Lam Research Corporation $LRCX Stock: Russell Investments Group Ltd. Reduces Stake

Russell Investments Group Ltd. lowered its position in Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ:LRCX) by 3.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 1,983,269 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock after selling 70,798 shares during the quarter. Lam Research makes up approximately 0.6% of Russell Investments Group Ltd.’s portfolio, making the stock its 20th biggest position. Russell Investments Group Ltd. owned about 0.16% of Lam Research worth $650,233,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. William Mack & Associates Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Lam Research during the third quarter worth approximately $25,000. Paladin Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Lam Research in the 2nd quarter valued at $26,000. Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. boosted its stake in shares of Lam Research by 100.0% in the 3rd quarter. Quintet Private Bank Europe S.A. now owns 100 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $33,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Dakota Community Bank & Trust NA purchased a new stake in shares of Lam Research in the 3rd quarter valued at $33,000. Finally, Pin Oak Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new position in shares of Lam Research during the 2nd quarter valued at $35,000. 84.61% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. Deutsche Bank reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $375.00 target price on shares of Lam Research in a research report on Monday, October 19th. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating and set a $435.00 price target (down from $450.00) on shares of Lam Research in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company restated an “overweight” rating and set a $350.00 price target (down from $450.00) on shares of Lam Research in a research report on Thursday, July 30th. HSBC reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $333.00 price objective on shares of Lam Research in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded Lam Research from a “buy (b)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a report on Friday, September 4th. Twenty-six research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have given a Hold rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $357.57.

Insider Transactions at Lam Research

In other news, insider Ava Harter sold 5,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $302.46, for a total transaction of $1,512,300.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 42,462 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,843,056.52. This represents a 10.53% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Bethany Mayer sold 9,557 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $314.74, for a total value of $3,007,970.18. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 20,995 shares in the company, valued at $6,607,966.30. The trade was a 31.28% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold 14,573 shares of company stock worth $4,523,606 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.31% of the company’s stock.

More Lam Research News

Investors following LRCX have been watching these news items:

• Positive Sentiment: Wells Fargo lifted its view on U.S. AI infrastructure to neutral from negative after a sector selloff. Lam was also included among AI stocks to consider, while Bernstein analyst Stacy Rasgon reportedly remains positive despite the stock’s steep recent decline. This may help bolster confidence in demand for semiconductor equipment tied to AI. Lam Research article
• Positive Sentiment: Lam’s board authorized up to $25 billion in share repurchases and reaffirmed its quarterly dividend of $0.33 per share. Buybacks can support shareholder returns and signal management confidence, though the authorization does not guarantee purchases at a particular pace. Lam Research buyback article
• Negative Sentiment: Despite a recent multi-session rebound, Lam remains below its 50-day moving average, and reports describe a roughly 34% decline over the past month. The sharp volatility and lingering pressure on semiconductor-equipment shares may continue to weigh on sentiment. Lam Research share performance article

Lam Research Stock Down 0.9%

Shares of Lam Research stock opened at $233.78 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.27, a quick ratio of 1.86 and a current ratio of 2.48. Lam Research Corporation has a 52-week low of $135.50 and a 52-week high of $438.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $292.03 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 34.84, a P/E/G ratio of 0.87 and a beta of 1.97. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $279.00 and its 200-day moving average price is $283.79.

Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, October 21st. The semiconductor company reported $2.20 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.18 by $0.02. Lam Research had a net margin of 32.34% and a return on equity of 72.15%. The company had revenue of $8.22 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $8.14 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $1.26 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 54.4% on a year-over-year basis. Equities research analysts forecast that Lam Research Corporation will post 9.60 EPS for the current year.

Lam Research Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, January 6th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, December 2nd will be issued a $0.33 dividend. This represents a $1.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.6%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, December 2nd. Lam Research’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 19.67%.

Lam Research announced that its board has authorized a stock repurchase program on Thursday, November 5th that allows the company to repurchase $25 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the semiconductor company to buy up to 9% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are generally an indication that the company’s board believes its shares are undervalued.

About Lam Research

Lam Research is a global supplier of equipment and services used to manufacture semiconductors. Its products help chipmakers create and process the microscopic structures that form integrated circuits. The company’s wafer fabrication equipment is used for processes including etch, thin-film deposition and wafer cleaning. Lam also provides services such as equipment maintenance, upgrades, spare parts and other support for chip manufacturing operations. Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Fremont, California, Lam Research serves semiconductor manufacturers around the world.