KLA's Rich Valuation Offsets Its Strong Market Position: Analyst

Core Insights - KLA Corporation's stock declined as earnings and guidance met expectations but did not exceed investor hopes [1] - The company reported second-quarter earnings of $8.85 per share, slightly above the analyst consensus estimate of $8.80 [2] - KLA's third-quarter adjusted EPS is projected between $8.30 and $9.86, with revenue expected to be between $3.2 billion and $3.5 billion, both figures aligning closely with analyst estimates [2] Analyst's Perspective - Goldman Sachs analyst James Schneider maintained a Neutral rating on KLA, raising the price target from $1,280 to $1,450 [3] - The stock may experience downward pressure as results and guidance met estimates but fell short of heightened investor expectations [3] - Schneider highlighted KLA's strong position in process control products and potential long-term market share gains, yet preferred companies with better exposure to etch and deposition tools [3] Industry Outlook - Near-term industry spending is shifting towards DRAM rather than process control, with KLA's stock valuation considered relatively full at current levels [4] - KLA's quarterly revenue met Wall Street expectations, with gross margin slightly above consensus; however, non-GAAP earnings were slightly below Schneider's firm's forecast [4] - Management anticipates total wafer fab equipment spending to reach approximately $135 billion by 2026, with core WFE spending projected to grow in the high-single to low-double digits, reaching around $120 billion [5] - KLA expects moderate revenue growth in early 2026, with acceleration later in the year, and anticipates a recovery in China's WFE market in 2026 after a modest decline in 2025 [5] Recent Performance - KLA shares were down 12.33% at $1,477.00 at the time of publication [6]