Yield Theory

Information Technology stock comparison

INTC vs LRCX: which business are you actually underwriting?

Compare Intel Corporation with Lam Research 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
3
Updated
2026-08-07

INTC vs LRCX: quick comparison

Company factINTCLRCX
CompanyIntel CorporationLam Research Corporation
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
HeadquartersSanta Clara, CaliforniaNot recorded
Founded1968Not recorded
SEC industrySemiconductors & Related DevicesSpecial Industry Machinery, NEC
Fiscal year-endDecember 27June 28
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-01-2310-K · 2026-08-07

How the businesses differ

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.

Lam Research Corporation (LRCX)

Lam Research supplies wafer-fabrication equipment specializing in etch and deposition steps for advanced memory and logic chips.

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 LRCX is classified as Special Industry Machinery, NEC. The different industry codes are a warning against treating sector membership as proof of identical economics.

Which 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…

  • 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

Study LRCX 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 intelligenceUS marketsTariffs & 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 LRCX's ends June 28. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House Clerk snapshot contains 1matched transaction row for INTCand 0 for LRCX. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

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 LRCX FAQs

Are INTC and LRCX direct competitors?

Intel Corporation and Lam Research 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 LRCX?

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 LRCX comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices, then use the primary filings here to test the business thesis.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-08-10. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-08-10. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Go beyond INTC vs LRCX.

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