KTCC vs SMTC vs SLAB vs PLXS

For growth investors, Silicon Laboratories Inc.

(SLAB) is the stronger pick with 34. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -17. 5% for Key Tronic Corporation (KTCC). Plexus Corp. (PLXS) offers the better valuation at 41. 6x trailing P/E (33. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Semtech Corporation (SMTC) a "Buy" — based on 32 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On forward P/E, Plexus Corp.

is actually cheaper at 33. 8x.

Over the past 5 years, Plexus Corp.

(PLXS) delivered a total return of +174. 0%, compared to -53. 9% for Key Tronic Corporation (KTCC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PLXS returned +529. 5% versus KTCC's -51. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Key Tronic Corporation (KTCC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

66β versus Semtech Corporation's 2. 75β — meaning SMTC is approximately 314% more volatile than KTCC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Plexus Corp. (PLXS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 12% versus 102% for Semtech Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Silicon Laboratories Inc.

(SLAB) is pulling ahead at 34. 3% versus -17. 5% for Key Tronic Corporation (KTCC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Semtech Corporation grew EPS 86. 7% year-over-year, compared to -196. 2% for Key Tronic Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, SMTC leads at 7. 1% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Plexus Corp.

(PLXS) is the more profitable company, earning 4. 3% net margin versus -17. 8% for Semtech Corporation — meaning it keeps 4. 3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SMTC leads at 6. 8% versus -9. 0% for SLAB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SLAB leads at 58. 2%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Plexus Corp.

(PLXS) trades at 33. 8x forward P/E versus 80. 3x for Silicon Laboratories Inc. — 46. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SLAB: -2. 8% to $211. 60.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Key Tronic Corporation (KTCC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

66)). Semtech Corporation (SMTC) carries a higher beta of 2. 75 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (KTCC: -51. 7%, SMTC: +462. 4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: KTCC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SMTC is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SLAB is a small-cap high-growth stock; PLXS is a small-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.