Stock of the Day

February 9, 2022

KLA (KLAC)

$791.89
+$9.80 (+1.3%)
Market Cap: $103.42B

About KLA

KLA Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of process control, process-enabling, and yield management solutions for the semiconductor and related electronics industries worldwide. It operates through three segments: Semiconductor Process Control; Specialty Semiconductor Process; and PCB and Component Inspection. The company offers inspection and review tools to identify, locate, characterize, review, and analyze defects on various surfaces of patterned and unpatterned wafers; metrology systems that are used to measure pattern dimensions, film thickness, film stress, layer-to-layer alignment, pattern placement, surface topography, and electro-optical properties for wafers; chemical process control equipment; wired and wireless sensor wafers and reticles; wafer defect inspection, review, and metrology systems; reticle inspection and metrology systems; and semiconductor software solutions that provide run-time process control, defect excursion identification, process corrections, and defect classification to accelerate yield learning rates and reduce production risk. It also provides etch, plasma dicing, deposition, and other wafer processing technologies and solutions for the semiconductor and microelectronics industry. In addition, the company offers direct imaging, inspection, optical shaping, inkjet and additive printing, UV laser drilling, and computer-aided manufacturing and engineering solutions for the PCB market; inspection and electrical testing systems to identify and classify defects, as well as systems to repair defects for the display market; and inspection and metrology systems for quality control and yield improvement in advanced and traditional semiconductor packaging markets. The company was formerly known as KLA-Tencor Corporation and changed its name to KLA Corporation in July 2019. KLA Corporation was incorporated in 1975 and is headquartered in Milpitas, California.

KLA Bull Case

Here are some ways that investors could benefit from investing in KLA Co.:

  • The current stock price is around $762, reflecting a strong market position and investor interest.
  • KLA Co. reported impressive earnings, with earnings per share (EPS) of $8.41, exceeding analyst expectations, indicating robust financial health.
  • The company has shown significant revenue growth, with a year-over-year increase of 35.5%, suggesting strong demand for its products.
  • Analysts have a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" with a target price of approximately $799.58, indicating potential for price appreciation.
  • Insider transactions show confidence in the company, with executives recently selling shares but still retaining significant ownership, which can signal stability.

KLA Bear Case

Investors should be bearish about investing in KLA Co. for these reasons:

  • Recent insider sales, while not uncommon, may raise concerns about executives' confidence in the company's future performance.
  • The stock has experienced fluctuations, with a 1-year high of $896.32 and a low of $551.33, indicating volatility that could deter risk-averse investors.
  • The company's debt-to-equity ratio is 1.64, which suggests a higher level of debt compared to equity, potentially increasing financial risk.
  • Despite strong earnings, the market may react negatively to any future earnings reports that do not meet high expectations, leading to stock price declines.
  • With ten analysts rating the stock as a hold, there may be a lack of strong bullish sentiment in the market, which could limit upside potential.

Recent News