KLA Q2 Earnings Call Highlights

Core Insights - KLA reported strong financial results for the December quarter, with revenue of $3.3 billion and a 17% year-over-year growth, driven by investments in advanced foundry/logic and memory technologies [1][4] - The company highlighted AI infrastructure demand as a significant growth driver, particularly in advanced logic, high bandwidth memory (HBM), and advanced packaging [2][6] - KLA's full-year results for 2025 showed record revenue of $12.745 billion, a 17% increase year-over-year, with a non-GAAP gross margin of 62.8% and a 29% rise in earnings per share [3][6] Financial Performance - KLA's non-GAAP diluted EPS for the December quarter was $8.85, while GAAP diluted EPS was $8.68 [1] - The company generated free cash flow of $4.4 billion, marking a 30% increase year-over-year, and returned $3 billion to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases [3][6] - The services business generated $786 million in revenue for the December quarter, reflecting an 18% year-over-year growth [8] Market Outlook - KLA guided for March quarter revenue of $3.35 billion ± $150 million and non-GAAP EPS of $9.08 ± $0.78, with expectations for the 2026 total WFE + packaging market to be in the mid-$130 billion range [5][14] - The company anticipates continued growth in advanced packaging, with year-over-year growth expectations in the mid- to high-teens [11] - Management expects the core WFE market to grow in the high single- to low double-digit percentage range, with advanced packaging projected to reach approximately $12 billion [15] Industry Dynamics - KLA noted that DRAM is expected to grow faster than foundry/logic, driven by HBM demand, with industry forecasts indicating DRAM growth of roughly 15%–20% [21] - The company is experiencing supply constraints, with many products virtually sold out in the first half of 2026, affecting shipment decisions made in mid-2025 [21] - Rising process control intensity in memory, particularly DRAM tied to HBM, is driving tighter requirements for inspection and metrology [13]