KLA Corporation $KLAC Stake Lessened by Boston Trust Walden Corp

Key Points

• Boston Trust Walden cut its KLA stake by 21.4% in the third quarter, selling 79,121 shares and ending the period with 291,019 shares valued at about $56.7 million.
• Institutional investors showed mixed activity: several large firms increased or initiated holdings, and institutions collectively owned 86.65% of KLA shares.
• KLA beat quarterly earnings and revenue expectations, with revenue up 28.9% year over year. The company cited accelerating AI-driven chip demand and expects the semiconductor equipment market to exceed $200 billion in 2027.

Boston Trust Walden Corp cut its stake in shares of KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC - Free Report) by 21.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 291,019 shares of the semiconductor company's stock after selling 79,121 shares during the quarter. Boston Trust Walden Corp's holdings in KLA were worth $56,728,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its holdings in KLA by 928.9% in the second quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 14,821,622 shares of the semiconductor company's stock valued at $4,471,832,000 after acquiring an additional 13,381,153 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp purchased a new position in KLA in the second quarter worth approximately $2,522,430,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. grew its holdings in KLA by 239.3% during the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 5,614,990 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $1,094,530,000 after acquiring an additional 3,959,927 shares in the last quarter. National Pension Service grew its holdings in KLA by 899.4% during the 2nd quarter. National Pension Service now owns 3,634,859 shares of the semiconductor company's stock worth $1,096,673,000 after acquiring an additional 3,271,158 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of KLA in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $377,898,000. 86.65% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting KLA

Here are the key news stories impacting KLA this week:

• Positive Sentiment: KLA said AI-driven chip demand is accelerating and expects the semiconductor equipment market to exceed $200 billion in 2027, with advanced packaging and memory supporting growth. KLAC Q1 Earnings Call Highlights AI Demand and 2027 Growth Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Recent coverage said KLA beat first-quarter earnings expectations and raised guidance, citing AI demand and growth in its advanced-packaging business. What Is Going On With KLA Stock on Tuesday?
• Neutral Sentiment: Sell-side analysts collectively rate KLAC “Moderate Buy,” indicating a generally favorable view, though the rating alone does not explain the latest trading. KLA Corporation Stock Rated Moderate Buy by Sell-Side Analysts
• Negative Sentiment: Investors bought 47,908 put options on Wednesday—167% above typical daily volume. This may reflect increased hedging or bearish speculation and could weigh on sentiment, but options activity does not establish the reason for the move.

KLA Stock Performance

Shares of KLA stock opened at $149.79 on Thursday. The firm has a market capitalization of $195.17 billion, a P/E ratio of 37.45, a P/E/G ratio of 1.28 and a beta of 1.49. KLA Corporation has a 52 week low of $107.20 and a 52 week high of $307.37. The company has a quick ratio of 1.86, a current ratio of 2.76 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.88. The firm's 50 day moving average is $176.82 and its two-hundred day moving average is $181.86.

KLA (NASDAQ:KLAC - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 28th. The semiconductor company reported $1.22 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $1.18 by $0.04. KLA had a net margin of 36.25% and a return on equity of 89.30%. The company had revenue of $4.14 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $4.04 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $8.47 earnings per share. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 28.9% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that KLA Corporation will post 5.73 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at KLA

In related news, CEO Richard Wallace sold 72,019 shares of KLA stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $171.88, for a total transaction of $12,378,625.72. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 706,925 shares in the company, valued at $121,506,269. This trade represents a 9.25% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, EVP Brian Lorig sold 59,586 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $208.13, for a total transaction of $12,401,634.18. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president directly owned 77,681 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $16,167,746.53. This trade represents a 43.41% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold a total of 219,173 shares of company stock worth $42,201,914 over the last quarter. 79.39% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

KLAC has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. Citigroup reduced their price objective on shares of KLA from $290.00 to $275.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 29th. Barclays reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $225.00 target price on shares of KLA in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Wells Fargo & Company dropped their target price on KLA from $245.00 to $210.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, October 29th. BMO Capital Markets set a $133.00 price target on KLA in a research note on Thursday, October 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $210.00 price target (up from $200.00) on shares of KLA in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nineteen have given a Buy rating and nine have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $220.35.

KLA Company Profile

KLA Corporation NASDAQ: KLAC develops process control, inspection and yield management solutions for the semiconductor and other advanced manufacturing industries. Its technologies help manufacturers identify defects, measure critical dimensions and monitor production processes to improve quality, reliability and manufacturing efficiency.

The company's product portfolio includes wafer and reticle inspection systems, metrology and measurement tools, defect review and classification systems, and software for analyzing manufacturing data.

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