SCREEN and Lasertec both forecast 20%+ sales gains after down year

SCREEN Holdings makes equipment that cleans microscopic contamination from wafer surfaces, while Lasertec makes inspection tools that detect tiny defects in photomasks, the master templates used to transfer circuit patterns onto wafers. Both are seen as AI and semiconductor-related stocks, and in a ranking of 42 Japanese companies tied to AI and semiconductors, Lasertec placed 15th and SCREEN 17th based on consensus profit growth forecasts over three years.

Their latest results both showed lower revenue and profit, but the current fiscal year tells a different story. SCREEN reported revenue of 6057億円 and operating profit of 1225億円 for the year ended March 2026, an operating margin of 20.2%. Lasertec reported revenue of 2305億円 and operating profit of 1053億円 for the year ended June 2026, a margin of 45.7%. Now both forecast revenue growth above 20%, yet the shape of recovery diverges: SCREEN expects its margin to improve to 21.1%, while Lasertec expects its to decline to 43.1% as profit growth lags revenue growth.

SCREEN's first quarter was still weak, with revenue down 10.3% year on year and operating profit down 41.1%, but the company raised its full-year revenue forecast from 7250億円 to 7430億円 and its operating profit forecast from 1500億円 to 1565億円. It attributes the second-half pickup to advanced logic, foundry and memory customers. Whether that demand appears on schedule is likely the key test for both companies' plans.