Illumina, Inc. vs KLA Corp. — how do they compare? Illumina, Inc. trades at $274 (market cap $39.95B), while KLA Corp. trades at $198.11 (market cap $256.72B). The key difference: KLA Corp. is far larger — about 6.4× Illumina, Inc.'s market cap, and KLA Corp. pays a 0.47% dividend while Illumina, Inc. pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Illumina, Inc. for 83 Days and KLA Corp. for 60 Days on average.
| ILMN | KLAC | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $39.95B | $256.72B |
Volume | 3,169,503 | 9,970,753 |
Sector | Health | Technology |
52-Week High | $293.69 | $301.71 |
52-Week Low | $91.00 | $98.28 |
Typical Hold Time | 83 Days | 60 Days |
Enterprise Value | $41.31B | $257.97B |
Dividend Yield | — | 0.47% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Illumina (ILMN) trades at $267.76, down 2.11% today but remains near recent highs after a strong 94.9% YTD rally. The stock shows bullish technical momentum with recent earnings beats and improved profitability, with net income turning positive to $850 million in 2025 after previous losses. S&P 500 inclusion in September 2026 and growing AI integration in genomics provide positive catalysts, though valuation metrics remain elevated with a P/E of 49.36.
Outlook remains positive with analyst consensus favoring Buy ratings (54%) and a $241 price target, though current price exceeds consensus. Key opportunities include sequencing growth and AI adoption, while risks include China headwinds, margin pressure, and high valuation multiples requiring sustained execution to justify premium pricing.
KLA Corporation (KLAC) trades at $196.83, down 0.32% on the day, with strong technical support at $194 and resistance at $198. The company demonstrates robust fundamentals with revenue growth from $9.8B in 2024 to $12.16B in 2025 and net income margin expanding to 35.57%. Recent earnings have consistently beaten expectations, with Q2 2026 EPS of $1.05 surpassing the $1.00 estimate. AI-driven demand is fueling backlog growth to $12.57B, positioning KLAC for continued expansion in semiconductor equipment markets.
KLAC presents a compelling growth opportunity with strong analyst support (28 buys vs 2 sells) and a $223.88 consensus price target offering 14% upside. However, elevated valuation ratios (P/E 53.75, P/S 19.12) and competitive pressures from Applied Materials and ASML represent key risks. The stock's technical bullish signal and institutional accumulation support near-term momentum, though margin compression and semiconductor cycle volatility warrant monitoring.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
Latest headlines on both assets
Illumina provides tools and services to analyze genetic material with life science and clinical lab applications. The company generates over 90% of its revenue from sequencing instruments, consumables, and services. Illumina's high-throughput technology enables whole genome sequencing in humans and other large organisms. Its lower throughput tools enable applications that require smaller data outputs, such as viral and cancer tumor screening. Illumina also sells microarrays (less than 10% of sales) that enable lower-cost, focused genetic screening with primarily consumer and agricultural applications.
Read more on ILMN →KLA designs and manufactures yield-management and process-monitoring diagnostic and control systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry. The systems are used to analyze the manufacturing process at various steps in a semiconductor's development. The firm's laser-scanning products are used for wafer qualification, process monitoring, and equipment monitoring. KLA also provides inspection tools and systems for optical metrology and e-beam metrology.
Read more on KLAC →