Danaher (DHR) vs Lam Research (LRCX)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Lam Research (LRCX) has outperformed Danaher (DHR) over the past year, gaining 124.9% versus a gain of 6.1%. Over five years, LRCX leads with a +467.9% price change compared with -18.6% for DHR. Lam Research is the larger company by market cap ($401.19 billion vs $152.87 billion), about 2.6 times the size.
On valuation, Danaher trades at a lower forward P/E (23.4x vs 27.3x for Lam Research). Danaher offers the higher dividend yield (0.66% vs 0.32%). Lam Research converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 31.3% versus 14.7%.
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | DHR | LRCX |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $217.46 | $320.59 |
| Market cap | $152.87B | $401.19B |
| 1-day change | -0.47% | -2.71% |
| YTD return | -5.01% | +87.28% |
| 1-year return | +6.10% | +124.91% |
| 5-year return | -18.61% | +467.95% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 38.76 | 55.66 |
| Forward P/E | 23.39 | 27.25 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.61 | $5.76 |
| Dividend yield | 0.66% | 0.32% |
| Annual dividend | $1.44 | $1.04 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $24.57B | $23.23B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +2.90% | +26.02% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $3.61B | $7.27B |
| Gross margin | 59.11% | 50.47% |
| Operating margin | 19.09% | 35.29% |
| Net margin | 14.71% | 31.27% |
| 52-week high | $242.80 | $438.50 |
| 52-week low | $160.93 | $131.02 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -10.44% | -26.89% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +9.93% | +17.17% |
| Average volume | 4.74M | 9.32M |
| Shares outstanding | 702.99M | 1.25B |
| Employees | 58,000 | 23,300 |
| Sector | Industrials | Technology |
| Industry | Industrial Machinery/Components | Industrial Machinery/Components |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- Lam Research is about 2.6 times larger than Danaher by market value ($401.19B vs $152.87B).
- LRCX has outperformed DHR by 118.8 percentage points over the past year.
- Lam Research trades at a higher earnings multiple (55.7x vs 38.8x trailing P/E).
- Lam Research is more profitable, keeping 31.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 14.7 cents for Danaher.
- Lam Research grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+26.02% vs +2.90%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Danaher in Industrials and Lam Research in Technology.
About Danaher
DHR stock →Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, research, and industrial products and services in the United States, China, and internationally. The company operates through Biotechnology, Life Sciences, and Diagnostics segments.
Industrials · Industrial Machinery/Components · 58,000 employees
About Lam Research
LRCX stock →Lam Research Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, refurbishes, and services semiconductor processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits in the United States, China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Europe. The company offers ALTUS systems to deposit conformal or selective films for tungsten or molybdenum metallization applications; SABRE electrochemical deposition products for copper interconnect transition, which support copper damascene manufacturing; Striker single-wafer atomic layer deposition products for dielectric film solutions; and VECTOR plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (CVD) products.
Technology · Industrial Machinery/Components · 23,300 employees
DHR vs LRCX FAQ
Which is bigger, Danaher or Lam Research?
Lam Research (LRCX) is larger, with a market capitalization of $401.19B compared with $152.87B for Danaher (DHR).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, DHR or LRCX?
LRCX returned +124.91% over the past 12 months, compared with +6.10% for DHR (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, DHR or LRCX?
DHR has the lower trailing P/E at 38.8, versus 55.7 for LRCX. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, Danaher or Lam Research?
Danaher has the higher yield at 0.66%, compared with 0.32% for Lam Research.
Are Danaher and Lam Research in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Industrial Machinery/Components industry within the Industrials sector.