Yahoo · Oct 1, 2026
KLA (KLAC) Surpasses Market Returns: Some Facts Worth Knowing
In the most recent trading session, KLA (KLAC) closed at $200.31, indicating a +2.76% shift from the previous trading day.
NYSE · KLAC
KLA Corporation
Technology · Semiconductors
$197.46
Down-$0.63 (-0.32%)
Updated Oct 7, 2026, 10:11 PM
SID Score
6.1/10
Composite research score
Smart Money
49/100
Neutral
- Market cap
- 163.8B
- P/E ratio
- 38.77
- Dividend yield
- 3.75%
- 52-week range
- $165.89 – $2,156.69
- Volume
- 9.61M
- Avg. volume
- 1.02M
Price performance · KLAC
KLAC price history
1M range · 21 trading sessions · Daily adjusted prices
Prices through Oct 6, 2026
KLAC closed at $197.46 after 21 trading sessions, up 4.49% for the selected period.
- Last close
- $197.46
- Period change
- +4.49%
- Period low
- $167.36
- Period high
- $206.89
Daily close
View OHLC price history
| Date | Open | High | Low | Close | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 6, 2026 | $207.335 | $207.66 | $196.83 | $197.46 | 9.61M |
| Oct 5, 2026 | $205.29 | $206.87 | $199.6057 | $206.85 | 7.99M |
| Oct 2, 2026 | $207.81 | $208.68 | $204.06 | $206.89 | 7.36M |
| Oct 1, 2026 | $196.69 | $201.98 | $194.90 | $200.33 | 8.7M |
| Sep 30, 2026 | $196.01 | $197.60 | $193.95 | $194.93 | 6.86M |
| Sep 29, 2026 | $194.94 | $197.47 | $192.57 | $196.53 | 7.78M |
| Sep 28, 2026 | $186.71 | $190.70 | $182.70 | $189.17 | 8.71M |
| Sep 25, 2026 | $187.33 | $189.56 | $186.015 | $187.92 | 7.15M |
| Sep 24, 2026 | $185.81 | $187.96 | $182.40 | $187.11 | 7.8M |
| Sep 23, 2026 | $186.25 | $188.00 | $181.73 | $187.86 | 8.86M |
| Sep 22, 2026 | $180.71 | $188.60 | $179.70 | $188.32 | 9.31M |
| Sep 21, 2026 | $179.30 | $185.94 | $178.31 | $183.97 | 9.65M |
| Sep 18, 2026 | $170.50 | $177.14 | $169.72 | $176.99 | 20.07M |
| Sep 17, 2026 | $172.995 | $173.79 | $167.26 | $168.98 | 9.9M |
| Sep 16, 2026 | $171.52 | $171.72 | $165.892 | $167.36 | 6.71M |
| Sep 15, 2026 | $172.00 | $172.07 | $165.93 | $168.02 | 7.91M |
| Sep 14, 2026 | $168.08 | $173.029 | $167.57 | $169.09 | 12.06M |
| Sep 11, 2026 | $181.71 | $182.41 | $177.01 | $180.64 | 7.49M |
| Sep 10, 2026 | $176.67 | $180.64 | $174.18 | $177.18 | 10.64M |
| Sep 9, 2026 | $187.56 | $189.91 | $179.55 | $182.91 | 9.11M |
| Sep 8, 2026 | $190.15 | $190.87 | $185.84 | $188.98 | 12.4M |
Latest KLAC news
The latest Smart Investors Daily articles mentioning KLAC.
Stock researchCompany · Overview
Company
Market Activity
Research & News
KLAC research
Overview
Company profile and research snapshot.
Company profile
KLA is one of the largest semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment, or WFE, manufacturers in the world. It specializes in the market segment of semiconductor process control, wherein machines inspect semiconductor wafers during research and development and manufacturing for defects and verify precise measurements. In this section of the market, KLA holds a majority share. It also has a small exposure to the etch and deposition segments of the WFE market. It counts as top customers the largest chipmakers in the world, including TSMC and Samsung.
Visit company websiteAnalyst outlook
Consensus and target data currently published for this company.
- Consensus
- Buy
- Average target
- $1,294.86
- Implied upside
- —
- Analysts
- 19
| Date | Firm | Rating | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 6, 2026 | Morgan Stanley | Overweight | — |
| Sep 1, 2026 | UBS | Neutral | — |
| Jul 29, 2026 | Needham | Buy | — |
| Jul 29, 2026 | Jefferies | Buy | — |
| Jul 29, 2026 | Deutsche Bank | Hold | — |
News briefing
No generated briefing is available yet.
SeekingAlpha · Sep 30, 2026
KLA Corporation: Fundamentals Are Strong, But The Stock Needs More
KLA Corporation remains a process control leader, benefiting from rising semiconductor complexity and AI-driven demand. Learn more about KLAC stock here.
SeekingAlpha · Sep 30, 2026
KLA Corporation: Strong AI Exposure, But Limited Margin Of Safety
KLA Corporation occupies a pivotal role in semiconductor process control as chip complexity accelerates. Read why KLAC stock is a Hold.
ChartMill · Sep 25, 2026
KLA (NASDAQ:KLAC) Pairs Strong Growth Fundamentals With a Constructive Technical Setup
KLA combines strong fundamentals with a tight technical setup, as earnings growth and high returns meet a constructive base near key levels.
AI research layers
Interpretive context generated from the platform’s current data sources.
KLA Corporation Stock Performance
KLA Corporation shares have exhibited divergent performance across timeframes, trading at $197.46 per SID market data. Over the past month, KLAC has gained 19.61%, reflecting strong short-term momentum that has pushed the stock well above its 50-day moving average of $187.15. However, the three-month return stands at negative 4.44%, and the trailing twelve-month return shows a significant decline of 83.66%, indicating sustained longer-term weakness. The 14-day relative strength index registers at 92.3, placing the stock firmly in overbought territory and suggesting the recent rally may face technical resistance. KLAC currently trades dramatically below its 200-day moving average of $1,018.95, per Massive/Polygon data. The stock carries a beta of 1.437, confirming elevated volatility relative to the broader market. Average daily trading volume stands at approximately 1.02 million shares, supporting the current market capitalization of roughly $163.8 billion.
KLA Corporation Valuation Analysis
KLA Corporation's valuation metrics reflect premium pricing relative to earnings and book value, according to SID market data. The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.77, elevated compared to broader technology sector averages, while the PEG ratio of 8.11 suggests the current earnings multiple significantly outpaces projected growth rates. The price-to-book ratio stands at 32.95, indicating that investors are paying a substantial premium over the company's net asset value per SEC filings. KLA currently offers a dividend yield of approximately 0.59%, providing modest income for shareholders in the semiconductor equipment space. The company's $163.8 billion market capitalization positions it among the larger players in the technology sector. Taken together, these valuation figures indicate that the market is pricing in considerable future earnings expansion, with the elevated PEG ratio highlighting that current multiples substantially exceed the company's near-term growth trajectory.
Smart Money Activity for KLAC
Smart money indicators for KLA Corporation present a mixed picture, with the composite smart money score registering at 49 out of 100, signaling a neutral overall stance according to SID market data. Institutional ownership conviction scores a perfect 25 out of 25, reflecting strong interest from major fund managers and asset allocators. In contrast, insider activity scores 0.0 out of 25, driven by a pronounced sell skew; per SEC Form 4 filings, there have been 20 insider transactions over the past 90 days, comprising just 2 purchases against 18 sales. This selling pattern suggests corporate insiders have been actively reducing personal exposure to KLAC shares during the recent price recovery. Congressional trading activity scores 15.6 out of 25, indicating moderate legislative interest, while dark pool activity registers at 8.5 out of 25, per 13F institutional filings. The stark divergence between institutional confidence and insider selling activity warrants close monitoring as these signals often carry predictive significance for future price direction.
KLA Corporation Earnings Outlook
KLA Corporation has delivered consecutive earnings beats in its most recent reported quarters, per company earnings reports. In the quarter ending April 2026, KLA posted earnings of $9.40 per share against analyst estimates of $9.15, representing a positive surprise of $0.25 or approximately 2.7%. The following quarter reported in July 2026 showed earnings of $1.05 per share versus the $1.00 consensus estimate, a $0.05 beat. Looking ahead, analysts project earnings of $1.00 per share for the quarter reporting on July 30, 2026, and $1.18 per share for the quarter reporting on October 28, 2026, according to consensus analyst estimates. The sequential increase in forward estimates from $1.00 to $1.18 suggests analysts anticipate improving quarterly performance. KLA's consistent ability to exceed consensus expectations positions the company favorably heading into upcoming reporting periods, though the magnitude of recent beats has been relatively modest.
Wall Street Analyst Ratings for KLAC
Wall Street coverage of KLA Corporation reflects a moderately constructive consensus, with the most recent analyst actions maintaining existing ratings rather than initiating directional changes, per SID consensus data. Morgan Stanley reiterated its Overweight rating on October 6, 2026, representing the most bullish recent stance among covering firms. UBS maintained a Neutral rating as of September 1, 2026, reflecting a more cautious posture. Following the July 2026 earnings report, both Needham and Jefferies reiterated Buy ratings on July 29, while Deutsche Bank maintained its Hold recommendation on the same date, according to Wall Street analyst reports. Notably, no analyst has issued a downgrade in the recent coverage period, and three of the five most recent ratings carry bullish designations of Buy or Overweight. The absence of any Sell ratings among recent coverage suggests broad consensus that downside risks remain limited at current levels, though the Hold ratings from UBS and Deutsche Bank indicate not all analysts see near-term upside catalysts.
