ChartMill · Sep 19, 2026
KLA Corp (NASDAQ:KLAC): Affordable Growth Backed by Strong Profitability
KLA Corp passes Affordable Growth screen with steady double-digit growth, strong ROIC, and reasonable valuation despite high P/E for investors.
NYSE · KLAC
KLA Corporation
Technology · Semiconductors
$187.86
Down-$2.76 (-1.47%)
Updated Sep 24, 2026, 3:58 PM
SID Score
5.5/10
Composite research score
Smart Money
44/100
Neutral
- Market cap
- 163.8B
- P/E ratio
- 38.77
- Dividend yield
- 3.94%
- 52-week range
- $165.89 – $2,156.69
- Volume
- 8.86M
- Avg. volume
- 1.02M
Price performance
KLAC price history
1M range · 20 trading sessions · Daily adjusted prices
KLAC closed at $187.86 after 20 trading sessions, up 2.19% for the selected period.
- Last close
- $187.86
- Period change
- +2.19%
- Period low
- $167.36
- Period high
- $188.98
Daily close
View OHLC price history
| Date | Open | High | Low | Close | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Sep 4, 2026 | $177.90 | $187.36 | $173.46 | $185.60 | 12.73M |
| Sep 3, 2026 | $169.47 | $173.09 | $167.05 | $172.94 | 6.86M |
| Sep 2, 2026 | $171.76 | $172.95 | $167.56 | $172.26 | 6.47M |
| Sep 1, 2026 | $172.74 | $173.1965 | $168.07 | $170.89 | 10.48M |
| Aug 31, 2026 | $176.86 | $177.61 | $174.17 | $175.45 | 7.61M |
| Aug 28, 2026 | $182.04 | $182.60 | $174.70 | $175.54 | 9.97M |
| Aug 27, 2026 | $185.01 | $186.78 | $180.85 | $183.77 | 6.56M |
| Aug 26, 2026 | $183.41 | $184.26 | $179.70 | $183.83 | 5.96M |
Latest KLAC news
The latest Smart Investors Daily articles mentioning KLAC.
Stock researchCompany · Overview
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | UBS | Neutral | — |
| Jul 29, 2026 | Needham | Buy | — |
| Jul 29, 2026 | Jefferies | Buy | — |
| Jul 29, 2026 | Deutsche Bank | Hold | — |
| Jul 29, 2026 | Wells Fargo | Overweight | — |
News briefing
No generated briefing is available yet.
Yahoo · Sep 11, 2026
Why KLA (KLAC) Outpaced the Stock Market Today
In the latest trading session, KLA (KLAC) closed at $180.64, marking a +1.95% move from the previous day.
SeekingAlpha · Sep 11, 2026
KLA Corporation (KLAC) Presents at Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2026 Transcript
KLA Corporation (KLAC) Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2026 September 11, 2026 12:30 PM EDTCompany ParticipantsBren Higgins - Executive...
Yahoo · Sep 10, 2026
KLA (KLAC) Dips More Than Broader Market: What You Should Know
In the closing of the recent trading day, KLA (KLAC) stood at $177.18, denoting a -3.13% move from the preceding trading day.
AI research layers
Interpretive context generated from the platform’s current data sources.
KLA Corporation Stock Performance
KLA Corporation shares closed at $187.86, trading slightly below the 50-day moving average of $190.27, per SID market data. Over the past month, KLAC gained 3.46%, signaling short-term recovery momentum, though the stock remains down 21.88% over the trailing three months and has declined 84.64% over the past year. The 14-day relative strength index stands at 61.7, indicating the stock is approaching but has not yet reached overbought territory. KLAC carries a beta of 1.437, reflecting meaningfully higher volatility relative to the broader market, consistent with its semiconductor equipment sector exposure. Average daily trading volume registers at approximately 1.02 million shares, according to Massive/Polygon data. The stock currently trades well below its 200-day moving average of $1,075.23, underscoring a prolonged downtrend despite the recent monthly uptick. KLA's market capitalization stands at approximately $163.8 billion.
KLA Corporation Valuation Analysis
KLA Corporation trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.77, which represents a premium valuation relative to the broader Technology sector, per SID market data. The PEG ratio stands at 8.11, suggesting the stock's earnings growth rate does not proportionally justify its current P/E multiple based on standard growth-adjusted metrics. The price-to-book ratio registers at 32.95, reflecting a significant premium to book value, which is characteristic of asset-light semiconductor equipment companies with high intellectual property value, according to SEC filings. KLA offers a dividend yield of approximately 0.59%, providing a modest income component for shareholders. The company's $163.8 billion market capitalization places it among the larger players in the semiconductor equipment space. These valuation metrics collectively indicate that KLAC is priced at elevated multiples across key fundamental measures, with the high PEG ratio in particular warranting attention from value-oriented investors assessing risk-reward dynamics.
Smart Money Activity for KLAC
KLA Corporation registers a composite smart money score of 38 out of 100, generating a bearish signal, per SID market data. The institutional component scores a perfect 25 out of 25, indicating strong sustained interest from large fund managers as reflected in 13F institutional filings. However, the insider trading component scores just 4.0 out of 25, with SEC Form 4 filings revealing 20 insider transactions over the past 90 days, of which 17 were sales compared to only 3 purchases. This pronounced sell-to-buy ratio of roughly 5.7-to-1 suggests corporate insiders have been actively reducing their exposure to KLAC shares. The dark pool activity score stands at 8.5 out of 25, reflecting moderate but below-average off-exchange institutional positioning. Congressional trading activity scores a minimal 0.8 out of 25, indicating negligible disclosed trading by members of Congress. The divergence between strong institutional ownership and persistent insider selling creates a notably mixed smart money profile for KLA Corporation.
KLA Corporation Earnings Outlook
KLA Corporation delivered a positive earnings surprise in its most recently reported quarter, posting actual earnings of $9.40 per share against a consensus estimate of $9.15, representing a beat of $0.25, or approximately 2.7%, according to company earnings reports. In the prior reported quarter, KLAC also exceeded expectations with earnings of $1.05 per share versus the $1.00 estimate, a $0.05 positive surprise. Looking ahead, analysts project earnings of $8.97 per share for the quarter reporting on January 30, 2026, and $1.00 per share for the quarter with results expected on July 30, 2026, per analyst estimates. The upcoming April 29, 2026, report date carries a consensus estimate of $9.15 per share. KLA's consecutive earnings beats demonstrate consistent operational execution, with management delivering results above Wall Street expectations across multiple quarters in the semiconductor equipment cycle.
Wall Street Analyst Ratings for KLAC
Wall Street analyst coverage of KLA Corporation reflects a moderately constructive but divided consensus, according to SID consensus data. The most recent rating action came from UBS on September 1, 2026, maintaining a Neutral stance on the stock. On July 29, 2026, four firms simultaneously issued updated ratings following the earnings report: Needham reiterated a Buy rating, Jefferies maintained its Buy recommendation, Wells Fargo sustained an Overweight position, and Deutsche Bank held its Hold rating, per Wall Street analyst reports. The distribution shows three of the five most recent ratings skewing bullish with Buy or Overweight designations, while two firms maintain neutral positions. No analyst among the recent coverage has issued a Sell or Underweight recommendation. The clustering of reiterations rather than upgrades or downgrades suggests analysts view current fundamentals as largely priced in, with the consensus reflecting confidence in KLA's market position within the semiconductor inspection and metrology equipment segment.
