Seek Returns

KLAC vs. NVDA: KLA vs. NVIDIA Stock Comparison

How do KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA) both belong to the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry, though KLAC is classified under Semiconductor Materials & Equipment while NVDA falls under Semiconductors.

Company profile comparison for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
Profile ItemKLACNVDA
NameKLA CorporationNVIDIA Corporation
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupSemiconductors & Semiconductor EquipmentSemiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment
GICS IndustrySemiconductors & Semiconductor EquipmentSemiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment
GICS Sub-IndustrySemiconductor Materials & EquipmentSemiconductors
Market Capitalization180.45 billion USD4,506.80 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateOctober 8, 1980January 22, 1999
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

KLAC
NVDA
GSPC
Loading price history…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
MetricKLACNVDA
Total Return (1Y)26.92%-5.54%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)44.97%55.88%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)30.55%42.17%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

KLAC
NVDA
GSPC
Loading price history…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
MetricKLACNVDA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)63.92%38.31%
Beta (5Y)1.512.28
Max Drawdown (5Y)-56.93%-66.34%
Avg. Volume (3M)10.66M120.20M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
KLAC and NVDA are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
MetricKLACNVDA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.35-0.26
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.50-0.36

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both KLA (KLAC) at 91.38% and NVIDIA (NVDA) at 117.21% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

91.38%

KLAC
91.38%
Max
52.82%
Q3
22.26%
Median
10.58%
Q1
1.29%
Min
-16.89%

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

117.21%

NVDA
117.21%
Max
52.82%
Q3
22.26%
Median
10.58%
Q1
1.29%
Min
-16.89%
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their ROE against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both KLA (KLAC) at 36.25% and NVIDIA (NVDA) at 63.66% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

36.25%

Max
63.80%
KLAC
36.25%
Q3
28.36%
Median
11.44%
Q1
0.90%
Min
-37.77%

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

63.66%

Max
63.80%
NVDA
63.66%
Q3
28.36%
Median
11.44%
Q1
0.90%
Min
-37.77%
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their net margin against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

NVIDIA (NVDA) at 66.24% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and KLA (KLAC) at 45.01% also operates in the top quartile.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

45.01%

Max
58.66%
KLAC
45.01%
Q3
30.23%
Median
15.91%
Q1
7.54%
Min
-25.74%

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

66.24%

NVDA
66.24%
Max
58.66%
Q3
30.23%
Median
15.91%
Q1
7.54%
Min
-25.74%
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their operating margin against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
MetricKLACNVDA
ROE (TTM)91.38%117.21%
ROA (TTM)22.27%53.57%
Net Margin (TTM)36.25%63.66%
Operating Margin (TTM)45.01%66.24%
Gross Margin (TTM)61.47%74.67%

Growth

Revenue Growth

NVIDIA (NVDA) at 65.47% clears its industry range for revenue growth, far stronger top-line momentum than KLA (KLAC) at 11.71%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.

Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

NVIDIA (NVDA) at 66.67% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while KLA (KLAC) at 20.51% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for NVDA.

Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
MetricKLACNVDA
Revenue Growth (YoY)11.71%65.47%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)8.96%100.05%
EPS Growth (YoY)20.51%66.67%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)14.87%204.24%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both KLA (KLAC) at 2.76 and NVIDIA (NVDA) at 4.59 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

2.76

Max
10.33
Q3
5.62
Median
3.33
KLAC
2.76
Q1
2.35
Min
1.03

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

4.59

Max
10.33
Q3
5.62
NVDA
4.59
Median
3.33
Q1
2.35
Min
1.03
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their current ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

NVIDIA (NVDA) at 0.17 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while KLA (KLAC) at 0.92 uses more debt funding than most peers.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.92

Max
1.46
KLAC
0.92
Q3
0.65
Median
0.27
Q1
0.04
Min
0.00

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.17

Max
1.46
Q3
0.65
Median
0.27
NVDA
0.17
Q1
0.04
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
MetricKLACNVDA
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.764.59
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.920.17
Net Debt / EBITDA0.19-0.12

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both KLA (KLAC) at 0.65% and NVIDIA (NVDA) at 0.15% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.65%

Max
1.37%
Q3
0.65%
KLAC
0.65%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

0.15%

Max
1.37%
Q3
0.65%
NVDA
0.15%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both KLA (KLAC) at 21.03% and NVIDIA (NVDA) at 3.54% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

21.03%

Max
49.64%
Q3
21.71%
KLAC
21.03%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

3.54%

Max
49.64%
Q3
21.71%
NVDA
3.54%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
MetricKLACNVDA
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.65%0.15%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)21.03%3.54%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

NVIDIA (NVDA) at 23.60 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while KLA (KLAC) at 34.71 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for NVDA, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

34.71

Max
110.34
Q3
66.81
Median
37.02
KLAC
34.71
Q1
23.96
Min
8.12

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

23.60

Max
110.34
Q3
66.81
Median
37.02
Q1
23.96
NVDA
23.60
Min
8.12
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both KLA (KLAC) at 12.44 and NVIDIA (NVDA) at 14.88 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

12.44

Max
21.42
KLAC
12.44
Q3
12.27
Median
5.76
Q1
2.73
Min
0.00

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

14.88

Max
21.42
NVDA
14.88
Q3
12.27
Median
5.76
Q1
2.73
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Measured against book value, both KLA (KLAC) at 27.67 and NVIDIA (NVDA) at 19.68 look expensive — each P/B ratio sits above its industry’s benchmark range.

KLAC

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

27.67

KLAC
27.67
Max
14.06
Q3
7.44
Median
4.29
Q1
2.30
Min
0.20

NVDA

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group

19.68

NVDA
19.68
Max
14.06
Q3
7.44
Median
4.29
Q1
2.30
Min
0.20
Loading chart…
KLA (KLAC) vs. NVIDIA (NVDA): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for KLA (KLAC) and NVIDIA (NVDA)
MetricKLACNVDA
P/E Ratio (TTM)34.7123.60
P/S Ratio (TTM)12.4414.88
P/B Ratio (MRQ)27.6719.68
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.56%0.93%