How much a stock's price changes over time is a significant driver for most investors. Not only can price performance impact your portfolio, but it can help you compare investment results across sectors and industries as well.
Another thing that can drive investing is the fear of missing out, or FOMO. This particularly applies to tech giants and popular consumer-facing stocks.
What if you'd invested in Onto Innovation (ONTO) ten years ago? It may not have been easy to hold on to ONTO for all that time, but if you did, how much would your investment be worth today?
Onto Innovation's Business In-Depth
With that in mind, let's take a look at Onto Innovation's main business drivers.
Headquartered in Wilmington, MA, Onto Innovation is a worldwide leader in the design, development, manufacture and support of metrology and inspection tools, lithography systems and process control analytical software, primarily for semiconductor device fabricators, silicon wafer manufacturers and advanced packaging service providers in the semiconductor space.
The company was formed through a merger between Nanometrics Incorporated and Rudolph Technologies on Oct 25, 2019. Built on the rich legacies of these two companies, Onto Innovation has emerged as a strong player in the semiconductor equipment industry with unique perspectives across the semiconductor value chain.
Onto Innovation’s product lines include Automated Metrology Systems, Integrated Metrology Systems, Macro Defect Inspection, Silicon Wafer All-surface Inspection/Characterization, Automated Defect Classification and Pattern Analysis, Yield Analysis, Opaque Film Metrology, Advanced Packaging Lithography and Industrial, Scientific, and Research Markets (4D Technology), Process Control Software and Yield Management Software.
For 2024, total revenues were $987 million. It generates revenues through the sales of its systems and software, as well as spare parts and related services. Systems & software comprised 86% of total revenues, Parts 8% and Services the rest 6%.
The company has an extensive geographical footprint and supports a diverse range of customers in more than 18 countries.
It derives a significant portion of its revenues from customers in Asia, particularly Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Samsung Electronics and Toshiba Corporation. Taiwan and South Korea were the largest markets in 2024, contributing 31% and 29% respectively. China accounted for 12%, the United States 11%, while Japan and Southeast Asia each contributed 6%, and Europe made up the remaining 5%.
The company faces competition in each of the markets it operates. Some of the key competitors include KLA Corporation, Nova Ltd, Camtek Ltd, GigaVis Co. Ltd and PDF Solutions, Inc.
Bottom Line
Putting together a successful investment portfolio takes a combination of research, patience, and a little bit of risk. For Onto Innovation, if you bought shares a decade ago, you're likely feeling really good about your investment today.
A $1000 investment made in December 2015 would be worth $9,831.10, or a 883.11% gain, as of December 17, 2025, according to our calculations. Investors should note that this return excludes dividends but includes price increases.
The S&P 500 rose 228.03% and the price of gold increased 293.92% over the same time frame in comparison.
Looking ahead, analysts are expecting more upside for ONTO.
Onto Innovation is gaining from a diversified portfolio and growing foothold in AI-driven advanced packaging against a softer semiconductor backdrop. Successful 3Di and Dragonfly qualifications, product uptake and offshore manufacturing ramp-up position it for solid sequential and long-term growth. It expects about 18% fourth-quarter sales growth at the midpoint of $250-$265 million, driven by strong Dragonfly demand from 2.5D packaging customers and higher DRAM and logic spending. We expect fourth quarter sales to be $263.7M. Momentum is building into 2026, with the Semilab acquisition and strong execution expected to boost competitiveness and margins. Its solid cash flow anchors R&D and accretive buyouts. However, fourth-quarter margins are likely to be hurt by higher costs from inbound raw material tariffs. Concentration risks and stiff rivalry remain woes.
The stock is up 24.31% over the past four weeks, and no earnings estimate has gone lower in the past two months, compared to 5 higher, for fiscal 2025. The consensus estimate has moved up as well.
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Onto Innovation Inc. (ONTO): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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