Understanding KLA's Position In Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment Industry Compared To Competitors

Benzinga - by Benzinga Insights, Benzinga Staff Writer.

In today's rapidly changing and fiercely competitive business landscape, it is essential for investors and industry enthusiasts to thoroughly analyze companies. In this article, we will conduct a comprehensive industry comparison, evaluating KLA (NASDAQ:KLAC) against its key competitors in the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry. By examining key financial metrics, market position, and growth prospects, we aim to provide valuable insights for investors and shed light on company's performance within the industry.

KLA Background KLA designs and manufactures yield-management and process-monitoring diagnostic and control, or PDC, systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The systems are used to analyze the manufacturing process at various steps in a semiconductor's development. The firm's laser-scanning products are used for wafer qualification, process monitoring, and equipment monitoring. KLA also provides inspection tools and systems for optical metrology and e-beam metrology.

CompanyP/EP/BP/SROEEBITDA (in billions)Gross Profit (in billions)Revenue Growth

KLA Corp	19.26	21.71	6.21	24.44%	$0.95	$1.39	-5.29%
ASML Holding NV	29.66	20.62	8.51	19.04%	$2.44	$3.54	27.1%
Applied Materials Inc	17.73	7.45	4.30	10.68%	$2.0	$2.98	-1.46%
Lam Research Corp	18.12	9.69	4.69	9.66%	$1.0	$1.46	-30.81%
Enphase Energy Inc	29.19	16.25	6.03	16.18%	$0.2	$0.32	34.12%
Teradyne Inc	27.44	5.87	5.38	4.92%	$0.17	$0.4	-18.59%
Entegris Inc	170.13	4.11	3.67	6.06%	$0.36	$0.38	30.11%
SolarEdge Technologies Inc	22.05	2.56	1.84	4.91%	$0.16	$0.32	36.21%
Onto Innovation Inc	34.53	3.59	6.67	1.58%	$0.04	$0.1	-25.61%
Amkor Technology Inc	9.60	1.49	0.80	1.73%	$0.25	$0.19	-3.12%
Axcelis Technologies Inc	23.50	6.44	4.75	8.52%	$0.07	$0.12	23.87%
Kulicke & Soffa Industries Inc	25.46	2.13	3.09	0.35%	$0.01	$0.09	-48.7%
Cohu Inc	22.23	1.68	2.17	1.12%	$0.03	$0.08	-22.24%
Veeco Instruments Inc	32.29	2.38	2.49	-14.24%	$-0.07	$0.07	-1.44%
Photronics Inc	10.16	1.26	1.37	2.85%	$0.08	$0.09	1.94%
Ultra Clean Holdings Inc	47.68	1.33	0.56	-1.09%	$0.03	$0.07	-30.75%
PDF Solutions Inc	127.91	5	6.89	3.12%	$0.0	$0.03	20.0%
ACM Research Inc	17.31	1.52	2.46	3.88%	$0.04	$0.07	38.49%
Aehr Test Systems	49.52	11.39	12.45	6.0%	$0.0	$0.01	-7.39%
Ichor Holdings Ltd	34.13	1.35	0.72	-3.53%	$0.01	$0.03	-43.86%
Amtech Systems Inc	31.24	1.12	0.93	-1.03%	$0.0	$0.01	53.98%
Average	38.99	5.36	3.99	4.04%	$0.34	$0.52	1.59%

table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; }

th, td { padding: 8px; text-align: left; }

th { background-color: #293a5a; color: #fff; text-align: left; }

tr:nth-child(even) { background-color: #f2f4f8; }

tr:hover { background-color: #e1e4ea; }

td:nth-child(3), td:nth-child(5) { text-align: left; }

.dividend-amount { font-weight: bold; color: #0d6efd; }

.dividend-frequency { font-size: 12px; color: #6c757d; } After a detailed analysis of KLA, the following trends become apparent:

• The Price to Earnings ratio of 19.26 is 0.49x lower than the industry average, indicating potential undervaluation for the stock.

• It could be trading at a premium in relation to its book value, as indicated by its Price to Book ratio of 21.71 which exceeds the industry average by 4.05x.

• The stock's relatively high Price to Sales ratio of 6.21, surpassing the industry average by 1.56x, may indicate an aspect of overvaluation in terms of sales performance.

• With a Return on Equity (ROE) of 24.44% that is 20.4% above the industry average, it appears that the company exhibits efficient use of equity to generate profits.

• Compared to its industry, the company has higher Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) of $950 Million, which is 2.79x above the industry average, indicating stronger profitability and robust cash flow generation.

• The gross profit of $1.39 Billion is 2.67x above that of its industry, highlighting stronger profitability and higher earnings from its core operations.

• The company's revenue growth of -5.29% is significantly below the industry average of 1.59%. This suggests a potential struggle in generating increased sales volume.

Debt To Equity Ratio

The debt-to-equity (D/E) ratio is an important measure to assess the financial structure and risk profile of a company.

Considering the debt-to-equity ratio in industry comparisons allows for a concise evaluation of a company's financial health and risk profile, aiding in informed decision-making.

In terms of the Debt-to-Equity ratio, KLA can be assessed by comparing it to its top 4 peers, resulting in the following observations:

• Compared to its top 4 peers, KLA has a higher debt-to-equity ratio of 2.08, indicating a higher level of debt financing.

• This higher debt proportion can expose the company to increased financial risk and potential challenges.

Key Takeaways The valuation analysis for KLA in the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry indicates that its PE ratio is low compared to its peers, suggesting that the stock may be undervalued. However, the PB and PS ratios are high, indicating that the stock may be overvalued based on these metrics. On the other hand, KLA has a high ROE, EBITDA, gross profit, and revenue growth compared to its peers, suggesting strong financial performance. Overall, KLA's valuation analysis suggests a mixed picture, with potential undervaluation based on the PE ratio but potential overvaluation based on the PB and PS ratios.

This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

© 2023 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Read the original article on Benzinga