This comparison examines FORM, GFS, and KLIC, three key players in the semiconductor industry, amid surging demand for chips in AI, automotive, and defense applications. Traders seeking exposure to semiconductor equipment, testing, and manufacturing will find value in understanding their recent price behaviors, sector tailwinds, and relative strengths. With all three posting triple-digit YTD gains in recent market activity, this analysis highlights contrasts in business focus, momentum, and upcoming catalysts to aid informed relative performance decisions.
FormFactor, Inc. (FORM) designs and manufactures probe cards, analytical probes, and systems for semiconductor testing, primarily serving AI, mobile, and network chip producers in the Technology sector's Semiconductor Equipment & Materials industry. In recent weeks, FORM shares traded around $137, reflecting a 1.2% daily gain and robust YTD performance of 146%. Key influences include record Q1 fiscal 2026 revenue of $226.1 million, up 32% year-over-year, and EPS of $0.56 beating estimates, driven by AI-related test demand. Analyst upgrades, such as TD Cowen's price target raise to $150, have bolstered sentiment, though a weekly pullback occurred amid broader sector rotation.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. (GFS) operates as a leading semiconductor foundry, fabricating wafers for microprocessors, RF devices, and power management units across automotive, aerospace, and communications end-markets in the Technology/Semiconductors sector. Shares recently hovered near $65, up 0.5% daily with 86% YTD gains. Recent market activity features signals of broad recoveries in non-AI segments like automotive and defense, supporting steady performance ahead of Q1 earnings on May 5. Analyst actions include Citigroup's neutral rating with a $49 target, reflecting balanced growth prospects amid a $35.6 billion market cap.
Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. (KLIC) provides capital equipment and consumables for semiconductor assembly, including ball and wedge bonding tools, targeting integrated device makers and outsourced assembly providers in the Semiconductor Equipment & Materials industry. Trading around $86, shares rose 1% daily with 90% YTD appreciation. Recent developments show early sales recovery signs despite volatility, including a plunge alongside peers, as Q2 earnings approach on May 7. Analyst targets range $70-$88 with hold ratings, highlighting potential inflection amid a $4.5 billion market cap.
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FORM, GFS, and KLIC share semiconductor exposure but differ in models: FORM focuses on testing, GFS on foundry production, and KLIC on assembly. Growth drivers contrast AI tailwinds for FORM, diversified auto/defense for GFS, and packaging recovery for KLIC. Recent momentum favors FORM's 374% one-year surge versus peers' steadier climbs. Risks include sector cyclicality and high betas (1.3-1.7). Valuation sensitivity shows FORM's elevated trailing P/E (price-to-earnings ratio) of 158, GFS's 41, and KLIC's forward 36 amid losses. Market sentiment tilts positive on earnings catalysts, with GFS offering scale advantages.
Tickeron's AI currently leans toward FORM based on consistent trend strength, recent earnings beats, AI catalyst alignment, and superior relative YTD positioning. While GFS and KLIC exhibit stability and recovery potential, FORM's momentum suggests higher probability of near-term outperformance in the semiconductor rally.
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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).
FORM’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileGFS’s FA Score has 1 green FA rating(s), and KLIC’s FA Score reflects 1 green FA rating(s).
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.
FORM’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while GFS’s TA Score has 3 bullish TA indicator(s), and KLIC’s TA Score reflects 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
FORM (@Electronic Production Equipment) experienced а -8.07% price change this week, while GFS (@Semiconductors) price change was -12.99% , and KLIC (@Electronic Production Equipment) price fluctuated -5.95% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronic Production Equipment industry was -5.88%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -5.32%, and the average quarterly price growth was +104.94%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Semiconductors industry was -14.22%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was -1.45%, and the average quarterly price growth was +76.28%.
FORM is expected to report earnings on Aug 05, 2026.
GFS is expected to report earnings on Aug 11, 2026.
KLIC is expected to report earnings on Aug 05, 2026.
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 (-14.22% 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.
| FORM | GFS | KLIC | |
| Capitalization | 9.03B | 41B | 5.34B |
| EBITDA | 128M | 2.26B | 87.7M |
| Gain YTD | 107.691 | 114.261 | 124.471 |
| P/E Ratio | 133.16 | 51.10 | 98.60 |
| Revenue | 840M | 6.84B | 768M |
| Total Cash | 303M | 3.07B | 488M |
| Total Debt | 31.9M | 1.72B | 39.8M |
FORM | KLIC | ||
|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 74 | 69 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 77 Overvalued | 62 Fair valued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 21 | 32 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 82 | 83 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 36 | 35 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 6 | 47 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 18 | 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 (62) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as FORM (77). This means that KLIC’s stock grew similarly to FORM’s over the last 12 months.
FORM's Profit vs Risk Rating (21) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as KLIC (32). This means that FORM’s stock grew similarly to KLIC’s over the last 12 months.
FORM's SMR Rating (82) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as KLIC (83). This means that FORM’s stock grew similarly to KLIC’s over the last 12 months.
KLIC's Price Growth Rating (35) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as FORM (36). This means that KLIC’s stock grew similarly to FORM’s over the last 12 months.
FORM's P/E Growth Rating (6) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is somewhat better than the same rating for KLIC (47). This means that FORM’s stock grew somewhat faster than KLIC’s over the last 12 months.
| FORM | GFS | KLIC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | 1 day ago 81% | 1 day ago 79% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 89% | 1 day ago 72% | 1 day ago 66% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 79% | 1 day ago 74% | 1 day ago 77% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | N/A | 1 day ago 82% | 1 day ago 77% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 70% | 1 day ago 74% | 1 day ago 76% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 70% | 1 day ago 71% | 1 day ago 78% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 8 days ago 77% | 9 days ago 76% | 3 days ago 68% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 68% | 1 day ago 76% | 7 days ago 74% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 79% | 1 day ago 80% | 7 days ago 84% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 81% | 1 day ago 60% | 1 day ago 68% |
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, FORM has been closely correlated with RMBS. These tickers have moved in lockstep 74% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if FORM jumps, then RMBS could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To FORM | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FORM | 100% | -3.95% | ||
| RMBS - FORM | 74% Closely correlated | -5.94% | ||
| SLAB - FORM | 73% Closely correlated | -0.45% | ||
| ADI - FORM | 72% Closely correlated | -2.95% | ||
| ARM - FORM | 72% Closely correlated | -5.37% | ||
| QCOM - FORM | 72% Closely correlated | -6.92% | ||
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A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, GFS has been closely correlated with KLIC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 72% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if GFS jumps, then KLIC could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To GFS | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GFS | 100% | -0.58% | ||
| KLIC - GFS | 72% Closely correlated | -0.67% | ||
| FORM - GFS | 69% Closely correlated | -3.95% | ||
| ENTG - GFS | 67% Closely correlated | -4.07% | ||
| LRCX - GFS | 66% Loosely correlated | -1.64% | ||
| VECO - GFS | 65% Loosely correlated | -1.88% | ||
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