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AMAT vs KLAC
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Applied Materials (AMAT) vs. KLA Corporation (KLAC) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- Both AMAT and KLAC operate in the semiconductor equipment sector and have benefited from AI-driven demand for advanced manufacturing tools in recent market activity.
- AMAT reported record Q3 fiscal 2026 revenue of $9.12 billion, reflecting 25% year-over-year growth, while KLAC posted Q4 fiscal 2026 revenue of $3.66 billion, up 15% year-over-year.
- Over the past month, both stocks have experienced pullbacks, with AMAT declining approximately 17% and KLAC declining around 11-12%, following stronger year-to-date gains.
- AMAT offers broader exposure across deposition, etch, and other process steps, whereas KLAC maintains a concentrated leadership position in process control and inspection.
- Recent dividend announcements include AMAT’s $0.53 quarterly payout and KLAC’s ongoing distributions, supporting shareholder returns amid sector volatility.
- Analyst sentiment remains constructive for both, with upward revisions to earnings estimates tied to wafer fab equipment spending forecasts.
Introduction
Applied Materials (AMAT) and KLA Corporation (KLAC) represent two leading players in the semiconductor capital equipment industry. This comparison examines their business models, recent performance, and relative positioning in the current market environment. Institutional investors, active traders, and those seeking exposure to semiconductor supply chain dynamics may find this analysis relevant for portfolio construction and sector allocation decisions.
AMAT Overview and Recent Performance
Applied Materials, Inc. provides materials engineering solutions used in the fabrication of semiconductors, displays, and related products. In recent market activity, the stock has seen elevated volatility following a strong multi-month advance driven by AI-related wafer fab equipment demand. The company delivered record fiscal Q3 2026 results with revenue reaching $9.12 billion, supported by growth in semiconductor systems and services segments. A subsequent pullback occurred as investors assessed valuation levels after the prior rally, though broader earnings visibility remains supported by customer forecasts and capacity expansions.
KLAC Overview and Recent Performance
KLA Corporation specializes in process control and yield management solutions, including inspection and metrology equipment critical to semiconductor manufacturing. Recent performance has mirrored sector trends, with shares declining over the past month amid broader market rotation. Fiscal Q4 2026 results showed revenue of $3.66 billion, reflecting 15% year-over-year growth and margin expansion. Management raised expectations for the wafer equipment market, citing sustained AI infrastructure investments, advanced packaging, and foundry activity, which provided some support despite the near-term price adjustment.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
Applied Materials maintains a diversified portfolio spanning multiple semiconductor process steps, offering exposure to broader wafer fab equipment cycles, while KLA Corporation holds a more specialized position in process control with typically higher gross margins. Both companies have reported double-digit revenue growth in recent quarters fueled by AI demand, yet AMAT has exhibited larger price swings tied to its wider revenue base. Risk factors include cyclical capital spending by chipmakers and geopolitical supply chain considerations. Market sentiment for the sector remains tied to visibility on equipment spending, with KLAC benefiting from structurally higher process control intensity in advanced nodes.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Based on observable factors such as trend consistency, earnings momentum, and relative positioning within the AI-driven equipment cycle, Tickeron’s AI models currently assign a modestly higher probabilistic preference to AMAT due to its broader exposure and recent revenue trajectory. This assessment reflects data-driven pattern recognition rather than certainty and should be evaluated alongside individual investment objectives.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
To compare these two companies we present long-term analysis, their fundamental ratings and make comparative short-term technical analysis which are presented below. The conclusion is AMAT is a StrongBuy and KLAC is a StrongBuy.
| AMAT | KLAC | AMAT / KLAC | |
| Capitalization | 337B | 221B | 152% |
| EBITDA | 11.5B | 6.28B | 183% |
| Gain YTD | 65.657 | 43.156 | 152% |
| P/E Ratio | 36.60 | 46.20 | 79% |
| Revenue | 30.8B | 13.6B | 226% |
| Total Cash | 9.23B | 4.9B | 188% |
| Total Debt | 7.35B | 6.15B | 119% |
AMAT | KLAC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 50 | 50 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 67 Overvalued | 84 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 42 | 40 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 25 | 15 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 40 | 48 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 7 | 11 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 75 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
AMAT's Valuation (67) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as KLAC (84). This means that AMAT’s stock grew similarly to KLAC’s over the last 12 months.
KLAC's Profit vs Risk Rating (40) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as AMAT (42). This means that KLAC’s stock grew similarly to AMAT’s over the last 12 months.
KLAC's SMR Rating (15) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as AMAT (25). This means that KLAC’s stock grew similarly to AMAT’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's Price Growth Rating (40) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as KLAC (48). This means that AMAT’s stock grew similarly to KLAC’s over the last 12 months.
AMAT's P/E Growth Rating (7) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as KLAC (11). This means that AMAT’s stock grew similarly to KLAC’s over the last 12 months.
| AMAT | KLAC | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 86% | 4 days ago 75% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 80% | 4 days ago 71% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 73% | 4 days ago 70% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 70% | 4 days ago 75% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 77% | 4 days ago 78% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 68% | 4 days ago 68% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 78% | 7 days ago 77% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 5 days ago 65% | 5 days ago 59% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 4 days ago 72% | 4 days ago 57% |
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is overvalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
AMAT’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green while KLAC’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- AMAT’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- KLAC’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
AMAT’s TA Score shows that 4 TA indicator(s) are bullish while KLAC’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- AMAT’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 3 bearish.
- KLAC’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
AMAT (@Electronic Production Equipment) experienced а -6.71% price change this week, while KLAC (@Electronic Production Equipment) price change was -8.90% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronic Production Equipment industry was -5.92%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -23.42%, and the average quarterly price growth was +10.49%.
Reported Earning Dates
AMAT is expected to report earnings on Nov 12, 2026.
KLAC is expected to report earnings on Oct 28, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronic Production Equipment (-5.92% weekly)The electronic production equipment industry makes equipment used to produce semiconductors. Such equipment includes wafer fabrication, plasma etching and photo-resist processing equipment. The industry also makes chemical vapor deposition processing systems and photomasks, which are high-purity quartz plates that contain patterns to define integrated circuits layouts. Applied Materials, Inc., Lam Research Corporation, and KLA-Tencor Corporation are examples of electronic production equipment manufacturing companies.
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AMAT and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, AMAT has been closely correlated with LRCX. These tickers have moved in lockstep 90% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if AMAT jumps, then LRCX could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To AMAT | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMAT | 100% | -7.07% | ||
| LRCX - AMAT | 90% Closely correlated | -8.29% | ||
| KLAC - AMAT | 87% Closely correlated | -6.39% | ||
| ONTO - AMAT | 83% Closely correlated | -11.07% | ||
| NVMI - AMAT | 82% Closely correlated | -9.99% | ||
| ASML - AMAT | 81% Closely correlated | -7.25% | ||
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