaling data centers, which generate significant heat [14] - The company's liquid-cooling solutions are claimed to be 3,000 times more efficient than traditional air-cooling systems, with a projected 20% CAGR for its addressable market through the decade [15] - Following a strong earnings report and guidance raise, Vertiv's stock has seen a pullback, likely due to profit-taking, but the long-term uptrend remains intact [16][17]

Core Insights - Financial giants have shown a bearish sentiment towards KLA, with 40% of traders exhibiting bearish tendencies compared to 37% who are bullish [1] - The predicted price range for KLA is between $760.0 and $1360.0 based on recent options activity [2] - The average open interest for KLA options is 73.4, with a total volume of 325.00, indicating significant trading activity within the specified price range [3] Options Activity - A total of 27 unusual trades were identified for KLA, with 5 puts valued at $197,160 and 22 calls valued at $1,501,664 [1] - Noteworthy options activity includes various trades with different sentiments, such as bullish, neutral, and bearish, with significant trade prices and strike prices [9] - The current market status shows a mixed sentiment from analysts, with target prices ranging from $1135 to $1350 [12][13] Company Overview - KLA is a leading manufacturer of semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment, specializing in semiconductor process control [10] - The company holds a majority share in its market segment and serves top customers like TSMC and Samsung [10] - KLA's stock is currently priced at $1148.89, reflecting a decrease of 1.1% [15]

Core Insights - KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) is highlighted as one of the best semiconductor equipment stocks to buy, with shares gaining over 89% year-to-date [1] - The company has received mixed analyst attention, with Barclays upgrading the stock to Overweight and raising the price target significantly from $700 to $1,200, citing insulation from declines in Chinese revenues [2] - KLA's fiscal first-quarter earnings report showed strong performance, with EPS of $8.81 and revenue of $3.21 billion, surpassing analyst expectations [3] Analyst Ratings - Barclays upgraded KLA Corporation from Equalweight to Overweight, reflecting confidence in the company's resilience against market fluctuations [2] - In contrast, Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to Equalweight, adjusting the price target to $1,093 from $928 [3] Financial Performance - KLA Corporation reported fiscal first-quarter earnings of $8.81 per share and revenue of $3.21 billion, exceeding analyst estimates of $8.60 and $3.17 billion respectively [3]

Core Viewpoint - Investors in the Electronics - Miscellaneous Products sector should consider Flex (FLEX) and KLA (KLAC) for potential value opportunities [1] Valuation Metrics - FLEX has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook, while KLA has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3] - FLEX's forward P/E ratio is 20.61, significantly lower than KLAC's forward P/E of 34.65 [5] - FLEX has a PEG ratio of 1.55, compared to KLAC's PEG ratio of 3.34, suggesting FLEX is more reasonably priced relative to its expected growth [5] - FLEX's P/B ratio is 4.69, while KLAC's P/B ratio is much higher at 32.13, indicating FLEX is undervalued compared to its book value [6] - Based on these metrics, FLEX holds a Value grade of B, whereas KLAC has a Value grade of D [6] Earnings Outlook - FLEX is noted for its improving earnings outlook, which enhances its attractiveness as a value investment [7]