KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) Bank of America Global Technology Conference June 3, 2025 4:20 PM ET Company Participants Bren Higgins - CFO Conference Call Participants Vivek Arya - Bank of America Securities Vivek Arya All right. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us for this session. I'm Vivek Arya from BofA Semiconductor and Semicap Equipment research team. Really delighted to have the team from KLA join us, Bren Higgins, Chief Financial Officer. And, as usual, I'll go through my fireside que ...

Group 1 - Rivian Automotive has successfully navigated a challenging electric vehicle (EV) market where many startups have struggled, primarily due to its strong brand positioning and product-market fit [3][4] - The company emphasizes the complexity of the automotive product, which requires a multitude of decisions and components to come together effectively [3] - Rivian has focused on creating a compelling brand that inspires consumers and aligns with their lifestyle, which has been a significant factor in its success [4][5]

Company Performance - Spotify's stock closed at $671.07, reflecting a -0.14% change from the previous session, underperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.58% [1] - Over the past month, Spotify's shares have increased by 5.39%, while the Computer and Technology sector gained 7.05% and the S&P 500 gained 4.61% [1] Earnings Estimates - The upcoming earnings report for Spotify is expected to show an EPS of $2.27, representing a 58.74% increase year-over-year [2] - Revenue is anticipated to reach $4.78 billion, indicating a 16.67% growth compared to the same quarter last year [2] Annual Projections - For the annual period, earnings are projected at $9.72 per share and revenue at $19.9 billion, reflecting increases of +63.36% and +17.37% respectively from the previous year [3] Analyst Sentiment - Recent changes in analyst estimates for Spotify are crucial as they indicate the evolving business trends, with positive revisions suggesting confidence in the company's performance [3][4] - The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has decreased by 1.63% over the past month, and Spotify currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [5] Valuation Metrics - Spotify's Forward P/E ratio stands at 69.13, which is significantly higher than the industry average of 28.89 [6] - The company has a PEG ratio of 1.68, compared to the Internet - Software industry's average PEG ratio of 2.21 [6] Industry Context - The Internet - Software industry, part of the Computer and Technology sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 54, placing it in the top 22% of over 250 industries [7] - Historically, the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

Group 1: Stock Performance - TSMC closed at $197.61, with a +1.42% change from the previous day, outperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.58% [1] - Over the past month, TSMC shares gained 10.45%, surpassing the Computer and Technology sector's gain of 7.05% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.61% [1] Group 2: Earnings Expectations - TSMC is expected to report EPS of $2.29, reflecting a 54.73% increase from the prior-year quarter, with projected net sales of $29.66 billion, up 42.47% from the year-ago period [2] - For the full year, earnings are projected at $9.19 per share and revenue at $115.46 billion, indicating changes of +30.54% and +28.17% from the preceding year [3] Group 3: Analyst Estimates and Rankings - Recent adjustments in analyst estimates for TSMC are crucial as they reflect short-term business trends, with a 2.09% rise in the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate over the past month [3][5] - TSMC currently holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), with the Zacks Rank system showing an average annual return of +25% for 1 ranked stocks since 1988 [5] Group 4: Valuation Metrics - TSMC has a Forward P/E ratio of 21.2, which is in line with the industry average [6] - The company also has a PEG ratio of 1.02, matching the average PEG ratio of the Semiconductor - Circuit Foundry industry [7] Group 5: Industry Context - The Semiconductor - Circuit Foundry industry is part of the Computer and Technology sector and holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 91, placing it in the top 37% of all industries [8]

Company Overview - Visa closed at $365.86, with a slight increase of +0.15% from the previous day, underperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.58% [1] - Over the past month, Visa's shares have increased by 4.78%, surpassing the Business Services sector's gain of 3.69% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.61% [1] Upcoming Earnings - Visa is expected to report an EPS of $2.84, reflecting a growth of 17.36% compared to the same quarter last year [2] - Revenue is projected to be $9.85 billion, indicating a 10.7% increase from the equivalent quarter last year [2] Fiscal Year Estimates - For the entire fiscal year, earnings are estimated at $11.35 per share, with a revenue forecast of $39.61 billion, representing changes of +12.94% and +10.26% respectively from the previous year [3] - Recent changes in analyst estimates for Visa may indicate shifts in near-term business trends, with positive revisions suggesting analyst optimism [3][4] Valuation Metrics - Visa currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 32.18, which is a premium compared to the industry's average Forward P/E of 15.08 [6] - The PEG ratio for Visa stands at 2.46, while the Financial Transaction Services industry has an average PEG ratio of 1.17 [6] Industry Context - The Financial Transaction Services industry is part of the Business Services sector, holding a Zacks Industry Rank of 51, placing it in the top 21% of over 250 industries [7] - The top 50% rated industries tend to outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1 [7]

The latest trading session saw Chewy (CHWY) ending at $47.62, denoting a +0.34% adjustment from its last day's close. The stock's change was less than the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.58%. Elsewhere, the Dow gained 0.51%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq added 0.81%.The online pet store's stock has climbed by 25.52% in the past month, exceeding the Retail-Wholesale sector's gain of 3.83% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.61%.The upcoming earnings release of Chewy will be of great interest to investors. The company's earn ...

Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) ended the recent trading session at $40.24, demonstrating a +0.22% swing from the preceding day's closing price. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a gain of 0.58% for the day. Elsewhere, the Dow saw an upswing of 0.51%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq appreciated by 0.81%.Shares of the mining company have appreciated by 7.5% over the course of the past month, outperforming the Basic Materials sector's gain of 3.65% and the S&P 500's gain of 4.61%.The upcoming earnings ...

Core Points - The report by Senator Elizabeth Warren's office accuses Elon Musk of using his position in the Trump administration to enrich himself and his businesses [1][2] - The 14-page report details over 100 instances where Musk allegedly abused his role as a "special government employee" for personal gain [2] - Musk's actions are described as violating norms at an "astonishing pace," with the report labeling them as "scandalous behavior" [3] Summary by Sections - **Allegations of Misconduct** - Musk and his associates are reported to have engaged in numerous questionable actions raising concerns about corruption and conflicts of interest [2] - The report outlines specific instances of alleged abuse of power, indicating a pattern of behavior that could be seen as unethical [2] - **Government Role and Impact** - Musk recently concluded his service leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aimed to reduce federal spending [4] - His tenure was characterized by significant disruptions within the federal workforce and government agencies [4]

Company Performance - Mama's Creations, Inc. reported quarterly earnings of $0.03 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.02 per share, and showing an increase from $0.01 per share a year ago, representing an earnings surprise of 50% [1] - The company posted revenues of $35.26 million for the quarter ended April 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 8.48%, compared to year-ago revenues of $29.84 million [2] - Over the last four quarters, Mama's Creations has surpassed consensus EPS estimates three times and topped consensus revenue estimates four times [2] Stock Performance - Mama's Creations shares have increased approximately 6.8% since the beginning of the year, outperforming the S&P 500's gain of 0.9% [3] - The current consensus EPS estimate for the coming quarter is $0.03 on revenues of $32.4 million, and for the current fiscal year, it is $0.15 on revenues of $139.8 million [7] Industry Outlook - The Zacks Industry Rank for Food - Miscellaneous is currently in the bottom 39% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating potential challenges for stocks in this sector [8] - General Mills, a competitor in the same industry, is expected to report quarterly earnings of $0.71 per share, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 29.7%, with revenues anticipated to be $4.6 billion, down 2.4% from the previous year [9]

An analyst upgrade was the foot on Advance Auto Parts (AAP 4.57%) stock's gas pedal on Tuesday. The company's shares motored nearly 5% higher in price as a result, speeding well past the benchmark S&P 500 index's 0.6% increase.A new neutralThe pundit behind the change was Sam Hudson of U.K.-based Redburn Atlantic. He shifted his recommendation to neutral from his previous sell and lifted his Advance price target. This is now $45 per share, well up from Hudson's previous fair value estimation of $28. Accordi ...