KLA Corporation (KLAC)
KLA makes the process-control and inspection systems chipmakers rely on to detect defects during semiconductor manufacturing.
Information Technology stock comparison
KLAC vs MU: which business are you actually underwriting?
Micron Technology (MU) is the larger business by reported revenue: $37.4B in its fiscal year ended Aug 2025, about 3.1× KLAC's $12.2B (fiscal year ended Jun 2025). KLAC's net margin was 33.4% and MU's 22.8%. The SEC classifies them differently (Optical Instruments & Lenses; Semiconductors & Related Devices); what connects them is shared exposure to the Tariffs & trade and Artificial intelligence research themes, not a common industry.
Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.
- Sector
- Information Technology
- SEC industry
- Different
- Separate classifications
- Fiscal year ends
- Different
- KLAC June 30 · MU September 3
- Reviewed
- Aug 6, 2026
KLAC vs MU: quick comparison
| Company fact | KLAC | MU |
|---|---|---|
| Company | KLA Corporation | Micron Technology, Inc. |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| Headquarters | — | Boise, Idaho |
| Founded | — | 1978 |
| SEC industry | Optical Instruments & Lenses | Semiconductors & Related Devices |
| Fiscal year-end | June 30 | September 3 |
| Latest annual filing | 10-K · 2026-08-06 | 10-K · 2025-10-03 |
KLAC vs MU: audited financials
- Scale: MU's $37.4B of revenue is about 3.1× KLAC's $12.2B.
- Net margin: KLAC kept 33.4% of revenue as net income versus 22.8% at MU.
- Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled KLAC 33.6% of revenue, or 1.00× net income; MU 46.9% of revenue, or 2.05× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
- Periods: the fiscal years end about 2 months apart (2025-06-30 for KLAC, 2025-08-28 for MU), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.
| Metric | KLAC | MU |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $12.2B2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30 · SEC filing | $37.4B2024-08-30 to 2025-08-28 · SEC filing |
| Net income | $4.1B2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30 · SEC filing | $8.5B2024-08-30 to 2025-08-28 · SEC filing |
| Operating cash flow | $4.1B2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30 · SEC filing | $17.5B2024-08-30 to 2025-08-28 · SEC filing |
| Diluted EPS | $3.042024-07-01 to 2025-06-30 · SEC filing | $7.592024-08-30 to 2025-08-28 · SEC filing |
| Net margin | 33.4%2024-07-01 to 2025-06-30 · SEC filing | 22.8%2024-08-30 to 2025-08-28 · SEC filing |
KLAC: FY ending 2025-06-30 · MU: FY ending 2025-08-28. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.
Where KLAC and MU overlap, and where they don't
Overlap
- Shared research themes: Tariffs & trade and Artificial intelligence.
Differences
- Different SEC industries: KLAC files as Optical Instruments & Lenses; MU as Semiconductors & Related Devices.
- Offset fiscal calendars: KLAC's year ends June 30 and MU's September 3, about 2 months apart.
- Scale: MU reported about 3.1× the annual revenue of KLAC.
- Profitability: net margin of 33.4% for KLAC versus 22.8% for MU.
Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.
Micron Technology, Inc. (MU)
Micron is one of the few global producers of DRAM and NAND memory, components essential to computers, phones, and AI servers. Demand for high-bandwidth memory used in AI accelerators has become a major growth driver.
What moves each company
Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.
What moves KLAC
We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for KLAC. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-08-06.
What moves MU
- DRAM pricing and bit supply, which account for most of Micron's revenue
- High-bandwidth memory (HBM) qualification and share at AI accelerator customers
- NAND pricing and data-center SSD demand
- Capital expenditure and the timing of new fab capacity
The investment question
You now know MU reports about 3.1× KLAC's revenue, and KLAC keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to tariffs & trade and artificial intelligence, including “DRAM pricing and bit supply, which account for most of Micron's revenue” at MU, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.
Members-only research
Members-only research on KLAC and MU
MU · Dec 18, 2025
The HBM Capacity TradeA December 18, 2025 look at Micron's HBM capacity thesis, with a separate audit of timing, valuation and subsequent results.
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 researchSEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence
Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. KLAC's fiscal year ends June 30, while MU's ends September 3. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.
The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 10 matched transaction rows for KLAC and 31 matched transaction rows for MU. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.
KLAC primary filings
MU 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.
KLAC vs MU FAQs
Are KLAC and MU direct competitors?
Not necessarily. KLA files as Optical Instruments & Lenses and Micron Technology as Semiconductors & Related Devices. The pair is compared because both map to the Tariffs & trade and Artificial intelligence research themes, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.
Is KLAC or MU the bigger company by revenue?
Micron Technology (MU) is the larger business by reported revenue: $37.4B in its fiscal year ended Aug 2025, about 3.1× KLAC's $12.2B (fiscal year ended Jun 2025). KLAC's net margin was 33.4% and MU's 22.8%. The SEC classifies them differently (Optical Instruments & Lenses; Semiconductors & Related Devices); what connects them is shared exposure to the Tariffs & trade and Artificial intelligence research themes, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.
Which is better, KLAC or MU?
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 KLAC vs MU 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 KLA Corporation and Micron Technology, Inc. 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 2026-09-26. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.
Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-09-26. Independent educational research; not investment advice.
Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?
KLAC vs MU compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $15/month or $150/year.
Members-only research
MU · Dec 18, 2025
The HBM Capacity TradeSep 22, 2026
Meta jumped 11%. What must happen next to justify the price?Feb 23, 2026
Newmont and the gap between a gold rally and shareholder cash
$15/mo or $150/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included