Lam Research

LRCX

Market cap $201B

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Lam Research is rated a Buy with a revised price target of $178, reflecting a 14% upside and market outperformance. LRCX delivered strong FQ1 2026 results: 28% revenue growth, 47% EPS growth, and record gross/operating margins, driven by AI-powered demand. The company benefits from robust AI-related tailwinds, global diversification, heavy R&D investment, and a low-leverage capital structure supporting future growth.

Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) Presents at UBS Global Technology and AI Conference 2025 Transcript

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The iPhone maker leads the way for the sector in terms of dollars spent on stock buybacks. But other tech companies have reduced their share counts significantly, as well.

Alphabet shares rose 38% during the quarter. This represents a striking $810 billion increase in market value. Samsung shares rose 36% in the quarter, adding over $100 billion of market value. Samsung shares are finally starting to benefit from AI enthusiasm. Elevance's share price declined by 16%, making it our largest negative contributor.

Lam Research delivered record revenues and strong margins in the September quarter, demonstrating robust business momentum and effective strategy execution. LRCX's increased reliance on China presents some geopolitical risk, but recent improvements in U.S.-China relations mitigate immediate concerns. Despite a slightly softer December quarter outlook and less attractive valuation, fundamentals remain solid with continued demand and operational efficiency.

LRCX's 109% YTD surge, strong financials and AI-driven chip demand momentum position the stock firmly in buy territory.

Lam Research (LRCX)'s stock almost doubled this year, driven by strong growth in semiconductor equipment demand tied to AI chip production, and advanced semiconductor technologies.

In the Core Value category, our biggest detractors were Baxter International (BAX) and Philip Morris International (PM). Another decliner was Kerry (KRYAY), the largest food and beverage ingredients company globally, which we classify as a Dividend Growth name. On the positive side, top performers included Polaris (PII), nVent Electric (NVT) and Lam Research (LRCX).