We recently published 9 Stocks Jim Cramer Talked About.  KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) is one of the stocks on Jim Cramer talked about. KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) is a semiconductor manufacturing equipment and services provider. Its shares are up by 117% over the past year and by 22% year-to-date. Investment bank Morgan Stanley has started the year on a strong note for the firm as it has upgraded KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC)’s shares to Overweight from Equalweight and bumped the stock price target to ...

Company Overview - Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) is valued at $274.3 billion and is a leading supplier of advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment and services, focusing on wafer fabrication processes such as etching, deposition, and wafer cleaning [1] - Founded in 1980, the company is essential for producing complex and miniaturized chips used in data centers, mobile devices, automotive electronics, and AI applications [1] Earnings Expectations - LRCX is expected to announce its fiscal second-quarter earnings for 2026 on January 28, with analysts predicting a profit of $1.16 per share, a 27.5% increase from $0.91 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For the current fiscal year, analysts anticipate an EPS of $4.79, reflecting a 15.7% increase from $4.14 in fiscal 2025 [3] Stock Performance - LRCX shares have increased by 183.4% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 Index's 17.7% gains and the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund's 25% gains during the same period [4] - On January 9, LRCX shares rose by 8% after Goldman Sachs raised its price target to $180 from $160, maintaining a "Buy" rating due to improving fundamentals in the semiconductor industry [5] Analyst Ratings - The consensus opinion on LRCX stock is moderately bullish, with a "Moderate Buy" rating overall; 20 out of 31 analysts recommend a "Strong Buy," 2 suggest a "Moderate Buy," and 9 give a "Hold" rating [6] - Although LRCX currently trades above its mean price target of $173.01, the highest price target of $265 indicates a potential upside of 21.4% from current market prices [6]

Core Insights - Applied Materials, Inc. is a leading player in the semiconductor industry, providing essential manufacturing equipment and services for chip production [1] - Morgan Stanley has raised the price target for AMAT from $252 to $273, indicating strong confidence in the company's future performance [2][6] - The stock is currently trading at $254.75, with a recent increase of $2.50, marking a 0.99% rise and reaching a yearly high of $255.79 [4][6] Investment Activity - Boston Family Office LLC increased its investment in AMAT by 20%, now holding 8,516 shares valued at approximately $1.56 million [2] - Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake by 2%, owning over 21 million shares valued at approximately $3.84 billion [3] - Norges Bank acquired a new stake in AMAT valued at around $1.6 billion, reflecting strong institutional interest [3] Market Position - Applied Materials has a market capitalization of approximately $202.94 billion, indicating a strong market position [5][6] - The trading volume for AMAT is 6,195,179 shares, highlighting a high level of investor interest [5][6]

Core Insights - Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) is a leading supplier in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment sector, with a market cap of $194.9 billion, playing a vital role in advanced semiconductor architectures used in various industries [1][2] Company Performance - LRCX is classified as a large-cap stock, emphasizing its significant size and influence in the semiconductor equipment and materials industry, supported by strong industry partnerships and a focus on innovation [2] - The company's stock is currently trading 7.2% below its 52-week high of $167.15, but has rallied 49.7% over the past three months, outperforming the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK), which returned 7.9% in the same period [3] - Year-to-date, LRCX shares have increased by 114.8%, significantly higher than XLK's 22.1% rise, and over the past 52 weeks, the stock has soared 113.4%, compared to XLK's 20.9% increase [4] Earnings Report - In Q1, LRCX reported a total revenue of $5.3 billion, a 27.7% year-over-year increase, exceeding consensus estimates by 1.9%, with an adjusted EPS of $1.26, which was 4.1% above analyst expectations [5] - Despite the strong revenue growth, the company's bottom line declined by 5.3% from the previous quarter, which may have caused some investor concern, although the stock rebounded with a 4.5% increase in the following trading session [5] Competitive Position - LRCX has significantly outperformed its competitor, Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT), which saw a 44.3% increase over the past 52 weeks and a 53.7% rise year-to-date [6]