KLA (KLAC) vs Lam Research (LRCX)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Lam Research (LRCX) has outperformed KLA (KLAC) over the past year, gaining 134.8% versus a gain of 81.5%. Over five years, KLAC leads with a +498.1% price change compared with +483.8% for LRCX. Lam Research is the larger company by market cap ($397.24 billion vs $255.14 billion), about 1.6 times the size.
On valuation, Lam Research trades at a lower forward P/E (27.0x vs 29.2x for KLA). KLA offers the higher dividend yield (0.41% vs 0.33%). KLA converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 35.6% versus 31.3%.
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 | KLAC | LRCX |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $195.51 | $317.43 |
| Market cap | $255.14B | $397.24B |
| 1-day change | -0.67% | -3.67% |
| YTD return | +61.99% | +92.49% |
| 1-year return | +81.45% | +134.78% |
| 5-year return | +498.09% | +483.75% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 53.42 | 55.11 |
| Forward P/E | 29.16 | 26.98 |
| EPS (TTM) | $3.66 | $5.76 |
| Dividend yield | 0.41% | 0.33% |
| Annual dividend | $0.80 | $1.04 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $13.58B | $23.23B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +11.71% | +26.02% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $4.83B | $7.27B |
| Gross margin | 61.30% | 50.47% |
| Operating margin | — | 35.29% |
| Net margin | 35.57% | 31.27% |
| 52-week high | $307.37 | $438.50 |
| 52-week low | $98.10 | $131.02 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -36.39% | -27.61% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +19.06% | +18.34% |
| Average volume | 10.12M | 9.37M |
| Shares outstanding | 1.31B | 1.25B |
| Employees | 17,000 | 23,300 |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Electronic 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
- LRCX has outperformed KLAC by 53.3 percentage points over the past year.
- Lam Research grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+26.02% vs +11.71%).
About KLA
KLAC stock →KLA Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides process control and process-enabling solutions for manufacturing wafers, reticles/masks, chemicals/materials, integrated circuits (ICs), packaged ICs, and printed circuit boards. It operates through three segments: Semiconductor Process Control; Specialty Semiconductor Process; and PCB and Component Inspection.
Technology · Electronic Components · 17,000 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
KLAC vs LRCX FAQ
Which is bigger, KLA or Lam Research?
Lam Research (LRCX) is larger, with a market capitalization of $397.24B compared with $255.14B for KLA (KLAC).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, KLAC or LRCX?
LRCX returned +134.78% over the past 12 months, compared with +81.45% for KLAC (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, KLAC or LRCX?
KLAC has the lower trailing P/E at 53.4, versus 55.1 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, KLA or Lam Research?
KLA has the higher yield at 0.41%, compared with 0.33% for Lam Research.
Are KLA and Lam Research in the same industry?
Both are in the Technology sector, but in different industries: Electronic Components for KLA and Industrial Machinery/Components for Lam Research.