
KLAC Scales in Advanced Packaging: Is Growth Set to Increase Further?
To meet growing complexity, KLAC is expanding its packaging portfolio to address tighter tolerances, process variability and accelerated production ramps. Foundry and memory customers are deepening adoption across high-density nodes, reinforcing momentum in performance-centric packaging flows.
The advanced packaging business is included in the Semiconductor Process Control segment, which reported $2.74 billion in revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2025, up 31% year over year. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.76%. Advanced packaging revenues are projected to surpass $850 million in 2025, driven by rising demand from both foundry and memory customers.
As AI-centric architectures scale, KLAC's tools are playing a central role in enabling next-generation packaging. With deep domain expertise and an expanding footprint, the company is well-positioned to capture share as advanced packaging becomes a key growth driver across the semiconductor industry.
KLA Faces Competitive Pressure
KLAC's inspection and metrology leadership in advanced packaging is facing growing competition from Applied Materials AMAT and ASML Holdings ASML, both of which are scaling their roles in enabling complex integration across logic and memory devices.
Applied Materials is advancing its position with deposition, etch, and bonding solutions tailored for high-density packaging. AMAT's investments in hybrid integration platforms and packaging-specific workflows support rising demand from AI-driven logic and HBM customers. These capabilities give Applied Materials an expanding footprint in advanced back-end processes.
ASML Holdings is gaining relevance through its EUV lithography systems, which are increasingly used in advanced patterning steps that support downstream packaging performance. As customers transition to tighter geometries and 3D structures, ASML Holding's tools play a critical role in enabling pattern fidelity and placement precision, indirectly supporting the adoption of advanced packaging across leading fabs.
KLAC's Share Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates
KLAC's shares have appreciated 46.2% year to date, while the broader Zacks Computer & Technology sector has increased 5.7% and the Zacks Electronics - Miscellaneous Products industry has jumped 12.9%.
KLAC Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
KLAC stock is trading at a premium, with a forward 12-month Price/Sales of 10.11X compared with the industry's 3.2X. KLAC has a Value Score of C.
KLAC Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings is pegged at $8.53 per share, up by a penny over the past 30 days, indicating 29.24% year-over-year growth.
The consensus mark for KLAC's 2025 earnings is pegged at $32.46 per share, which is up by a penny over the past 30 days. The figure indicates a 36.73% increase year over year.
KLAC currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in the coming year. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +112%, +171%, +209% and +232%.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
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