Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ:LRCX – Get Free Report) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Friday. Investors purchased 87,781 put options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 129% compared to the average daily volume of 38,340 put options.
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities analysts have weighed in on LRCX shares. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $265.00 price target (up previously from $210.00) on shares of Lam Research in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Evercore ISI raised their price target on shares of Lam Research from $115.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $200.00 price target (up from $175.00) on shares of Lam Research in a report on Monday, December 15th. UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating and set a $255.00 price objective (up from $200.00) on shares of Lam Research in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, New Street Research lifted their price objective on shares of Lam Research from $140.00 to $195.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have assigned a Buy rating and seven have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Lam Research presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $200.52.
More Lam Research News
- Positive Sentiment: Zacks upgraded LRCX to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), a move that typically attracts momentum flows and retail/institutional attention; the upgrade is being cited as a catalyst for optimism about near-term earnings and price momentum. Lam Research (LRCX) Upgraded to Strong Buy: Here’s What You Should Know
- Positive Sentiment: Analyst commentary (Zacks) and coverage notes point to strong AI-chip demand and rising DRAM spending that should help LRCX beat Q2 estimates, supporting upside expectations for revenue and margins. LRCX Likely to Beat Q2 Earnings Estimates: Should You Buy the Stock?
- Positive Sentiment: Media coverage highlights AI-driven momentum (a recent piece notes the stock jumped on AI buzz and tariff news), which can attract short-term buyers and program trades. Why Lam Research (LRCX) Is Up 5.0% After AI Buzz And Tariff Jitters Hit Spotlight
- Neutral Sentiment: New Street raised its price target to $195 (from $140) but kept a “neutral” rating — the higher target signals improving fundamental views, but the maintained neutral limits the endorsement strength for further rallies. New Street Adjusts Lam Research Price Target to $195 From $140; Maintains Neutral Rating
- Neutral Sentiment: High-profile mentions (e.g., Jim Cramer calling LRCX “the best of the best” while warning about buying parabolic moves) can boost credibility but also encourage caution among momentum-sensitive traders. Jim Cramer calls Lam Research the “best of the best” but warns against buying parabolic moves
- Negative Sentiment: Unusually large put-option volume: traders bought ~87,781 puts (about +129% vs. average), a sharp rise in bearish/options-hedging activity that can signal investor risk-off, price protection flows, or speculative bearish bets — all of which can add downward pressure or volatility.
- Negative Sentiment: Relative weakness vs. peers: coverage notes that LRCX underperformed competitors on Thursday, a datapoint traders watch for leadership shifts within the semiconductor equipment group and to gauge rotation risk. Lam Research Corp. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors
Lam Research Trading Down 1.3%
NASDAQ:LRCX opened at $217.94 on Friday. Lam Research has a 1 year low of $56.32 and a 1 year high of $236.10. The business has a fifty day moving average of $178.08 and a 200-day moving average of $141.58. 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 stock has a market cap of $273.74 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 48.00, a PEG ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 1.77.
Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 22nd. The semiconductor company reported $1.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate 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 during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.86 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 27.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Equities analysts predict that Lam Research will post 3.71 earnings per share for the current year.
Lam Research Announces Dividend
The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, January 7th. Investors of record on Wednesday, December 3rd were given a dividend of $0.26 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, December 3rd. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.5%. Lam Research’s payout ratio is presently 22.91%.
Insider Activity at Lam Research
In related news, Director Bethany Mayer sold 1,298 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $159.99, for a total transaction of $207,667.02. Following the sale, the director owned 1,652 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $264,303.48. The trade was a 44.00% 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. Also, CFO Douglas R. Bettinger sold 40,080 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $150.60, for a total transaction of $6,036,048.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 987,237 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $148,677,892.20. This trade represents a 3.90% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold 50,418 shares of company stock worth $7,667,305 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 0.31% of the company’s stock.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Lam Research
Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC boosted its position in Lam Research by 1.1% during the 4th quarter. Capital Advisors Ltd. LLC now owns 4,646 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $795,000 after acquiring an additional 51 shares in the last quarter. Financial Consulate Inc. lifted its position in Lam Research by 2.7% during the fourth quarter. Financial Consulate Inc. now owns 2,157 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $369,000 after acquiring an additional 57 shares during the last quarter. Abound Wealth Management boosted its stake in Lam Research by 6.9% in the fourth quarter. Abound Wealth Management now owns 931 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $159,000 after acquiring an additional 60 shares in the last quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky grew its holdings in Lam Research by 6.0% in the fourth quarter. Independence Bank of Kentucky now owns 1,060 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $181,000 after purchasing an additional 60 shares during the last quarter. Finally, McLean Asset Management Corp increased its position in shares of Lam Research by 1.3% during the fourth quarter. McLean Asset Management Corp now owns 5,099 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $873,000 after purchasing an additional 65 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 84.61% of the company’s stock.
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.
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