KLA(KLAC) - 2026 Q2 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For 2025, revenue grew 17% to a record $12.745 billion, with earnings per share increasing by 29% year-over-year [4][5] - KLA maintained industry-leading gross margins of 62.8% and operating margins of 43.6% [5] - Free cash flow increased by 30% to $4.4 billion, with total capital returns of $3 billion [5][9] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Process control systems revenue grew 19%, while the service business grew 15% for the year [6] - In the December quarter, KLA reported revenue of $3.3 billion, with non-GAAP diluted EPS of $8.85 and GAAP diluted EPS of $8.68 [6][10] - Advanced packaging revenue reached approximately $950 million for 2025, representing over 70% year-over-year growth [8] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The demand for AI infrastructure is driving growth in semiconductor manufacturing, particularly in advanced logic and high bandwidth memory [6][9] - KLA expects the core WFE market to grow in the high single- to low double-digit percentages, reaching the low $120 billion range in 2026 [13][14] - China’s WFE market is expected to be flat or slightly positive in 2026, contributing mid- to high-20% range to KLA's revenue [30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - KLA is focusing on supporting AI-driven semiconductor manufacturing and expanding its market share in advanced packaging [6][9] - The company plans to prioritize next-generation product development and infrastructure investments to support expected revenue growth [16] - KLA aims to capitalize on technology transitions and increasing process control intensity across all segments [18][19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in KLA's ability to outperform the market in 2026, driven by strong customer momentum and expanding market share [14][18] - The company anticipates mid-single-digit revenue growth in the first half of 2026, with accelerating growth in the second half [15] - Management acknowledged supply constraints impacting growth but emphasized that they are managing customer expectations effectively [31][50] Other Important Information - KLA's effective tax rate for the quarter was 15%, with a guided tax rate of 14% for future projections [11][17] - The company ended the quarter with $5.2 billion in cash and cash equivalents, and $5.9 billion in debt [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: Clarification on WFE growth forecast - KLA's forecast for core WFE growth is around $110 billion for 2025, with advanced packaging expected to grow to approximately $12 billion in 2026, leading to a total market forecast in the mid-$130 billion range [25][26] Question: Supply constraints impact - KLA is virtually sold out across most products, with lead times extending due to supply constraints, particularly in optical components [31][49] Question: Growth in inspection and patterning - KLA expects continued growth in inspection and patterning, driven by increased demand for yield and manufacturability in semiconductor manufacturing [38][39] Question: Trajectory of gross margin - Management indicated that March is likely the low point for gross margins, with expectations for improvement as the year progresses [52][60] Question: DRAM process control intensity - KLA sees increasing demand for DRAM process control due to higher design complexity and the need for rigorous inspection [62][63]