During the third quarter, we added two new stocks and sold two others to make room for our new positions. The first addition was KLA-Tencor (NASDAQ:KLAC), the semiconductor-equipment manufacturer. KLA’s technological expertise in process-control equipment generates industry-leading margins, and the company’s moat is widening as chips get smaller and defects become harder to find. The stock has underperformed its peers, as semiconductor equipment spending has been concentrated on memory chips, instead of logic chips, which is KLA’s core market. In addition, uncertainty around KLA’s pending acquisition by Lam Research held the stock back. After the quarter ended, KLA and Lam called off the deal, which will shift investor focus to the improving demand for KLA’s equipment, and should move the stock higher.
From Jerome Dodson (Trades, Portfolio)'s Parnassus Fund third-quarter 2016 commentary.
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