Lam Research Corporation vs Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.
LRCX wins the Tale of the Tape 7–2.
🏆 Tale of the Tape
Green = winner in each category. Higher is better except P/E (lower = cheaper).
Rolling Correlation
Moderately correlated — some diversification benefit from holding both.
Fundamentals
| Metric | LRCX | AAOI |
|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $397.9B | $12.7B |
| P/E Ratio | 60.3x | — |
| Forward P/E | 40.1x | 33.2x |
| P/B | 37.59x | 11.31x |
| Dividend Yield | 0.33% | — |
| Beta | 1.82 | 3.76 |
Quantitative Metrics
| Metric | LRCX | AAOI |
|---|---|---|
| DCF Fair Value | $34.66 | — |
| DCF Upside | -87.0% | — |
| Piotroski F | 7/9 | 4/9 |
| Altman Z | 21.46 | — |
| Beneish M | -2.34 | -0.61 |
| FCF Yield | 1.65% | — |
| Net Debt/EBITDA | -0.4x | — |
| ROIC | 32.8% | -3.8% |
| WACC | 15.6% | — |
| ROIC – WACC | 17.2pp | — |
| Gross Margin | 48.7% | 30.0% |
| Net Margin | 29.1% | -8.4% |
| Rev Growth YoY | 23.7% | 82.8% |
| Sharpe (1Y) | 2.89 | 2.40 |
| Max Drawdown 3Y | — | -77.2% |
| FCF Payout Ratio | 21% | — |
LRCX Price
AAOI Price
ETF Exposure
LRCX found in:
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Quant metrics computed from financial statements and 1,200+ trading days. Correlation is Pearson coefficient on daily log returns. Not investment advice.
LRCX vs AAOI: Head-to-Head Analysis
Lam Research Corporation (LRCX) and Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI) represent two companies in the Technology sector. In our quantitative Tale of the Tape scoring, LRCX leads 7–2 across nine fundamental and risk metrics including profitability, valuation, capital efficiency, and financial health.
In terms of capital efficiency, LRCX generates a return on invested capital (ROIC) of 32.8% compared to AAOI's -3.8%. This suggests LRCX is more effective at deploying capital to generate shareholder returns.
The 252-day rolling correlation between LRCX and AAOI is 0.384, indicating moderate co-movement, with some diversification value from holding both in a portfolio context.
LRCX appears in 37 ETFs tracked by SecuritiesDB, while AAOI appears in 5 ETFs. Investors holding broad-market ETFs may already have indirect exposure to both stocks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which stock is the better investment, LRCX or AAOI?
Our quantitative analysis compares LRCX and AAOI across nine fundamental dimensions. LRCX wins the Tale of the Tape 7–2. However, stock selection depends on your individual risk tolerance, time horizon, and portfolio context. These metrics are computed from SEC filings and market data — they are not investment recommendations.
Are LRCX and AAOI correlated?
The 252-day correlation between LRCX and AAOI is 0.384. They show moderate correlation — partially diversifying.
How is the Tale of the Tape scored?
The Tale of the Tape compares both stocks across nine categories: profitability (net margin), valuation (P/E), efficiency (ROIC), health (Piotroski F-Score), safety (Altman Z-Score), growth (revenue YoY), risk (Sharpe ratio), leverage (debt-to-equity), and cash generation (FCF yield). The stock that wins more categories takes the overall score. Lower P/E and lower debt-to-equity count as wins.