Semiconductor & Technology Specialist, Ingenuity

William Keating

Semiconductor & Technology Specialist

Ingenuity

Our focus is exclusively on in-depth research & consulting in the broader semiconductor industry. We focus on the key players, namely Intel, Micron, Qualcomm, Apple, Samsung, NVIDIA, AMD, TSMC & Global Foundries - as well as some of the lesser known, but nonetheless critical, companies such as ASML (for EUV), Mellanox, Cavium, Xilinx etc. We specialise in their products, roadmaps, process technologies, competitive advantages & threats etc. We also help our clients understand the implications of new and emerging technologies, e.g. 3D X-Point, 3D NAND, Carbon Nanotubes, Autonomous Driving, Graphene, Silicon Photonics, Wafer-Level Optics, Artificial Intelligence, FPGA, GPU, ASIC etc. 

Semiconductor Analysis & Research

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>SK Hynix reported Q423 revenues of 11.31 trillion won, up 25% QoQ and up 47% YoY</li>
<li>Operating profit of 346 billion won, marking the first quarter of profit following four straight quarters of losses.</li>
<li>SK Hynix is investing heavily in custom memory solutions driven by AI-related demand. It's a far better and more profitable business model than the mainstream commodity one.</li>
</ul>


SK Hynix reported Q423 revenues of 11.31 trillion won, up 25% QoQ and up 47% YoY
Operating profit of 346 billion won, marking the first quarter of profit following four straight quarters of losses.
SK Hynix is investing heavily in custom memory solutions driven by AI-related demand. It's a far better and more profitable business model than the mainstream commodity one.


SK Hynix & The Dawn Of Custom Memory Solutions

Managing Director, Zero One, Zero One

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Managing Director, Zero One

Zero One

Founded in 2015, Zero One produces independent investment research and provides corporate finance advisory services with a focus on both listed and private technology companies. Founder Vincent Fernando has over 20 years of experience in US and Asia capital markets.

Independent Investment Research

<ul>
<li>SK Hynix results surpised consensus with a swing to positive operating profit; The company expects industry demand growth to exceed supply growth by a wide margin in 2024E.</li>
<li>Management suggests optimism not just for 2024E, but also for 2025E. 2025E is when a much larger positive demand impact from AI is expected as AI products will expand substantially.</li>
<li>SK Hynix comments regarding AI phones imply that consumers will most likely need to upgrade their phones, including iPhones, to take full advantage of AI capabilities</li>
</ul>


SK Hynix results surpised consensus with a swing to positive operating profit; The company expects industry demand growth to exceed supply growth by a wide margin in 2024E.
Management suggests optimism not just for 2024E, but also for 2025E. 2025E is when a much larger positive demand impact from AI is expected as AI products will expand substantially.
SK Hynix comments regarding AI phones imply that consumers will most likely need to upgrade their phones, including iPhones, to take full advantage of AI capabilities


What SK Hynix's Latest Results Indicate for PC & Mobile Makers into 2025E, Including Apple

Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs Specialist, Objective Analysis

Jim Handy

Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs Specialist

Objective Analysis

Objective Analysis offers third-party independent market research and data for the semiconductor industry and investors in the semiconductor industry.

Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>SK hynix' earnings call has been scheduled for 9:00 AM Korea, January 25, and Samsung's for 10:00 AM Korea, January 31.  What can investors expect to hear?</li>
<li>Three indicators have provided a preview of the two calls' directions: WSTS, Spot Pricing, and Micron's earnings call one month earlier.</li>
<li>The news for the market is positive, so expect to hear that these companies are making progress towards regaining profitability in semiconductors.</li>
</ul>


SK hynix' earnings call has been scheduled for 9:00 AM Korea, January 25, and Samsung's for 10:00 AM Korea, January 31.  What can investors expect to hear?
Three indicators have provided a preview of the two calls' directions: WSTS, Spot Pricing, and Micron's earnings call one month earlier.
The news for the market is positive, so expect to hear that these companies are making progress towards regaining profitability in semiconductors.


What to Expect In SK Hynix and Samsung Earnings Calls

Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) - ADR / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Taiwan PC names have been the top losers over the recent period, after having previously been the top winners. Our Long Dell vs. Short Acer trade is doing well.</li>
<li>Nanya Tech was a top loser, falling along with its international Memory peers. Nevertheless, we note it underperformed Micron and SK Hynix. We continue to prefer SK Hynix for Memory.</li>
<li>CES is happening now and will be wrapping up Friday. We like our Dell vs. Taiwan PC names through the CES event. TSMC will be reporting results January 18th.</li>
</ul>


Taiwan PC names have been the top losers over the recent period, after having previously been the top winners. Our Long Dell vs. Short Acer trade is doing well.
Nanya Tech was a top loser, falling along with its international Memory peers. Nevertheless, we note it underperformed Micron and SK Hynix. We continue to prefer SK Hynix for Memory.
CES is happening now and will be wrapping up Friday. We like our Dell vs. Taiwan PC names through the CES event. TSMC will be reporting results January 18th.


Taiwan Tech Weekly: Dell Outperforms Taiwan PC Names; TSMC Results Coming After Taiwan Election

Silicon Motion Technology / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Recent results from Micron and SK Hynix did not only signal a recovery for DRAM but also for NAND flash memory. Micron expects improving NAND pricing through CY2025E.</li>
<li>Latest data shows a surge in NAND pricing -- 512GB NAND pricing is now up 116% from its 2023 lows.</li>
<li>Silicon Motion shares are down 5% over the last year. They have been weighed down by their terminated acquisition by MaxLinear, but now could offer a laggard play.</li>
</ul>


Recent results from Micron and SK Hynix did not only signal a recovery for DRAM but also for NAND flash memory. Micron expects improving NAND pricing through CY2025E.
Latest data shows a surge in NAND pricing -- 512GB NAND pricing is now up 116% from its 2023 lows.
Silicon Motion shares are down 5% over the last year. They have been weighed down by their terminated acquisition by MaxLinear, but now could offer a laggard play.


Silicon Motion: Next Wave of the Memory Recovery; High-End NAND Prices More Than Doubled From Lows

United States

Micron Technology, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets dynamic random access memory chips (DRAMs), very fast static random access memory chips (SRAMs), Flash Memory, other semiconductor components, and memory modules.

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Micron Technology (MU US)

SK Hynix & The Dawn Of Custom Memory Solutions

SK Hynix reported Q423 revenues of 11.31 trillion won, +25% QoQ, +47% YoY. Op profit 346 billion won, first in five quarters. A pivot to custom...

William Keating

What SK Hynix's Latest Results Indicate for PC & Mobile Makers into 2025E, Including Apple

SK Hynix expects strong industry demand growth in 2024 and beyond, particularly due to AI expansion. AI mobile phones will be a future driver and...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

What to Expect In SK Hynix and Samsung Earnings Calls

How will the SK hynix earnings call on Jan 25 and the Samsung earnings call on Jan 31 play out? Certain indicators, spelled out in this insight,...

Jim Handy

Taiwan Tech Weekly: Dell Outperforms Taiwan PC Names; TSMC Results Coming After Taiwan Election

Taiwan PC names have gone from being top winners to top losers, while Nanya Tech underperformed compared to Micron and SK Hynix. Could Microsoft...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Silicon Motion: Next Wave of the Memory Recovery; High-End NAND Prices More Than Doubled From Lows

Silicon Motion shares are down 5% over the last year. They have been weighed down by their terminated acquisition by MaxLinear, but now could offer...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

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SK Hynix & The Dawn Of Custom Memory Solutions

SK Hynix reported Q423 revenues of 11.31 trillion won, +25% QoQ, +47% YoY. Op profit 346 billion won, first in five quarters. A pivot to custom...

William Keating

What SK Hynix's Latest Results Indicate for PC & Mobile Makers into 2025E, Including Apple

​SK Hynix expects strong industry demand growth in 2024 and beyond, particularly due to AI expansion. AI mobile phones will be a future driver and...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

What to Expect In SK Hynix and Samsung Earnings Calls

How will the SK hynix earnings call on Jan 25 and the Samsung earnings call on Jan 31 play out? Certain indicators, spelled out in this insight,...

Jim Handy

Taiwan Tech Weekly: Dell Outperforms Taiwan PC Names; TSMC Results Coming After Taiwan Election

​Taiwan PC names have gone from being top winners to top losers, while Nanya Tech underperformed compared to Micron and SK Hynix. Could Microsoft...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Silicon Motion: Next Wave of the Memory Recovery; High-End NAND Prices More Than Doubled From Lows

Silicon Motion shares are down 5% over the last year. They have been weighed down by their terminated acquisition by MaxLinear, but now could offer...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

SK Hynix expects strong industry demand growth in 2024 and beyond, particularly due to AI expansion. AI mobile phones will be a future driver and...

Taiwan PC names have gone from being top winners to top losers, while Nanya Tech underperformed compared to Micron and SK Hynix. Could Microsoft...