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KLAC or LRCX or MPWR
Which Stock Would AI Choose? KLA Corporation (KLAC) vs. Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) vs. Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- KLAC, LRCX, and MPWR have delivered strong year-to-date gains of approximately 43%, 61%, and 76% respectively, fueled by AI-driven semiconductor demand.
- All three stocks trade at elevated price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios around 48-52x trailing earnings, reflecting growth optimism but heightened valuation sensitivity.
- LRCX leads in one-year returns at over 275%, supported by record etch and deposition revenues tied to advanced node production.
- MPWR shows superior recent momentum with 26% quarterly revenue growth, benefiting from power management solutions for AI data centers.
- Tickeron's AI bots trading these tickers achieve up to 94% annualized returns with 60-68% win rates, highlighting algorithmic interest in semiconductor relative performance.
- Geopolitical risks and wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) cyclicality pose shared challenges, though MPWR's fabless model offers relative diversification.
Introduction
KLA Corporation (KLAC), Lam Research Corporation (LRCX), and Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) are pivotal players in the semiconductor ecosystem, providing process control, wafer fabrication equipment, and power management solutions respectively. This comparison is relevant for traders and investors navigating AI infrastructure buildouts, where surging demand for advanced chips drives sector momentum. Amid recent earnings beats and robust relative performance, these stocks offer insights into growth drivers, valuation trade-offs, and market positioning in a high-growth but cyclical industry.
KLAC Overview and Recent Performance
KLA Corporation (KLAC) designs and manufactures process control and yield management systems for semiconductor wafer fabrication. In recent market activity, KLAC shares have shown resilience, with year-to-date gains around 43% and one-year returns exceeding 150%, outperforming the S&P 500. The stock recently traded near $1,733, reflecting a market cap over $225 billion and a trailing P/E of about 49x. Key influences include Q3 fiscal 2026 revenue of $3.42 billion, driven by AI-related demand for inspection tools, alongside upbeat Q4 guidance. Sentiment has been bolstered by strong international sales and a dominant position in process control, though shares dipped post-earnings amid high expectations.
LRCX Overview and Recent Performance
Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) specializes in wafer fabrication equipment for etch, deposition, and clean processes essential to integrated circuit production. Recent performance has been standout, with year-to-date returns near 61% and one-year gains over 275%, far surpassing benchmarks. Trading around $276 with a $323 billion market cap and P/E of 52x, LRCX benefited from Q3 fiscal 2026 revenue of $5.84 billion, up 24% year-over-year, exceeding estimates on AI and memory demand. Positive guidance and analyst upgrades have sustained upward momentum, though capacity constraints temper near-term growth. Investor sentiment reflects optimism for its role in advanced nodes like high-bandwidth memory (HBM).
MPWR Overview and Recent Performance
Monolithic Power Systems (MPWR) develops high-performance power management semiconductors for computing, automotive, and communications. The stock has exhibited robust momentum, posting year-to-date gains of about 76% and one-year returns around 155%. With shares near $1,588, a $78 billion market cap, and elevated P/E implying growth premiums, MPWR reported Q1 2026 revenue of $804 million, up 26% year-over-year, beating expectations on enterprise data and AI exposure. Strong guidance and analyst target hikes have driven sentiment, though high multiples introduce volatility risks. Demand for efficient power solutions in data centers has been a key performance catalyst.
Trending AI Robots
Tickeron’s Trending AI Robots page showcases over 25 curated AI trading bots selected from 351 total bots, engineered to outperform across growth sectors like semiconductors using momentum and sector rotation strategies. These bots trade thousands of tickers with diverse styles, timeframes from 15 minutes to 48 days, and impressive stats: annualized returns up to 169%, win rates of 51-88%, and profit factors reaching 11.7. Semiconductor-focused bots, including those on MPWR (+83% annualized, 68% win rate), groups with LRCX/KLAC (+95% return, 63% win rate), highlight AI's edge in volatile markets. Explore Trending AI Robots to identify bots suited to current conditions.
Head-to-Head Comparison
KLAC and LRCX focus on wafer fabrication equipment (WFE), with KLAC leading in process control (near-monopoly moat) and LRCX in etch/deposition for AI chips; MPWR differentiates via fabless power ICs for data centers. Growth drivers favor MPWR (26% revenue growth) and LRCX (24% recent), over KLAC's steady cycle. Recent momentum peaks for MPWR (YTD 76%), followed by LRCX (61%). Risks include WFE capex sensitivity for equipment peers (higher beta for LRCX) and lofty multiples for MPWR; geopolitical export curbs hit all. KLAC offers stability (lower volatility), MPWR AI purity. Valuations cluster at 48-52x P/E, with sentiment strongest for hyperscaler exposure.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently favors MPWR due to superior trend consistency in AI power demand, recent revenue acceleration, and dedicated bots posting 83% annualized returns with 68% win rates. LRCX follows for scale and etch leadership, while KLAC provides defensive process control stability. Probabilistic edges tilt toward MPWR amid ongoing semiconductor upcycle catalysts.
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
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).
KLAC’s FA Score shows that 4 FA rating(s) are green whileLRCX’s FA Score has 4 green FA rating(s), and MPWR’s FA Score reflects 3 green FA rating(s).
- KLAC’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- LRCX’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- MPWR’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 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.
KLAC’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while LRCX’s TA Score has 6 bullish TA indicator(s), and MPWR’s TA Score reflects 4 bullish TA indicator(s).
- KLAC’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
- LRCX’s TA Score: 6 bullish, 4 bearish.
- MPWR’s TA Score: 4 bullish, 4 bearish.
Price Growth
KLAC (@Electronic Production Equipment) experienced а +4.53% price change this week, while LRCX (@Electronic Production Equipment) price change was +4.87% , and MPWR (@Semiconductors) price fluctuated +0.72% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Electronic Production Equipment industry was +5.35%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +27.17%, and the average quarterly price growth was +132.80%.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Semiconductors industry was +8.51%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +47.26%, and the average quarterly price growth was +78.68%.
Reported Earning Dates
KLAC is expected to report earnings on Jul 23, 2026.
LRCX is expected to report earnings on Aug 05, 2026.
MPWR is expected to report earnings on Aug 03, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Electronic Production Equipment (+5.35% 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 (+8.51% 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.
| KLAC | LRCX | MPWR | |
| Capitalization | 237B | 362B | 78.6B |
| EBITDA | 6.06B | 8.07B | 857M |
| Gain YTD | 49.266 | 69.171 | 76.830 |
| P/E Ratio | 51.30 | 54.68 | 114.50 |
| Revenue | 13.1B | 21.7B | 2.96B |
| Total Cash | 4.96B | 4.75B | 1.37B |
| Total Debt | 6.15B | 3.73B | 20M |
KLAC | LRCX | MPWR | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 76 | 76 | 83 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 84 Overvalued | 83 Overvalued | 85 Overvalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 6 | 4 | 15 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 14 | 17 | 46 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 9 | 4 | 7 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 11 | 7 | 2 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 90 | 90 | 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.
LRCX's Valuation (83) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as KLAC (84) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry, and is in the same range as MPWR (85) in the Semiconductors industry. This means that LRCX's stock grew similarly to KLAC’s and similarly to MPWR’s over the last 12 months.
LRCX's Profit vs Risk Rating (4) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as KLAC (6) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry, and is in the same range as MPWR (15) in the Semiconductors industry. This means that LRCX's stock grew similarly to KLAC’s and similarly to MPWR’s over the last 12 months.
KLAC's SMR Rating (14) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as LRCX (17) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry, and is in the same range as MPWR (46) in the Semiconductors industry. This means that KLAC's stock grew similarly to LRCX’s and similarly to MPWR’s over the last 12 months.
LRCX's Price Growth Rating (4) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry is in the same range as MPWR (7) in the Semiconductors industry, and is in the same range as KLAC (9) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry. This means that LRCX's stock grew similarly to MPWR’s and similarly to KLAC’s over the last 12 months.
MPWR's P/E Growth Rating (2) in the Semiconductors industry is in the same range as LRCX (7) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry, and is in the same range as KLAC (11) in the Electronic Production Equipment industry. This means that MPWR's stock grew similarly to LRCX’s and similarly to KLAC’s over the last 12 months.
| KLAC | LRCX | MPWR | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 71% | 2 days ago 55% | 2 days ago 71% |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 63% | 2 days ago 64% | 2 days ago 60% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 72% | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 75% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 71% | 2 days ago 79% | 2 days ago 62% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 74% | 2 days ago 80% | 2 days ago 80% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 77% | 2 days ago 80% | 2 days ago 81% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 7 days ago 74% | 2 days ago 81% | 2 days ago 78% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 61% | 14 days ago 65% | 9 days ago 65% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 71% | 2 days ago 72% | 7 days ago 69% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 1 day ago 82% | 2 days ago 80% | 2 days ago 77% |
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LRCX and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, LRCX has been closely correlated with AMAT. These tickers have moved in lockstep 86% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if LRCX jumps, then AMAT could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To LRCX | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LRCX | 100% | -2.30% | ||
| AMAT - LRCX | 86% Closely correlated | -2.80% | ||
| KLAC - LRCX | 85% Closely correlated | -1.83% | ||
| RMBS - LRCX | 80% Closely correlated | -3.12% | ||
| ASML - LRCX | 80% Closely correlated | -2.87% | ||
| ADI - LRCX | 79% Closely correlated | -0.73% | ||
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MPWR and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, MPWR has been closely correlated with KLAC. These tickers have moved in lockstep 74% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if MPWR jumps, then KLAC could also see price increases.
| Ticker / NAME | Correlation To MPWR | 1D Price Change % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPWR | 100% | -3.71% | ||
| KLAC - MPWR | 74% Closely correlated | -1.83% | ||
| LRCX - MPWR | 73% Closely correlated | -2.30% | ||
| NXPI - MPWR | 73% Closely correlated | -3.84% | ||
| AMAT - MPWR | 70% Closely correlated | -2.80% | ||
| KLIC - MPWR | 70% Closely correlated | -5.96% | ||
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