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KLIC vs TSEM
Which Stock Would AI Choose? Kulicke and Soffa Industries (KLIC) vs. Tower Semiconductor (TSEM) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- KLIC shares have surged over 125% YTD and 229% over the past year, driven by strong Q2 earnings beats and advanced packaging demand.
- TSEM boasts even stronger 1-year gains of 486% and 75% YTD, fueled by AI photonics expansions and record revenues.
- Both semiconductor firms benefit from sector tailwinds, but TSEM's larger market cap ($24B vs. $5.4B) reflects broader foundry scale.
- Recent momentum favors KLIC with 27% monthly gains post-earnings, while TSEM eyes Q1 results on May 13.
- Valuations show high P/E ratios (99x for KLIC, 109x for TSEM), highlighting growth premiums amid cyclical risks.
- Tickeron's AI bots trading semiconductors report win rates up to 80% and annualized returns exceeding 90%.
Introduction
This stock comparison examines KLIC and TSEM, two key players in the semiconductor ecosystem amid surging demand for advanced chips driven by AI, automotive, and consumer electronics. KLIC focuses on assembly equipment, while TSEM operates as a specialty foundry. Traders seeking momentum in relative performance and investors eyeing sector positioning will find value here, as both stocks have delivered outsized gains in recent market activity, outperforming broader indices like the S&P 500.
KLIC Overview and Recent Performance
Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. (KLIC) designs, manufactures, and sells capital equipment and consumables for semiconductor assembly, including ball bonding, wedge bonding, and advanced packaging solutions for integrated circuits, LEDs, and sensors. In recent weeks, KLIC shares have hit record highs, up 126% YTD and 230% over the past year, with a market cap of $5.4B. Q2 fiscal 2026 revenue reached $243M, up 50% year-over-year, beating estimates by 5%, while non-GAAP EPS of $0.79 exceeded forecasts by 18%. Gross margins hit 49%, supported by strong product mix in thermo-compression bonding. Sentiment has shifted positively on expanding capex to $22M for advanced packaging capacity, aligning with semiconductor recovery and AI-driven demand, though cyclical inventory risks persist.
TSEM Overview and Recent Performance
Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (TSEM) is an independent foundry offering customizable process technologies like SiGe (silicon-germanium), SiPho (silicon photonics), RF CMOS, and power management for analog and mixed-signal ICs used in automotive, industrial, aerospace, and communications. Shares have climbed 75% YTD and a remarkable 486% over the past year, with a $24B market cap. Recent market activity reflects robust demand, with Q4 2025 revenue at a record $440M, up 14% year-over-year, and full-year revenue of $1.57B. EPS (TTM) stands at $1.94. Key developments include partnerships for AI data center optics, U.S. defense SiGe ICs, and $920M capex for SiPho expansion, with 70% capacity pre-booked through 2028. Geopolitical factors and patent suits pose risks, but AI catalysts bolster sentiment.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases the top 25 performers out of 351 AI trading bots, curated for current market conditions across sectors like semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and space. These bots employ diverse strategies—trend-following, volatility plays, and fundamental analysis—with impressive stats: annualized returns up to 285% (e.g., space infrastructure bot), win rates of 58-88%, and profit factors reaching 2.6 (e.g., semiconductors like ENTG). Semiconductor-focused bots have delivered 95% annualized returns, while others target 2x/3x ETFs with 70-80% win rates. Tickeron offers hundreds of AI bots trading thousands of tickers in varied styles, timeframes (15-60 minutes), and risk profiles via signal, virtual, and brokerage agents. Explore these high-conviction picks to enhance your strategy.
Head-to-Head Comparison
KLIC and TSEM both capitalize on semiconductor growth but differ in models: KLIC's equipment sales provide high margins (49% gross) and recurring service revenue, versus TSEM's foundry services emphasizing customizable analog/SiPho processes. Growth drivers include KLIC's advanced packaging for AI chips and TSEM's photonics for data centers/defense. Recent momentum is stronger for TSEM (486% 1-yr vs. 230%), but KLIC leads monthly post-earnings. Risks: KLIC faces equipment cyclicality; TSEM, geopolitical exposure (Israel-based) and lawsuits. Sector ties to semis expose both to supply chains, with TSEM offering higher scale ($1.57B revenue vs. $768M) at similar elevated P/E (109x vs. 99x). Sentiment favors TSEM's AI catalysts over KLIC's stability trade-off.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors TSEM due to superior long-term trend consistency (486% 1-year gains), expansive SiPho catalysts with pre-booked capacity, and larger scale positioning it for sustained AI/data center demand. While KLIC shows strong recent earnings momentum and packaging stability, TSEM's relative outperformance and growth visibility suggest higher probabilistic upside in the current environment.
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. Disclaimers and Limitations
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 KLIC is a Hold and TSEM is a Hold.
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 undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
KLIC’s FA Score shows that 0 FA rating(s) are green whileTSEM’s FA Score has 2 green FA rating(s).
- KLIC’s FA Score: 0 green, 5 red.
- TSEM’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.
KLIC’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while TSEM’s TA Score has 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- KLIC’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 4 bearish.
- TSEM’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
KLIC (@Electronic Production Equipment) experienced а -0.60% price change this week, while TSEM (@Semiconductors) price change was +29.84% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronic Production Equipment industry was -0.97%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +20.42%, and the average quarterly price growth was +140.48%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Semiconductors industry was +4.47%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +39.39%, and the average quarterly price growth was +81.10%.
Reported Earning Dates
KLIC is expected to report earnings on Aug 05, 2026.
TSEM is expected to report earnings on Aug 04, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronic Production Equipment (-0.97% 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.
@Semiconductors (+4.47% weekly)The semiconductor industry manufacturers all chip-related products, including research and development. These chips are used in innumerable electronic devices, including computers, cell phones, smartphones, and GPSs. Intel Corporation, NVIDIA Corp., and Broadcomm are some of the prominent players in this industry. Semiconductor companies usually tend to do well during periods of healthy economic growth, thereby inducing further research and development in the industry – which in turn augurs well for productivity and growth in the economy. In the near future, demand for semiconductor products (and possibly innovation within the segment) should only expand further, with the proliferation of 5G, autonomous vehicles, IoT, and various AI-driven electronics set to herald a new, advanced chapter in the technology-driven world as we know it. With burgeoning prospects comes great competition. In 2015, SIA estimated that U.S. semiconductor industry ranks as the second most competitive U.S. industry out of 2882 U.S. industries designated manufacturers by the U.S. Census Bureau.
| KLIC | TSEM | KLIC / TSEM | |
| Capitalization | 5.34B | 31.5B | 17% |
| EBITDA | 87.7M | 507M | 17% |
| Gain YTD | 124.669 | 133.333 | 94% |
| P/E Ratio | 98.68 | 126.84 | 78% |
| Revenue | 768M | 1.51B | 51% |
| Total Cash | 488M | 1.22B | 40% |
| Total Debt | 39.8M | 164M | 24% |
KLIC | TSEM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 39 | 77 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 68 Overvalued | 89 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 39 | 2 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 81 | 78 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 35 | 34 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 42 | 2 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 50 | 50 |
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.
KLIC's Valuation (68) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as TSEM (89) in the Semiconductors industry. This means that KLIC’s stock grew similarly to TSEM’s over the last 12 months.
TSEM's Profit vs Risk Rating (2) in the Semiconductors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for KLIC (39) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry. This means that TSEM’s stock grew somewhat faster than KLIC’s over the last 12 months.
TSEM's SMR Rating (78) in the Semiconductors industry is in the same range as KLIC (81) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry. This means that TSEM’s stock grew similarly to KLIC’s over the last 12 months.
TSEM's Price Growth Rating (34) in the Semiconductors industry is in the same range as KLIC (35) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry. This means that TSEM’s stock grew similarly to KLIC’s over the last 12 months.
TSEM's P/E Growth Rating (2) in the Semiconductors industry is somewhat better than the same rating for KLIC (42) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry. This means that TSEM’s stock grew somewhat faster than KLIC’s over the last 12 months.
| KLIC | TSEM | |
|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 73% | 3 days ago 61% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 73% | 3 days ago 61% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | N/A | 3 days ago 70% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | 3 days ago 70% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 76% | 3 days ago 71% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 69% | 3 days ago 76% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 67% | 4 days ago 69% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 74% | 11 days ago 60% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 72% | 3 days ago 62% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 65% | 3 days ago 77% |
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KLIC and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, KLIC has been closely correlated with POWI. These tickers have moved in lockstep 81% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if KLIC jumps, then POWI could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To KLIC | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KLIC | 100% | -1.97% | ||
| POWI - KLIC | 81% Closely correlated | +2.19% | ||
| NXPI - KLIC | 79% Closely correlated | -0.91% | ||
| DIOD - KLIC | 78% Closely correlated | -3.48% | ||
| RMBS - KLIC | 78% Closely correlated | -2.61% | ||
| ADI - KLIC | 77% Closely correlated | -2.18% | ||
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TSEM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, TSEM has been loosely correlated with AMKR. These tickers have moved in lockstep 61% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if TSEM jumps, then AMKR could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To TSEM | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSEM | 100% | -2.39% | ||
| AMKR - TSEM | 61% Loosely correlated | -2.41% | ||
| AMBA - TSEM | 60% Loosely correlated | +0.15% | ||
| KLIC - TSEM | 60% Loosely correlated | -1.97% | ||
| KLAC - TSEM | 60% Loosely correlated | -4.68% | ||
| LRCX - TSEM | 60% Loosely correlated | -4.82% | ||
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