July 28 (Reuters) – KLA Corp forecast first-quarter revenue and profit above Wall Street estimates on Tuesday, betting that continued investment in AI infrastructure would sustain strong demand for its chipmaking tools.
Shares of the California-based company, however, fell 8% in extended trading. They have done risen over 57% so far this year.
KLA provides process control and yield management systems, which are critical for identifying and correcting defects during the semiconductor manufacturing process. Its tools become more vital as chipmakers move to smaller and more complex production nodes.
Here are some details:
• The semiconductor industry’s race to build out capacity for powerful AI processors and high-bandwidth memory (HBM) has been a boon for KLA.
• Demand from leading foundries and memory producers has ramped up as they expand their facilities to meet the data-intensive needs of generative AI applications.
• KLA expects first-quarter revenue of $4 billion, plus or minus $200 million, ahead of analysts’ average estimate of $3.92 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.
• It forecast adjusted earnings of $1.16 per share, plus or minus 10 cents, for the quarter, also ahead of an estimate of $1.14.
• KLA sees momentum across its business accelerating in the second half of 2026 and continuing through 2027, CEO Rick Wallace said, adding that the AI infrastructure buildout is also driving new growth opportunities in advanced packaging for the company.
• The semiconductor equipment maker’s fourth-quarter revenue grew 15.1% to $3.66 billion, beating estimates of $3.60 billion.
• Adjusted profit came in at $1.05 per share, compared with an estimate of $1.
(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
