Lam Research vs Applied Materials

Lam Research and Applied Materials are presented here to compare their business models, financial performance, and market context. This page outlines key strategic approaches, revenue drivers, product portfolios, and industry dynamics in a clear, neutral way. The aim is to inform readers with balanced context. Educational content, not financial advice.

Lam Research and Applied Materials are presented here to compare their business models, financial performance, and market context. This page outlines key strategic approaches, revenue drivers, product...

Comparison Snapshot

Key Financial Metrics

LRCX

Metric

AMAT

$279.93B

Market Cap

$253.31B

-29.13%

Potential Profit

-20.67%

Buy

Analyst Rating

Buy

Why It's Moving

Lam Research Surges on AI Tailwinds and Analyst Upgrades Ahead of Earnings.

Zacks upgraded LRCX to Strong Buy, highlighting rising earnings estimates and AI-chip plus DRAM demand poised to drive Q2 beats.
Recent Q1 earnings delivered $1.26 EPS, topping expectations by 3.28%, with $5.32B revenue underscoring sustained semiconductor strength.
Bank of America hiked its price target to $245 with a buy rating, reflecting optimism on margin expansion and capital returns in the AI WFE cycle.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Analysts Boost AMAT Targets Amid AI Memory Surge, Despite Export Headwinds

Needham hiked its price target to $390 and KeyBanc to $380, spotlighting AMAT's edge in memory/AI expansion and vertical scaling opportunities.
Q4 display revenues soared 68% on advanced systems, better pricing, and surging OLED demand, signaling potential reacceleration in that segment.
Fiscal Q1 2026 earnings due February 12, where guidance on China risks, memory demand, and pricing could sway near-term momentum.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Lam Research Surges on AI Tailwinds and Analyst Upgrades Ahead of Earnings.

Zacks upgraded LRCX to Strong Buy, highlighting rising earnings estimates and AI-chip plus DRAM demand poised to drive Q2 beats.
Recent Q1 earnings delivered $1.26 EPS, topping expectations by 3.28%, with $5.32B revenue underscoring sustained semiconductor strength.
Bank of America hiked its price target to $245 with a buy rating, reflecting optimism on margin expansion and capital returns in the AI WFE cycle.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Analysts Boost AMAT Targets Amid AI Memory Surge, Despite Export Headwinds

Needham hiked its price target to $390 and KeyBanc to $380, spotlighting AMAT's edge in memory/AI expansion and vertical scaling opportunities.
Q4 display revenues soared 68% on advanced systems, better pricing, and surging OLED demand, signaling potential reacceleration in that segment.
Fiscal Q1 2026 earnings due February 12, where guidance on China risks, memory demand, and pricing could sway near-term momentum.

Sentiment:

🐃Bullish

Investment Analysis

Lam Research

LRCX

Pros

Lam Research reported a 23.68% revenue growth in 2025, reaching $18.44 billion, with earnings up nearly 40% to $5.36 billion.
The stock has significantly outperformed Applied Materials over the past 12 months, with a total return of +104%.
Lam Research has strong analyst support with an average consensus rating of 'Buy' from over 25 analysts.

Considerations

Despite strong earnings growth, the average analyst price target of $143.54 suggests a potential downside of over 11% from current levels.
The stock shows high price volatility with a beta of 1.84, indicating greater sensitivity to market fluctuations.
Recent insider selling, including from senior management, could imply concerns about future prospects.

Applied Materials

AMAT

Pros

Applied Materials holds a large market capitalization of $186 billion and displays strong liquidity with daily trading volume around 9 million shares.
The company has a moderate P/E ratio of 28.72 and pays a dividend yield of approximately 0.7%, offering some income to investors.
Institutional interest is increasing ahead of key earnings reports, as evidenced by raised price targets and positive coverage from analysts.

Considerations

Applied Materials’ share price has shown more modest growth over the past year, with a 21% return compared to Lam Research’s 104%.
The stock recently traded near its 52-week high but remains vulnerable to profit-taking and market corrections.
Continued exposure to cyclical semiconductor industry risks and competition may pressure margins and growth potential.

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