Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) Trading Up 1.8% – Should You Buy?

Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ:LRCX) shares were up 1.8% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $242.78 and last traded at $235.53. Approximately 9,777,234 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 27% from the average daily volume of 13,426,225 shares. The stock had previously closed at $231.29.

Lam Research News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Lam Research this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts point to secular trends (AI, advanced nodes, foundry expansion) as drivers for Lam’s long‑term growth, supporting investor confidence in sustained demand for its etch and deposition tools. Analysts Cite Secular Trends For Lam Research Corporation (LRCX)’s Development
• Positive Sentiment: Lam announced leadership changes and new partnerships aimed at positioning the company for next‑generation chip demand — a strategic move investors view as reinforcing execution and market share potential. Lam Research Reshapes Leadership And Partnerships For Next Generation Chip Demand
• Neutral Sentiment: Published analyses asking whether Lam has a long runway for growth provide deeper context (valuation vs. growth opportunities) but don’t introduce new company‑specific catalysts. These pieces help frame investor debate rather than change fundamentals. Does Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) Have a Long Runway for Growth?
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest reports show “0 shares” and NaN changes for early February — data that appears erroneous and is unlikely to be a meaningful market signal. Treat the short‑interest items as noise until corrected data is released.
• Negative Sentiment: A headline reporting insider selling coincided with a short‑term price dip; insider sales can weigh on sentiment even if they’re routine or non‑indicative of company fundamentals. Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) Stock Price Down 1.2% on Insider Selling

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

LRCX has been the topic of a number of research reports. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on Lam Research from $250.00 to $280.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Zacks Research upgraded Lam Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Bank of America upped their price target on Lam Research from $195.00 to $245.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 13th. Summit Insights upgraded shares of Lam Research from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, January 29th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their price objective on shares of Lam Research from $170.00 to $290.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-eight have assigned a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $244.88.

Lam Research Stock Up 1.8%

The firm has a market capitalization of $294.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.26, a PEG ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 1.78. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $201.76 and its two-hundred day moving average is $155.35. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a current ratio of 2.26 and a quick ratio of 1.61.

Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, January 28th. The semiconductor company reported $1.27 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.17 by $0.10. Lam Research had a net margin of 30.22% and a return on equity of 62.81%. The firm had revenue of $5.34 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $0.91 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 22.1% compared to the same quarter last year. Lam Research has set its Q3 2026 guidance at 1.250-1.450 EPS. Research analysts predict that Lam Research Corporation will post 3.71 EPS for the current year.

Lam Research Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 8th. Investors of record on Wednesday, March 4th will be issued a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, March 4th. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.4%. Lam Research’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 21.31%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Lam Research news, Director Eric Brandt sold 35,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $225.60, for a total value of $7,896,000.00. Following the sale, the director owned 253,705 shares in the company, valued at $57,235,848. This represents a 12.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 0.31% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in LRCX. Lingohr Asset Management GmbH increased its stake in shares of Lam Research by 590.7% during the third quarter. Lingohr Asset Management GmbH now owns 59,555 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $7,974,000 after purchasing an additional 50,933 shares in the last quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd boosted its position in shares of Lam Research by 52.0% in the 3rd quarter. Mediolanum International Funds Ltd now owns 262,544 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $34,417,000 after purchasing an additional 89,856 shares in the last quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. grew its stake in shares of Lam Research by 8.0% in the 3rd quarter. First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. now owns 140,433 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $18,804,000 after buying an additional 10,408 shares during the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund increased its position in Lam Research by 30.9% during the 3rd quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 144,656 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $19,369,000 after buying an additional 34,147 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Truist Financial Corp increased its position in Lam Research by 119.6% during the 3rd quarter. Truist Financial Corp now owns 1,676,637 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $224,502,000 after buying an additional 913,009 shares in the last quarter. 84.61% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Lam Research

Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ: LRCX) is a global supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. Founded in 1980 by David K. Lam and headquartered in Fremont, California, the company develops and manufactures systems used in multiple stages of semiconductor device production, including thin film deposition, plasma etch, wafer cleaning and related process modules and automation.

Lam’s product portfolio covers core process technologies employed by logic and memory manufacturers, with equipment designed to support advanced-node patterning, 3D NAND and other emerging device architectures.