Intel Corporation (INTC)
Intel is a historic leader in microprocessors that is investing heavily to rebuild its manufacturing edge and build a foundry business for outside customers. Its US fabs make it a focal point of domestic chip policy.
Information Technology stock comparison
INTC vs KLAC: which business are you actually underwriting?
Compare Intel Corporation with KLA Corporation using their business models, SEC classifications, fiscal calendars, current primary filings, and the research questions that matter. This is a thesis framework—not a price target or automatic winner.
- Sector
- Information
- Industry
- Different SIC
- Shared themes
- 2
- Updated
- 2026-08-06
INTC vs KLAC: quick comparison
| Company fact | INTC | KLAC |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Intel Corporation | KLA Corporation |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara, California | — |
| Founded | 1968 | — |
| SEC industry | Semiconductors & Related Devices | Optical Instruments & Lenses |
| Fiscal year-end | December 27 | June 30 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-01-23 | 10-K · 2026-08-06 |
INTC vs KLAC: audited financials
INTC reported about 4.3× the revenue of KLAC in the latest audited fiscal year. On profitability, KLAC converted a larger share of revenue into net income (33.4% versus -0.5%). Scale and margin are starting facts for the thesis, not the verdict.
| Metric | INTC | KLAC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $52.9B | $12.2B |
| Net income | −$267M | $4.1B |
| Operating cash flow | $9.7B | $4.1B |
| Diluted EPS | −$0.06 | $3.04 |
| Net margin | -0.5% | 33.4% |
INTC: FY ending 2025-12-27 · KLAC: FY ending 2025-06-30. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
How the businesses differ
Why this pair belongs in the comparison set
INTC and KLAC have different SEC industry classifications, but both map to the maintained Artificial intelligence and Tariffs & trade research themes inside the Information Technology sector. A shared classification or theme makes the pair useful for a defined research question; it does not mean the companies have identical products, economics, or risks.
KLA Corporation (KLAC)
KLA makes the process-control and inspection systems chipmakers rely on to detect defects during semiconductor manufacturing.
The useful starting point is not which ticker has performed better. It is whether the two companies convert the same economic forces into revenue and cash flow in the same way. INTC is classified by the SEC as Semiconductors & Related Devices, while KLAC is classified as Optical Instruments & Lenses. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.
Members-only research
We've published in-depth research on INTC
INTC · Jan 23, 2026
Intel’s manufacturing option needs a cash-flow bridgeA January 23, 2026 examination of Intel’s recovery conditions, followed by a separate audit of the later catalysts that could not have been predicted.
Sep 22, 2026
Meta jumped 11%. What must happen next to justify the price?A member research report on Meta’s AI rally: Muse, subscription economics, the cash-flow burden, legal costs and the earnings assumptions behind the new price.
The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $15 a month.
Read the full researchWhich thesis does each company fit?
Use the distinction below to decide which filing deserves deeper work. It is a research routing rule, not a recommendation or prediction.
Study INTC when…
- Intel 18A yield and volume ramp for client and server CPUs
- External foundry customer wins needed to justify Intel 14A
- Client and data-center CPU volume, pricing, and share versus AMD and Arm-based rivals
- Capital spending, fab construction pace, and government and strategic equity funding
Study KLAC when…
- The AI capital-expenditure cycle
- Interest rates and the cost of long-duration growth
- Enterprise IT budgets and cloud migration
- Export controls and the US–China chip race
Shared research themes
Artificial intelligenceTariffs & trade
SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable.INTC's fiscal year ends December 27, while KLAC's ends June 30. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 45matched transaction rows for INTCand 10 for KLAC. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
INTC primary filings
KLAC primary filings
What this comparison cannot tell you
This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.
A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.
INTC vs KLAC FAQs
Are INTC and KLAC direct competitors?
Intel Corporation and KLA Corporation sit in the same Information Technology sector but have different SEC industry classifications. The comparison is most useful for portfolio role and sector exposure, not as a claim that every product competes directly.
Which is better, INTC or KLAC?
There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.
Does this INTC vs KLAC comparison include live prices?
No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Intel Corporation and KLA Corporation tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.
Where does the company information come from?
Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-09-25. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-25. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
A comparison is the setup. The thesis is the call.
INTC vs KLAC shows how the businesses differ. Membership is the monthly sourced view of who could benefit, what could break, and what evidence matters next. $15/month or $150/year.
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