Lam Research Appoints New COO and Senior VP
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 4d ago
0mins
Should l Buy LRCX?
Lam Research announced it is elevating the roles of two proven leaders as the company enters its next phase of growth. Effective March 6, Sesha Varadarajan will transition to the role of COO. The company further announced that Karthik Rammohan will assume an expanded role as Senior Vice President, Global Operations and Enterprise Solutions. Both will play an integral role in Lam's objectives to deliver even greater value to customers and drive Lam's future outperformance by bringing the operational velocity essential for an accelerating semiconductor demand environment.
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Analyst Views on LRCX
Wall Street analysts forecast LRCX stock price to fall over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for LRCX is 192.50 USD with a low forecast of 142.00 USD and a high forecast of 265.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
22 Analyst Rating
18 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 213.310
Low
142.00
Averages
192.50
High
265.00
Current: 213.310
Low
142.00
Averages
192.50
High
265.00
About LRCX
Lam Research Corporation is a global supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. The Company designs, manufactures, markets, refurbishes, and services semiconductor processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. Its products and services are designed to help its customers build devices that are used in a variety of electronic products, including mobile phones, personal computers, servers, wearables, automotive vehicles, and data storage devices. Its product families include ALTUS, SABRE, SPEED, Striker, VECTOR, Flex, Vantex, Kiyo, Versys Metal, Syndion, Coronus, and DV-Prime, Da Vinci, EOS, and SP Series. Its customer base includes semiconductor memory, foundries, and integrated device manufacturers that make products such as non-volatile memory, dynamic random-access memory, and logic devices. It offers services in areas, such as nanoscale applications enablement, chemistry, plasma and fluidics, and others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Significant Revenue Growth: Lam Research reported a 22% year-over-year revenue increase in Q2 of fiscal 2026, reaching $5.34 billion, primarily driven by surging demand for memory chips, showcasing the company's robust performance in the semiconductor sector.
- Enhanced Profitability: The company's non-GAAP adjusted earnings rose nearly 40% year-over-year to $1.27 per share, reflecting its competitive advantage and sustained profitability in the memory manufacturing equipment market.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: Lam Research anticipates a 21% year-over-year revenue increase and a 30% jump in adjusted earnings for the current quarter, indicating substantial growth potential amid ongoing memory shortages.
- Increased Equipment Spending: The company expects wafer fabrication equipment spending to hit $135 billion in 2026, up 23% from last year, which will further drive its business growth and may exceed market expectations.
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- Super Micro Computer Surge: Super Micro Computer's stock rose more than 13% after forecasting Q3 net sales of at least $12.3 billion, significantly above the consensus estimate of $10.25 billion, indicating strong growth potential in a competitive market.
- Mixed Economic Data: The January ADP employment change rose by 22,000, falling short of the expected 45,000, while the ISM services index remained unchanged at 53.8, exceeding expectations, reflecting the complexities of economic recovery that may influence future monetary policy.
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See More
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- Earnings Impact: Super Micro Computer forecasts Q3 net sales significantly above expectations, leading to a stock price increase of over 13%, while Advanced Micro Devices saw its stock drop more than 15% due to weak Q1 sales forecasts, reflecting a cautious market outlook on tech stocks.
- Mixed Economic Data: The January ADP employment change rose by 22,000, below the expected 45,000, while the ISM services index remained steady at 53.8, stronger than the anticipated decline to 53.5, highlighting the complexities of economic recovery that could influence future monetary policy.
- Mortgage Applications Decline: MBA mortgage applications fell by 8.9% for the week ending January 30, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down 14.4%, indicating weakened housing demand that may negatively impact the real estate market.
See More
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- Manufacturing Competition: TSMC, the dominant third-party chip manufacturer, is encountering competition from a resurgent Intel, which has invested billions in its foundry business, while TSMC's capacity constraints add uncertainty to the market.
- ETF Investment Advantages: The VanEck Semiconductor ETF has performed excellently since its inception in 2011, particularly during the AI boom, with holdings like Nvidia and Micron reporting a 62% revenue growth, indicating strong long-term return potential for the fund.
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