Lam Research Corporation vs S&P Global Inc — how do they compare? Lam Research Corporation trades at $320.8 (market cap $383.63B), while S&P Global Inc trades at $432.89 (market cap $132.71B). The key difference: Lam Research Corporation is far larger — about 2.9× S&P Global Inc's market cap, and S&P Global Inc pays the higher dividend (0.87%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| LRCX | SPGI | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $383.63B | $132.71B |
Sector | Technology | Financials |
52-Week High | $433.33 | $534.79 |
52-Week Low | $94.84 | $370.42 |
Enterprise Value | $382.61B | $144.68B |
Dividend Yield | 0.34% | 0.87% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
Lam Research (LRCX) trades at $306.96, down 2.02% amid semiconductor sector weakness. The stock shows strong fundamentals with Q1 2026 EPS beating estimates at $1.47 versus $1.36 expected, continuing a pattern of earnings outperformance. Valuation metrics remain elevated with P/E at 59.22 and P/S at 18.3, reflecting premium pricing for AI-driven growth prospects. Technical indicators show bearish momentum with price testing key support at $306.
Outlook remains positive based on analyst consensus with $393 price target (78% buy ratings), though near-term risks include semiconductor cycle volatility and rich valuations. The company's positioning in AI chip manufacturing equipment and strong cash flow generation ($6.17B operating cash flow in 2025) supports long-term growth potential despite sector headwinds.
S&P Global (SPGI) trades at $449.75, down 0.24% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook and strong fundamentals. The stock shows robust profitability with a 30.36% net income margin and consistent revenue growth, reaching $15.34B in 2025. Recent corporate actions include the spinoff of Mobility Global, streamlining operations. Analyst consensus is strongly bullish with a $531.11 price target, and technical indicators signal a buy from moving averages despite overbought RSI levels.
The outlook for SPGI is positive, driven by margin expansion targets, AI-driven growth in API usage, and resilient recurring revenues. Key risks include high valuation multiples and sensitivity to debt issuance cycles. Investment opportunity lies in its market-leading position and strategic focus post-spinoff, though investors should monitor execution on growth initiatives and macroeconomic factors affecting capital markets.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
Lam Research manufactures equipment used to fabricate semiconductors. The firm is focused on the etching, deposition, and clean markets, which are key steps in the semiconductor manufacturing process, especially for 3D NAND flash storage, advanced DRAM, and leading-edge logic/foundry chipmakers. Lam's flagship Kiyo, Vector, and Sabre products are sold in all major geographies to key customers such as Samsung Electronics, Micron, Intel, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.
Read more on LRCX →S&P Global provides data and benchmarks to capital and commodity market participants. In 2021 and excluding IHS Markit, S&P Ratings was over 45% of the firm's revenue and over 55% of the firm's operating income. S&P Ratings is the largest credit rating agency in the world. The firm's other segments include Market Intelligence, Indices, and Platts. Market Intelligence provides desktop tools and other data solutions to investment banks, corporations, and other entities. Indices provides benchmarks for financial markets and is monetized through subscriptions, asset-based fees, and transaction-based royalties. Platts provides benchmarks to commodity markets, principally petroleum.
Read more on SPGI →