KLIC vs XLK Stock Comparison

Compare KLIC and XLK across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.

Market data as of Sep 11, 2026 market close· AIQ score gap 4 points
KLIC
Technology
vs
XLK
Equity
KLIC
Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc.
Price
$86.13
Day move
+3.81%
AIQ Score
55/100
Best edge
Value
Sector
Technology
XLK
State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF
Leads
Price
$188
Day move
+1.32%
AIQ Score
59/100
Best edge
Momentum
Sector
Equity

What is the main difference between KLIC and XLK?

XLK leads the current stock comparison as State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF, with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.

AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison

Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. vs State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF

Data as of Sep 11, 2026· market close· KLIC (stock) vs XLK (ETF)· Coverage 66/66 fields· 42/42 directly comparable· Moderate confidence
AIQ VerdictCompetitiveAIQ Comparison Conviction 5/10

XLK leads

XLK leads by 4 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience.

Competitive: 3 of 4 evidence groups support XLK, and its signal state is cleanly positive.

Evidence agreement: 3 of 4Comparison trend: Stable
KLIC

Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc.

AIQ Score
55/100
AIQ Edge Score
7/10
XLK

State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF

Leads
AIQ Score
59/100
AIQ Edge Score
9/10

The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors XLK over KLIC, 59 versus 55 as of Sep 11, 2026. XLK's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience, while KLIC holds the stronger value profile. XLK also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor XLK today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. XLK lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 4 points over 30 sessions.

Compare Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.

Currently unavailable

Performance over time

Price-return comparison using available daily close history.

KLIC
+14.2%
XLK
+136.4%

Total return comparison

Growth of $10,000

KLIC $11,421 · XLK $23,643

Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.

Compare KLIC and XLK against another ticker

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AIQ Factor Divergence

Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.

KLIC advantage
0
XLK advantage
  • Value57 vs 36
    KLIC +21
  • Momentum45 vs 65
    XLK +20
  • Risk Resilience47 vs 62
    XLK +15
  • Quality65 vs 74
    XLK +9

3 of 4 evidence groups favor XLK. XLK’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience; KLIC keeps a meaningful value edge.

What changed since the last close

Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.

KLIC0 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum +1

No new signals fired.

XLK-1 AIQ

Largest factor move: Momentum -5

No new signals fired.

XLK's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.

Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — KLIC and XLK both carry a full feed there.

The central trade-off

XLK (State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.

KLIC (Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc.): the counter-case, on value, valuation — but at materially higher volatility, 51.2% against 20.6%.

Which one fits your objective

The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.

Balanced

XLK

XLK on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.

Growth

Even

Growth figures are not covered for both names.

Value

KLIC

KLIC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 21 points.

Momentum

XLK

XLK on the Momentum factor, by 20 points.

Lower downside

XLK

XLK on Risk Resilience, by 15 points.

Analyst upside

Even

Analyst targets are level or not covered for both names.

AIQ vs Wall Street

Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.

MeasureKLICXLKNote
Implied upside to target-18.7%Level
Target dispersion0%Lower is tighter analyst agreement
ConsensusBuyContext, not a primary driver
Analysts covering1Higher coverage generally improves confidence

Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

AIQ Agreement Matrix

3 of 4 covered evidence groups favor XLK. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.

Evidence groupFavorsReading
AIQ ScoreXLK55 vs 59
FundamentalsNot coveredNot covered
ValuationKLICValue 57 vs 36
TechnicalsXLKPrice vs 50-day -9.2% vs 2.7%; vs 200-day 4.1% vs 15%
Risk ResilienceXLKRisk Resilience 47 vs 62
Analyst expectationsNot coveredNot covered

✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of KLIC and XLK and are excluded from the count.

AIQ Decision Stability

Competitive

The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.

  • The AIQ gap is narrow at 4 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
  • The leader's signal state is cleanly positive. (supports the conclusion holding)

Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on XLK.

How the comparison changed

119 daily snapshots · May 4 Sep 10

XLK lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 4 points over 30 sessions.

May 4KLIC leads above the line · XLK leads belowSep 10
Today
XLK +4
55 vs 59
7 sessions ago
XLK +5
51 vs 56
30 sessions ago
XLK +4
55 vs 59
90 sessions ago
KLIC +9
52 vs 43

The lead changed hands 5 times in this window, most recently on Aug 27 when XLK moved ahead of KLIC.

AIQ Signal Divergence

Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.

KLIC

2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (19.05%)
  • ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode neutral, volatility, short horizon (5.24%)
  • MACD Bullish Crossover bullish, momentum, short horizon
XLK

4 bullish / 0 bearish

  • Golden Cross Active bullish, trend, long horizon (13.41%)
  • EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish bullish, trend, medium horizon
  • Uptrend Structure Active bullish, trend, long horizon

Price vs model alignment

Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.

KLICNo material change

Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +3.81%, AIQ 0 points).

XLKDivergence

Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +1.32%, AIQ -1 points).

What would flip this result

A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.

  1. 1KLIC closes the Momentum gap — currently 20 points behind, the largest single contributor to XLK's edge.
  2. 2KLIC's ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
  3. 3XLK's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict.
  4. 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

The full evidence

Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.

Fundamentals

Split
MetricKLICXLK
Revenue growth (YoY)36.2%
EPS growth (YoY)64.2%
Gross margin48.2%
Operating margin13.4%
Return on equity (TTM)13.6%
Debt to equity0.04

Performance

Split across windows
MetricKLICXLK
1 week (5 sessions)5.1%0.9%
1 month (20 sessions)-12.8%-1.9%
3 months (63 sessions)-18.7%4.9%
6 months (126 sessions)26.5%31.9%
Year to date82.1%28.7%
1 year (252 sessions)117.5%39.9%

Technicals

XLK has the stronger structure
MetricKLICXLK
RSI (14)4454.1
ADX (14)29.110.4
Price vs 50-day-9.2%2.7%
Price vs 200-day4.1%15%
Volatility (1M, annualized)51.2%20.6%

Risk

XLK is the more resilient
MetricKLICXLK
Beta2.161.75
Sharpe ratio1.591.25
Sortino ratio2.381.94
Max drawdown-41.7%-16.1%
Current drawdown-38%-6.5%
Annualized volatility57%26.4%
Value at risk (95%)-5.8%-2.6%

Straight answers

Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.

Which is better, KLIC or XLK?

On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, XLK is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 59 against KLIC's 55. The edge comes from momentum and risk resilience. KLIC is not without a case — it holds the better value profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.

Is KLIC or XLK the better buy right now?

XLK carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 3 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.

Why does the AIQ Score favor XLK over KLIC?

The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. KLIC leads Value by 21 points; XLK leads Momentum by 20 points; XLK leads Risk Resilience by 15 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.

Which has more analyst upside, KLIC or XLK?

Analyst price targets imply -18.7% upside for KLIC and not covered for XLK. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.

Which is better value, KLIC or XLK?

KLIC is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. KLIC on the peer-relative Value factor, by 21 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.

Which has stronger growth, KLIC or XLK?

Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.

Which has stronger momentum, KLIC or XLK?

XLK on the Momentum factor, by 20 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.

Which is riskier, KLIC or XLK?

XLK is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. XLK on Risk Resilience, by 15 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.

Is KLIC more profitable than XLK?

Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.

Is XLK's lead over KLIC getting stronger or weaker?

XLK lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 4 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 5 times in that window, most recently on 2026-08-27, when XLK moved ahead of KLIC.

What would change the KLIC vs XLK verdict?

The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: KLIC closes the Momentum gap — currently 20 points behind, the largest single contributor to XLK's edge; KLIC's ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; XLK's Golden Cross Active breaks down — it is the strongest rule currently supporting the verdict; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.

What do the current signals say about KLIC and XLK?

KLIC: 2 bullish / 0 bearish / 1 neutral. XLK: 4 bullish / 0 bearish. The most decision-relevant rule on KLIC is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On XLK it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).

Continue your research

This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.

How this comparison is scored

The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.

The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.

How to use side-by-side comparison →

This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.