Head to head · SEC data as of September 11, 2026
KLA
88
Quality score · out of 100
Applied Materials
86
Quality score · out of 100
On paper this one is nearly a draw: KLA scores 88 and Applied Materials scores 86 out of 100 in our fundamental quality model. KLA wins on net margin (35.6% vs 30.1%), ROE (76.1% vs 36.2%) and cash generation (FCF) (27.7% vs 18.2%). Applied Materials answers with less debt (-0.06× vs 0.67×).
| Metric | KLA | Applied Materials |
|---|---|---|
| Quality score (0-100) | 88 | 86 |
| Net margin | 35.6% | 30.1% |
| Gross margin | — | 49.4% |
| ROE | 76.1% | 36.2% |
| Net debt/EBITDA | 0.67× | -0.06× |
| FCF margin | 27.7% | 18.2% |
| Revenue growth (annualized) | 14.4% | 10.7% |
| Earnings growth (annualized) | 18.4% | 20.7% |
TTM metrics with official SEC data, refreshed daily. Bold green marks the winner of each metric. A dash means the metric doesn't apply or isn't reliable.
KLA. KLA makes the equipment that inspects and measures chips during manufacturing: it detects nanometer-scale defects so fabs don't waste wafers. The more advanced the chips, the more quality control is needed — and there KLA is the undisputed leader.
Applied Materials. Applied Materials is the world's largest maker of the machines that make chips. It sells the equipment that semiconductor fabs (like TSMC, Intel or Samsung) need to produce microchips. It's a critical 'picks and shovels' supplier to the whole industry.
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What this comparison doesn't tell you
The score measures business quality, not whether the stock is cheap or expensive: the better company can be the worse investment if you overpay. For the valuation verdict, enter each one's current price in the analyzer:
Who has the stronger fundamentals today, KLA or Applied Materials?
They're practically tied: KLA and Applied Materials score 88 and 86 out of 100 in the StockSemáforo model (profitability, growth and financial strength, built on official SEC data). The score is recomputed nightly with the latest filings.
Does that make KLA the better investment?
No. The score measures business quality, not valuation: an excellent company can trade at an excessive price and be a poor investment at that price. To find out whether it's cheap or expensive, enter its current quote in the StockSemáforo analyzer.
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Who's behind the methodology and model · how the score is computed
Data: official SEC filings (EDGAR) · Recomputed on September 11, 2026
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