New York, Jan 18, 2026, 14:41 (ET) — Market closed
- Lam Research shares climbed 2.5% on Friday, closing at $222.96
- U.S. markets remain closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day; trading resumes Tuesday
- Lam is set to release its next earnings report and outlook on Jan. 28
Lam Research shares climbed 2.5% on Friday, ending the day at $222.96. Roughly 12.7 million shares changed hands as chip stocks stayed steady heading into the long weekend. (Lam Research Investor Relations)
The gain followed a wider rally in semiconductors, as the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor Index climbed 1.2% on the day. Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, noted, “we’re at the start of the earnings season,” a period that can rapidly shift sentiment in high-expectation areas like chip equipment. (Reuters)
This is significant since U.S. markets won’t reopen until Tuesday; Monday is shut for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The upcoming week is loaded with earnings, including from major players like Intel, whose results often move the wider semiconductor sector. (Kiplinger)
Lam has set its next milestone: the quarterly financial conference call and webcast are scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 28. (Lam Research Newsroom)
On Friday, the equipment sector moved in unison. Applied Materials climbed 2.49%, while Lam advanced 2.52%, outpacing a market that largely hovered near the flatline. (MarketWatch)
Lam stands out as a major provider of wafer fabrication equipment — those big, specialized machines essential for building chips on silicon wafers. Positioned at the heart of the supply chain, its stock often serves investors as a barometer for chipmakers’ spending intentions.
On Jan. 28, traders won’t settle for just the numbers—they’ll be hunting for direction. Key indicators include customer capital spending, demand for deposition and etch tools, and whether momentum spans both memory and logic manufacturing sectors.
Margins and supply constraints will also draw attention, along with whether Lam expects bottlenecks to ease or simply move to other areas of its product lineup. Shifts in ordering from major chipmakers often surface well before revenue numbers reflect them.
The setup works both ways. Semiconductor stocks have surged, pushing expectations high; one cautious forecast or weaker comments on tool demand could spark a steep drop, even when earnings appear solid on paper.
Markets reopen Tuesday, with investors still focused on chip stocks as earnings season approaches. Lam’s upcoming catalyst is its Jan. 28 earnings report and outlook, which will heavily influence how the sector is valued heading into February.
