WallStSmart

Lam Research Corp (LRCX)vsWestern Digital Corporation (WDC)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Lam Research Corp generates 92% more annual revenue ($20.56B vs $10.73B). WDC leads profitability with a 35.6% profit margin vs 30.2%. WDC appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 0.69. LRCX earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 74/100 (B).

LRCX

Strong Buy

74

out of 100

Grade: B

Growth: 7.3Profit: 10.0Value: 8.0Quality: 7.8
Piotroski: 6/9Altman Z: 4.65

WDC

Buy

55

out of 100

Grade: C

Growth: 2.0Profit: 9.0Value: 7.3Quality: 5.0
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

LRCXFair Value (-0.4%)

Margin of Safety

-0.4%

Fair Value

$227.45

Current Price

$228.36

$0.91 premium

UndervaluedFair: $227.45Overvalued
WDCSignificantly Overvalued (-311.2%)

Margin of Safety

-311.2%

Fair Value

$66.57

Current Price

$293.10

$226.53 premium

UndervaluedFair: $66.57Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

LRCX6 strengths · Avg: 9.7/10
Market CapQuality
$286.83B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
65.6%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 66 in profit

Profit MarginProfitability
30.2%10/10

Keeps 30 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Operating MarginProfitability
33.9%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 33.9%

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
4.6510/10

Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk

Revenue GrowthGrowth
22.1%8/10

Revenue surging 22.1% year-over-year

WDC4 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Return on EquityProfitability
41.1%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 41 in profit

Profit MarginProfitability
35.6%10/10

Keeps 36 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Market CapQuality
$100.21B9/10

Large-cap with strong market position

PEG RatioValuation
0.698/10

Growing faster than its price suggests

Areas to Watch

LRCX3 concerns · Avg: 2.7/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.644/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

P/E RatioValuation
47.0x2/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Price/BookValuation
28.2x2/10

Trading at 28.2x book value

WDC4 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
P/E RatioValuation
29.9x4/10

Moderate valuation

Price/BookValuation
14.0x4/10

Trading at 14.0x book value

Revenue GrowthGrowth
-41.0%2/10

Revenue declined 41.0%

EPS GrowthGrowth
-95.9%2/10

Earnings declined 95.9%

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : LRCX

The strongest argument for LRCX centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Profit Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 30.2% and operating margin at 33.9%. Revenue growth of 22.1% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bull Case : WDC

The strongest argument for WDC centers on Return on Equity, Profit Margin, Market Cap. Profitability is solid with margins at 35.6% and operating margin at 15.4%. PEG of 0.69 suggests the stock is reasonably priced for its growth.

Bear Case : LRCX

The primary concerns for LRCX are PEG Ratio, P/E Ratio, Price/Book. A P/E of 47.0x leaves little room for execution misses.

Bear Case : WDC

The primary concerns for WDC are P/E Ratio, Price/Book, Revenue Growth.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

LRCX profiles as a growth stock while WDC is a declining play — different risk/reward profiles.

WDC carries more volatility with a beta of 1.85 — expect wider price swings.

LRCX is growing revenue faster at 22.1% — sustainability is the question.

LRCX generates stronger free cash flow (1.3B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

LRCX scores higher overall (74/100 vs 55/100), backed by strong 30.2% margins and 22.1% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Lam Research Corp

TECHNOLOGY · SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS · USA

Lam Research Corporation is an American corporation that engages in the design, manufacture, marketing, and service of semiconductor processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. Its products are used primarily in front-end wafer processing, which involves the steps that create the active components of semiconductor devices (transistors, capacitors) and their wiring (interconnects). The company also builds equipment for back-end wafer-level packaging (WLP), and for related manufacturing markets such as for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The company is headquartered in Fremont, California, in the Silicon Valley.

Western Digital Corporation

TECHNOLOGY · COMPUTER HARDWARE · USA

Western Digital Corporation (WDC, commonly known as Western Digital or WD) is an American computer hard disk drive manufacturer and data storage company, headquartered in San Jose, California. It designs, manufactures and sells data technology products, including storage devices, data center systems and cloud storage services.

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?