KLAC vs TER: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: KLAC, with $12.2B of yearly revenue, about 3.8× TER's $3.2B.
  • More profitable: KLAC keeps 33 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 17 cents at TER.
  • More cash from each sale: KLAC turns 34 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 21 cents at TER.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

KLA (KLAC) is the larger business by reported revenue: $12.2B in its fiscal year ended Jun 2025, about 3.8× TER's $3.2B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). KLAC's net margin was 33.4% and TER's 17.4%. The SEC places them in related industries (Optical Instruments & Lenses; Instruments For Meas & Testing of Electricity & Elec Signals), and both map to the Tariffs & trade and Artificial intelligence research themes.

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 · TER December 31
Reviewed
Aug 6, 2026

KLAC vs TER: quick comparison

Company factKLACTER
CompanyKLA CorporationTeradyne, Inc.
ExchangeNASDAQNASDAQ
SEC industryOptical Instruments & LensesInstruments For Meas & Testing of Electricity & Elec Signals
Fiscal year-endJune 30December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-08-0610-K · 2026-02-19

KLAC vs TER: audited financials

  • Scale: KLAC's $12.2B of revenue is about 3.8× TER's $3.2B.
  • Net margin: KLAC kept 33.4% of revenue as net income versus 17.4% at TER.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled KLAC 33.6% of revenue, or 1.00× net income; TER 21.1% of revenue, or 1.22× 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 6 months apart (2025-06-30 for KLAC, 2025-12-31 for TER), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.

KLAC: FY ending 2025-06-30 · TER: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where KLAC and TER overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Related SEC industries: both sit in SIC major group 38.
  • Shared research themes: Tariffs & trade and Artificial intelligence.

Differences

  • Different four-digit SIC codes: KLAC is 3827 (Optical Instruments & Lenses); TER is 3825 (Instruments For Meas & Testing of Electricity & Elec Signals).
  • Offset fiscal calendars: KLAC's year ends June 30 and TER's December 31, about 6 months apart.
  • Scale: KLAC reported about 3.8× the annual revenue of TER.
  • Profitability: net margin of 33.4% for KLAC versus 17.4% for TER.

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.

KLA Corporation (KLAC)

KLA makes the process-control and inspection systems chipmakers rely on to detect defects during semiconductor manufacturing.

Teradyne, Inc. (TER)

Teradyne makes automated test equipment for semiconductors and electronics along with industrial and collaborative robots.

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 TER

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for TER. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-02-19.

The investment question

You now know KLAC reports about 3.8× TER'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, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

Members-only research

What members are reading this month

The thesis, the numbers behind it, and what would break it. Full access is $39 a month.

Read the full research

SEC 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 TER's ends December 31. 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 9 matched transaction rows for TER. 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.

KLAC vs TER FAQs

Are KLAC and TER direct competitors?

Not necessarily. KLA files as Optical Instruments & Lenses and Teradyne as Instruments For Meas & Testing of Electricity & Elec Signals. 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 TER the bigger company by revenue?

KLA (KLAC) is the larger business by reported revenue: $12.2B in its fiscal year ended Jun 2025, about 3.8× TER's $3.2B (fiscal year ended Dec 2025). KLAC's net margin was 33.4% and TER's 17.4%. The SEC places them in related industries (Optical Instruments & Lenses; Instruments For Meas & Testing of Electricity & Elec Signals), and both map to the Tariffs & trade and Artificial intelligence research themes. 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 TER?

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 TER 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 Teradyne, 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 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

KLAC vs TER compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

$39/mo or $249/yr · cancel future renewals anytime · sources included