Lam Research Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NASDAQ:LRCX)

Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ:LRCX) was the recipient of some unusual options trading on Monday. Traders acquired 46,914 put options on the company. This represents an increase of 44% compared to the average volume of 32,543 put options.

Lam Research News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Shares closed higher after a Zacks note saying LRCX “beat the stock market upswing” — a sign of short‑term momentum and positive market reaction to recent fundamentals. Lam Research (LRCX) Beats Stock Market Upswing: What Investors Need to Know
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks reports LRCX hit a 52‑week high as AI‑driven chip demand is boosting shipments, margins and earnings — a structural demand tailwind for Lam’s wafer‑processing equipment. Lam Research Hits 52-Week High: Is the Stock Still Worth Buying?
• Positive Sentiment: Recent session saw a 4.6% surge on above‑average volume — indicates renewed buying interest that could extend momentum if earnings revisions remain constructive. Lam Research (LRCX) Surges 4.6%: Is This an Indication of Further Gains?
• Positive Sentiment: A Zacks feature lays out three reasons LRCX is a solid growth stock — above‑average financial growth and secular exposure to AI/advanced nodes support longer‑term upside. Is Lam Research (LRCX) a Solid Growth Stock? 3 Reasons to Think “Yes”
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage notes that brokers are discussing LRCX as an investable idea; analyst commentary can amplify moves, but effects depend on the direction and credibility of specific rating/target changes. Brokers Suggest Investing in Lam Research (LRCX): Read This Before Placing a Bet
• Neutral Sentiment: Market data pages and broad stock‑price coverage provide price context but no new catalyst. Lam Research (LRCX) share price
• Neutral Sentiment: A comparative survey item (Mobix Labs vs. Lam Research) appeared but offers little actionable insight for LRCX investors. Mobix Labs (NASDAQ:MOBX) vs. Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) Critical Survey
• Negative Sentiment: Unusually large options activity: ~46,914 put contracts traded (about +44% vs. average put volume), signaling elevated hedging or bearish bets that could add downward pressure if volatility spikes or sentiment shifts.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms recently commented on LRCX. TD Cowen boosted their price target on Lam Research from $145.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $210.00 target price on shares of Lam Research in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Rothschild & Co Redburn raised their price target on shares of Lam Research from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 14th. Sanford C. Bernstein boosted their price objective on shares of Lam Research from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, November 21st. Finally, Dbs Bank raised their target price on Lam Research from $119.40 to $184.20 in a research note on Monday, October 27th. Twenty-six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and ten have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $161.21.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, insider Ava Harter sold 9,010 shares of Lam Research stock in a transaction on Monday, October 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $157.47, for a total transaction of $1,418,804.70. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 56,786 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $8,942,091.42. The trade was a 13.69% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Vahid Vahedi sold 52,190 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.90, for a total transaction of $7,249,191.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 251,047 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $34,870,428.30. This trade represents a 17.21% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 102,608 shares of company stock worth $14,916,496. Insiders own 0.31% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lam Research

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in LRCX. Norges Bank bought a new position in Lam Research during the second quarter worth about $1,894,585,000. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership raised its holdings in shares of Lam Research by 781.3% in the 3rd quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 11,340,865 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $1,518,542,000 after buying an additional 10,053,978 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in shares of Lam Research by 14.4% during the 2nd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 40,622,437 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $3,954,188,000 after buying an additional 5,102,589 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. boosted its stake in Lam Research by 18.2% in the 3rd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 21,182,948 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $2,836,397,000 after buying an additional 3,263,658 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Nordea Investment Management AB grew its position in Lam Research by 34.1% in the second quarter. Nordea Investment Management AB now owns 10,594,574 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $1,029,210,000 after acquiring an additional 2,692,189 shares during the period. 84.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Lam Research Stock Down 0.1%

NASDAQ:LRCX opened at $175.16 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 1.60 and a current ratio of 2.21. The company has a market capitalization of $220.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 38.58, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.02 and a beta of 1.77. Lam Research has a one year low of $56.32 and a one year high of $177.29. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $156.31 and a 200 day simple moving average of $124.61.

Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 22nd. The semiconductor company reported $1.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.22 by $0.04. Lam Research had a net margin of 29.66% and a return on equity of 60.60%. The business had revenue of $5.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.86 EPS. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Lam Research has set its Q2 2026 guidance at 1.050-1.250 EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Lam Research will post 3.71 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lam Research Announces Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 7th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 3rd. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. Lam Research’s payout ratio is presently 22.91%.

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.