New York, Jan 26, 2026, 19:13 (EST) — After-hours trading
KLA Corp shares climbed roughly 2% to $1,543 in after-hours trading Monday, ahead of the chip-equipment maker’s earnings report due later this week.
This matters because KLA operates in a segment of the semiconductor supply chain that typically signals trouble first — the inspection and measurement tools chipmakers rely on to detect defects and boost yields. With high hopes already priced into the sector, Thursday’s update will act as a test of whether demand for advanced chips is still driving equipment orders ahead.
KLA announced it will review its fiscal second-quarter earnings on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. Pacific time. The results are scheduled for release after the U.S. market closes. (KLA Corporation)
Analyst activity remains strong after the print. Wolfe Research bumped its price target on KLA from $1,500 to $1,800 and kept an “outperform” rating. Evercore ISI also raised its target, this time to $1,700 from $1,350, maintaining its “outperform” stance, according to MT Newswires via MarketScreener. (MarketScreener)
Allen Bond, portfolio manager at Jensen Investment Management, labeled KLA “mission critical” and said it “dominates its niche,” according to a MarketWatch column. J.P. Morgan’s analyst Harlan Sur also highlighted KLA as a top pick, noting a rise in “order pull-ins”—customers requesting earlier deliveries—as a sign of growing demand tied to AI chip production. (FastBull)
KLA held up well amid a choppy session for chip stocks. The iShares Semiconductor ETF and VanEck Semiconductor ETF slipped, Applied Materials dropped, but Lam Research and ASML managed gains.
Investors are watching for changes in shipment timing and service demand, especially if customers continue to accelerate deliveries into earlier quarters. Analysts will scrutinize spending plans at top-tier foundries and memory manufacturers, even if executives stick to their usual script.
Still, the setup works both ways. With earnings expectations already elevated, even a slight sign of falling tool orders—or customers tightening their budgets—could weigh heavily on the stock. This risk grows if softness emerges in areas where demand is vulnerable to policy shifts and trade tensions.
Traders will be watching Tuesday’s session closely to see if KLA can sustain its gains as semiconductor equipment rivals fluctuate and earnings season heats up.
The next major catalyst arrives Thursday, when KLA reports earnings and hosts its conference call. The company will need to validate the new wave of bullish targets with solid numbers—and, crucially, provide an outlook investors can act on.
