New Street Research Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) Stock

Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) had its price objective increased by investment analysts at New Street Research from $140.00 to $195.00 in a note issued to investors on Thursday,MarketScreener reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the semiconductor company’s stock. New Street Research’s price target would indicate a potential downside of 10.53% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on LRCX. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $265.00 price target (up previously from $190.00) on shares of Lam Research in a report on Thursday. TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Lam Research in a research report on Thursday, October 23rd. Mizuho set a $220.00 target price on Lam Research and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, January 9th. HSBC raised their price target on Lam Research from $127.00 to $181.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus upped their price objective on Lam Research from $160.00 to $250.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, twenty-seven have given a Buy rating and seven have given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $200.52.

Lam Research Stock Performance

NASDAQ:LRCX opened at $217.94 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $273.74 billion, a P/E ratio of 48.00, a PEG ratio of 2.52 and a beta of 1.77. The company has a quick ratio of 1.60, a current ratio of 2.21 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $178.08 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $141.29. Lam Research has a twelve month low of $56.32 and a twelve month high of $236.10.

Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) 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 company had revenue of $5.32 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $5.23 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $0.86 earnings per share. Lam Research’s revenue for the quarter was up 27.7% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities analysts predict that Lam Research will post 3.71 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Bethany Mayer sold 1,298 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.99, for a total transaction of $207,667.02. Following the transaction, the director owned 1,652 shares in the company, valued at $264,303.48. The trade was a 44.00% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed 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 that occurred on Friday, November 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $150.60, for a total value of $6,036,048.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer 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 position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold 50,418 shares of company stock valued at $7,667,305 over the last ninety days. 0.31% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. PMV Capital Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Lam Research during the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. IMG Wealth Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Lam Research in the 2nd quarter worth about $26,000. Stance Capital LLC bought a new position in shares of Lam Research in the 3rd quarter worth about $26,000. Howard Hughes Medical Institute bought a new position in shares of Lam Research in the 2nd quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in Lam Research during the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 84.61% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Lam Research

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

• 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 Company Profile

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.