BN · rank #16 · 2026-09-04
KLAC
NASDAQ · $225.95B (USD)
The exact numbers the algorithm saw.
| Composite score Z-score blend of the factors below; drives the rank. | 0.33 |
|---|---|
| Forward revenue growth Consensus forward revenue growth. | +18.0% |
| Forward net margin Consensus forward net margin. | +37.0% |
| Net margin TTM Trailing twelve month net margin. | +35.6% |
| Margin expansion Forward minus trailing net margin (percentage points). | +1.4% |
| Forward PEG Forward P/E to growth. Below 1 is cheap for the growth. | 1.63 |
| Debt / FCF Net debt relative to free cash flow. Lower is safer. | 1.63× |
| Analyst upside Spread between the consensus 12m target and the current price. | +35.2% |
| Last EPS surprise Most recent reported EPS versus consensus. | +5% |
| Market cap (USD) | $225.95B |
The AI research card
Independent qualitative review of each pick before the order is placed. On the rare day the research service is unavailable, the paper book trades on the quant ranking alone and no card appears here.
Summary
KLA Corporation is the dominant provider of process control, wafer inspection, and metrology systems for semiconductor fabs, with growing exposure to advanced packaging and high-bandwidth memory tied directly to AI chip manufacturing.
Rationale
KLA's single-source bottleneck position in yield-critical inspection at leading-edge nodes and HBM packaging is structurally reinforced by record Q4 revenue, 62%+ gross margins, and recurring service revenue from an entrenched installed base — exactly the durable moat the bottleneck_solvers strategy requires.
Material risks
- 1Export control expansion targeting advanced semiconductor equipment into China could abruptly remove a meaningful revenue segment, as KLA's tools span nodes where geopolitical restrictions are actively tightening.
- 2Capex concentration risk — a spending pause or process-control internalization by a handful of leading-edge foundry or HBM customers (TSMC, Samsung, SK Hynix) would disproportionately compress orders given how demand is currently clustered.
AI verdict council
Each pick is reviewed independently by 3 models before any order. 3 of 3 voted to proceed.