KLA Corporation (KLAC) Stock

KLA Corporation (KLAC) is a Technology stock trading at $172.27 (as of 2026-09-02), with a market capitalization of $225.08B and a trailing P/E of 46.6. Figures are sourced from first-party U.S. SEC EDGAR filings and market data.

KLA Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets process control, process-enabling, and yield management solutions for semiconductor and related electronics manufacturers. It operates through four segments (including Semiconductor Process Control and Specialty Semiconductor Process) and provides inspection, metrology, in situ process management, associated software, and refurbished products for IC manufacturing.

Understand KLA Corporation: how it makes money

KLA makes the inspection, metrology, and defect-detection tools that semiconductor fabs use to catch process errors, monetizing by selling that equipment plus recurring services to chipmakers and packaging houses. Over 90% of revenue is semiconductor process control, so the business grows every time a new node or 3D-stacking architecture adds inspection steps, not only when wafer volume rises.

Every additional process step a chip needs (smaller nodes, 3D stacking, advanced packaging) adds another layer of KLA inspection and metrology, so revenue scales with industry complexity rather than just wafer count.

Revenue by segment (latest quarter)
Semiconductor Process Control$3.1B
Specialty Semi Process$0.2B
PCB, Display & Comp. Insp.$0.1B

Business quality (Exceptional): 61% gross margin and 42% operating margin with an 'Exceptional' quality grade, backed by a diversified customer base across every major foundry, IDM, and packaging house.

Valuation: At 52× earnings, KLAC trades in line with the Measuring & Control Equipment average (51×).

Bull case

  • Advanced Packaging Opens New Vector: Management raised the advanced packaging process-control growth outlook to roughly $1.1B in 2026, a segment that scales as chiplets and 3D-stacking architectures add inspection steps beyond traditional flat panels.
  • AI Demand Raises Process Intensity: KLA posted a record $3.66B in quarterly revenue, which management tied to AI infrastructure investment and the fact that each AI accelerator generation adds more process-control checkpoints per wafer.

Bear case

  • Memory Customers Under Price Squeeze: Management expects memory pricing pressure to persist through 2027, which feeds directly into the capex decisions of DRAM and NAND makers, a meaningful slice of KLA's installed base.
  • Margin Offsets Mask Real Headwinds: The 61% gross margin was propped up by offsets to challenging memory pricing and tariff headwinds, meaning the underlying cost picture is tougher than the headline number suggests.
Valuation — source: SEC EDGAR (first-party)
Price$172.27
Market Cap$225.08B
P/E Ratio46.6
EV / EBITDA38.2
Price / Book35.45
Price / Sales16.57
FCF Yield1.7%
DCF Value (model)$43.84
DCF Upside vs Price-74.6%
Profitability & Growth — source: SEC EDGAR
Revenue (TTM)$13.58B
Net Margin35.6%
Revenue Growth (YoY)15.2%
EPS Growth (YoY)-88.6%
FCF Growth (YoY)-23.2%
Financial Health — source: SEC EDGAR
Altman Z-Score14.16 (safe)
Piotroski F-Score6/9 (moderate)
Valuation vs Sector & Industry
Stock P/E46.6
Sector P/E (Technology)31.8
Industry P/E (Measuring & Control Equipment)50.5
vs Sector46.3%
vs Industry-7.8%
Smart-Money Activity — SEC Form 4 / 13F / Congressional disclosures
Top Institutional HolderBlackRock, Inc. ($18.55B)
Institutional Holders Tracked10
Congressional Trades (recent)10
Company
SectorTechnology
IndustryMeasuring & Control Equipment
CEORichard Wallace
Employees15,000
CountryUS
IPO Date1980-10-08

KLA Corporation earnings call transcripts

  • KLAC Q4 FY26 earnings call transcript (reported 2026-07-28) · analysis
  • KLAC Q3 FY26 earnings call transcript (reported 2026-04-29) · analysis
  • KLAC Q3 FY25 earnings call transcript (reported 2025-04-30) · analysis
  • KLAC Q1 FY24 earnings call transcript (reported 2023-10-25) · analysis
  • KLAC Q4 FY23 earnings call transcript (reported 2023-07-27) · analysis
  • KLAC Q3 FY23 earnings call transcript (reported 2023-04-26) · analysis

All KLAC earnings calls

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KLAC earnings history · KLAC institutional & insider holders · KLAC KPIs & operating metrics · KLAC financials · KLAC investor presentations & press releases · KLAC SEC filings · KLAC peers · Congress trades · Insider trades · Short interest · Stock screener

Data as of 2026-09-02.

Figures sourced from U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC EDGAR) filings and market data. Not personalized investment advice.