Cohu, Inc. research snapshot

COHU AI Stock Analysis

COHU AI stock analysis reads Cohu as a back-end semiconductor test equipment company tightly linked to AI-driven advanced packaging and test demand. The business benefits from growing semiconductor content in AI infrastructure, rising test complexity, and a cyclical recovery in semi capex. Revenue is recovering, the balance sheet is solid with $488.7 million in cash and manageable debt, and recent analyst upgrades point to growing AI conviction. At the July 13, 2026 cutoff, the latest verified close was $56.17, market capitalization was about $2.65 billion. The main question is whether AI test demand can sustain the revenue recovery and justify a forward P/E above 100x. The stock is up about 119% year to date but has pulled back sharply from its June 2026 all-time high. This page is informational research and not investment advice.

Current price

$56.17

Market cap

$2.65 billion

AI score

65 / 100

Rating

AI semiconductor test equipment beneficiary with cyclical recovery momentum and valuation risk

Trend status

Sharp pullback from all-time high of $74.60, still up 119% year to date

Data cutoff (updated weekly)

July 13, 2026

Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.

Research quality check

information Richness
B-level information richness. Cohu has long public filings, SEC data, recent earnings releases, analyst coverage from Baird and TD Cowen, and a clear peer set. The main limitation is that sell-side coverage is modest and quarterly earnings visibility is limited given the cyclical nature of semiconductor test equipment orders.
bias Check
The main AI research bias risk is letting the AI semiconductor equipment narrative overwhelm valuation discipline. This page separates documented revenue recovery, cash position, book value, analyst ratings, technical levels, short interest data, and scenario assumptions from market narrative.
ai Confidence
Medium-high data confidence
investment Certainty
Medium-low. Revenue recovery and cash position are well documented, but investment certainty is lower because Cohu is unprofitable on a GAAP basis, trades at very high forward multiples, depends on AI-driven semi capex timing, and faces high short interest that reflects debate about the sustainability of the recovery.

Quick verdict table

DimensionConclusionConfidence
Business qualityCohu sells semiconductor test handling systems, test interface products, thermal subsystems, and inspection/metrology equipment to chip manufacturers, OSAT providers, and electronics OEMs.High
MoatModerate moat based on customer qualification cycles, installed base of test handlers, broad portfolio across handler, interface, and thermal categories, and 70+ years of semiconductor equipment experience. Switching costs exist but customer concentration risk is present.Medium
ManagementCEO Luis Antonio Muller has led Cohu since 2022. Insider selling has exceeded buying in the past three months, with CFO and directors reducing positions. Management owns about 3% of shares.Medium
Financial trendRevenue is recovering with Q1 FY26 revenue of $125.12 million, up 29.3% year over year. However, the company remains GAAP unprofitable with TTM net income of -$74.27 million. Cash and equivalents of $488.7 million provide a solid buffer.High
ValuationAt $56.17, COHU trades at about 5.85x sales and 3.34x book value. Forward P/E is above 100x based on expected EPS recovery, meaning the stock prices in a very strong earnings rebound.Medium
Technical trendThe stock surged from $17.80 at the 52-week low to $74.60 at the all-time high in June, then pulled back sharply to around $56. The pullback creates uncertainty about whether this is a healthy correction or a trend change.Medium
Risk levelElevated risk due to GAAP unprofitability, high valuation, cyclical semiconductor equipment exposure, high short interest at 17.6% of float, and reliance on AI-driven capex cycles that can shift rapidly.Medium-high
AI confidenceHigh confidence for price, shares, market cap, balance sheet, revenue trends, and analyst ratings. Lower confidence for the durability of AI test demand, order pipeline visibility, and FY 2026 EPS trajectory.Medium-high data confidence
Investment certaintyMedium-low certainty. The business has genuine AI exposure through semiconductor test complexity, but the margin of safety is thin given the high multiple and ongoing GAAP losses.Medium-low

COHU AI stock forecast

COHU AI Stock Forecast Scenarios

The COHU AI stock forecast uses scenario ranges around the $56.17 cutoff price. It is not a certain AI price prediction. The bullish case requires AI-driven semiconductor test demand to keep accelerating, margins to improve, and the company to deliver on EPS recovery expectations. The base case assumes continued revenue growth with some multiple compression. The bearish case assumes the AI test cycle peaks early or the broader semi cycle turns down.

Bullish case

$75 to $85

More likely if AI-driven advanced packaging and test demand accelerates, Cohu delivers positive GAAP EPS by late 2026, gross margins expand with volume, and the market values the stock near 3x a recovering revenue base.

Base case

$45 to $55

More likely if revenue continues growing but GAAP profitability takes longer than expected, multiple compression offsets earnings growth, or the stock retraces some of its 2026 AI-driven gains.

Bearish case

$25 to $35

More likely if AI test demand normalizes or shifts to competitors, the semi capex cycle turns down, Cohu fails to reach sustainable profitability, or elevated short interest reflects fundamental concerns that materialize.

COHU AI technical analysis

COHU AI Technical Analysis

COHU AI technical analysis uses the July 10, 2026 close at $56.17 as the reference. Public technical data shows the stock well below its all-time high of $74.60 set in late June 2026. RSI had cooled from overbought levels. Because this page does not fetch live market data, traders should confirm every level on a current chart before acting.

LevelValueWhy it matters
Current price$56.17Latest verified close as of the July 13, 2026 data cutoff, sourced from MarketBeat.
Near support$51 to $54The July 7 low near $50.86 and the July 8-10 recovery pattern suggest buyers emerged in this zone.
Secondary support$42 to $45The 50-day moving average area may provide a next leg of support if selling pressure continues.
Long-term support$23 to $25The 200-day moving average and the pre-rally base around $23.27 (start of 2026) mark the longer-term trend floor.
Near resistance$58 to $60The previous close around $58.70 and the analyst average target of $59.29 create initial overhead.
Higher resistance$68 to $70The mid-June trading range and round-number psychology create resistance before the all-time high.
All-time high$74.60Set on June 30, 2026. A retest would require a fresh catalyst or renewed AI semiconductor momentum.
50-day moving averageAround $42 to $45Public technical references suggest the 50-day SMA is in this range, acting as a dynamic support level.
200-day moving averageAround $23 to $25The 200-day SMA is well below the current price, so the long-term trend remains intact.
MomentumCooling from overboughtThe stock had a large run from January to June 2026 and RSI has cooled. A period of consolidation is typical.
VolumeWatch relative to 1.4 million averageRecent volume has been elevated during the pullback. A stabilization on declining volume would be more constructive.
VolatilityHigh beta near 1.55Position sizing should accommodate sharp moves around semiconductor sector news and earnings.
InvalidationClose below $42, then $23A close below the 50-day area weakens the intermediate trend. A break below $23 challenges the entire 2026 uptrend.

COHU AI trading strategy

COHU AI Trading Strategy Framework

The COHU AI trading strategy is a rules-based framework, not personalized advice. It combines semiconductor test equipment cycle fundamentals, valuation discipline, high short interest awareness, technical confirmation, and clear invalidation levels. Traders can use Pineify tools to turn these conditions into chart alerts or a testable Pine Script strategy.

Trend-following setup

Wait for COHU to reclaim and hold above $58 to $60 with volume above the 1.4 million average before treating the pullback as a buying opportunity.

A failed reclaim or close below $51 should reduce confidence. The stock already had a large run and the reward-to-risk narrows as it pulls back.

Mean-reversion setup

If COHU stabilizes between $51 and $54, compare this level with the next earnings report, AI test demand commentary, gross margin trends, and cash flow trajectory.

Do not average down solely because of the AI narrative. Define maximum loss before entry and reassess if the semi cycle shows signs of peaking.

Fundamental monitor

Track quarterly revenue growth, GAAP vs non-GAAP EPS, gross margin, cash from operations, book value, and analyst estimates. Monitor short interest trends as a sentiment indicator.

Lower the rating if revenue growth decelerates while cash burn continues, or if the forward P/E stays above 100x without clear EPS visibility.

Investment research summary

Four-master Research Compression

Business essence

Cohu is a back-end semiconductor equipment company. Customers pay because they need test handlers, test contactors, thermal subsystems, and inspection systems to test and package semiconductor devices before they ship to end users.

Moat

The moat comes from long-standing customer relationships, qualification cycles, installed base, and a broad portfolio spanning handlers, contactors, and thermal. It is a moderate moat in a cyclical industry with customer concentration risk.

Munger risk inversion

The thesis can fail if the AI-driven test demand cycle proves shorter than expected, the semi capex cycle turns down, Cohu cannot reach GAAP profitability despite growing revenue, or customers consolidate suppliers.

Management

CEO Luis Antonio Muller joined in 2022. Insider selling has outweighed buying in recent months, with the CFO and directors reducing positions. Management holds about 3% of shares.

Industry trend

AI infrastructure buildout requires more advanced semiconductor packaging and test, which is a genuine demand driver for Cohu. However, test equipment spending is cyclical and tied to capacity utilization, not just technology trends.

Valuation and margin of safety

At about $56, COHU trades at 5.85x sales and above 100x forward earnings. The stock already prices in a strong cyclical recovery. The margin of safety is limited unless GAAP earnings materialize faster than expected.

Source-backed data

COHU Data Table

Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.

MetricValueSourceLast verified
COHU price$56.17 close on July 10, 2026MarketBeat COHU profileJuly 13, 2026
Market capitalization$2.65 billion, verified as $56.17 x 47.17 million sharesMarketBeat COHU profile and Pineify calculationJuly 13, 2026
Shares outstanding47.17 million sharesMarketBeat COHU profileJuly 13, 2026
Q1 FY 2026 revenue (quarter ending April 2026)$125.12 million, up 29.3% year over yearCohu earnings release April 30, 2026July 13, 2026
Q1 FY 2026 EPS$0.01 per diluted share (GAAP)MarketBeat Q1 FY26 earnings reportJuly 13, 2026
Trailing 12-month revenue$452.96 millionMarketBeat COHU financialsJuly 13, 2026
Trailing 12-month net income-$74.27 million (GAAP loss)MarketBeat COHU financialsJuly 13, 2026
Cash and short-term investments$488.7 millionMarketBeat COHU profileJuly 13, 2026
Total debt / equity ratio42.92% (debt-to-equity 0.37)Yahoo Finance COHU statisticsJuly 13, 2026
Book value per share$16.82MarketBeat COHU profileJuly 13, 2026
52-week range$17.80 to $74.60MarketBeat COHU profileJuly 13, 2026
Valuation ratiosPrice to sales 5.85, Price to book 3.34, Forward P/E above 100, P/FCF 102.25MarketBeat and Yahoo Finance COHU dataJuly 13, 2026
Short interest17.59% of float (5.18 days to cover)MarketBeat COHU short interestJuly 13, 2026
Analyst consensusModerate Buy, average target $59.29, high $80.00 (TD Cowen)MarketBeat COHU analyst forecastJuly 13, 2026
CEOLuis Antonio Muller (since 2022)TradingView COHU profileJuly 13, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

This COHU AI stock analysis page is an informational tool only. It is not investment advice, a recommendation, a solicitation, or a guarantee of future performance. Forecast scenarios are based on public data available at the cutoff date and can be wrong if earnings, valuation multiples, customer demand, semiconductor capex cycles, supply conditions, or market sentiment change. COHU carries elevated short interest and high valuation risk.