Lam Research (LRCX) vs Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO)
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 Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) over the past year, gaining 124.9% versus a gain of 21.6%. Over five years, LRCX leads with a +467.9% price change compared with +11.9% for TMO. Lam Research is the larger company by market cap ($401.08 billion vs $244.00 billion), about 1.6 times the size.
On valuation, Thermo Fisher Scientific trades at a lower forward P/E (23.9x vs 27.2x for Lam Research). Lam Research offers the higher dividend yield (0.32% vs 0.27%). Lam Research converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 31.3% versus 15.0%.
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 | LRCX | TMO |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $320.50 | $659.90 |
| Market cap | $401.08B | $244.00B |
| 1-day change | -0.03% | +1.21% |
| YTD return | +87.28% | +12.52% |
| 1-year return | +124.91% | +21.59% |
| 5-year return | +467.95% | +11.95% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 55.64 | 35.52 |
| Forward P/E | 27.24 | 23.93 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.76 | $18.58 |
| Dividend yield | 0.32% | 0.27% |
| Annual dividend | $1.04 | $1.80 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $23.23B | $44.56B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +26.02% | +3.91% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $7.27B | $6.70B |
| Gross margin | 50.47% | — |
| Operating margin | 35.29% | 17.38% |
| Net margin | 31.27% | 15.05% |
| 52-week high | $438.50 | $694.33 |
| 52-week low | $131.02 | $435.27 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -26.91% | -4.96% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | strong_buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +17.21% | +0.80% |
| Average volume | 9.32M | 2.09M |
| Shares outstanding | 1.25B | 369.75M |
| Employees | 23,300 | 125,000 |
| Sector | Technology | Industrials |
| 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
- LRCX has outperformed TMO by 103.3 percentage points over the past year.
- Lam Research trades at a higher earnings multiple (55.6x vs 35.5x trailing P/E).
- Lam Research is more profitable, keeping 31.3 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 15.0 cents for Thermo Fisher Scientific.
- Lam Research grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+26.02% vs +3.91%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Lam Research in Technology and Thermo Fisher Scientific in Industrials.
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
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
TMO stock →Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services internationally.
Industrials · Industrial Machinery/Components · 125,000 employees
LRCX vs TMO FAQ
Which is bigger, Lam Research or Thermo Fisher Scientific?
Lam Research (LRCX) is larger, with a market capitalization of $401.08B compared with $244.00B for Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, LRCX or TMO?
LRCX returned +124.91% over the past 12 months, compared with +21.59% for TMO (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, LRCX or TMO?
TMO has the lower trailing P/E at 35.5, versus 55.6 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, Lam Research or Thermo Fisher Scientific?
Lam Research has the higher yield at 0.32%, compared with 0.27% for Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Are Lam Research and Thermo Fisher Scientific in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Industrial Machinery/Components industry within the Technology sector.