Equity Long-Short, Semiconductors, Fabricated Knowledge

Douglas O'Laughlin

Equity Long-Short, Semiconductors

Fabricated Knowledge

Learn more about the world's most important manufactured product. Meaningful insight, timely analysis, and an occasional investment idea.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>ACM Research is a bit of an oddball stock. It’s a US listing of a Chinese company, with 82% ownership of the Chinese subsidiary.</li><li>The US listing is the parent company and has been in the crossfire of US-China trade tensions for years.</li><li>It is probably the best Chinese Semicap company and has real orders with multinational companies, notably SK Hynix.</li></ul>

ACM Research is a bit of an oddball stock. It’s a US listing of a Chinese company, with 82% ownership of the Chinese subsidiary.The US listing is the parent company and has been in the crossfire of US-China trade tensions for years.It is probably the best Chinese Semicap company and has real orders with multinational companies, notably SK Hynix.

China/Asia TMT

Shawn Yang

China growth and global non-US Internet equities

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Blue Lotus Research is a Hong Kong Type 4 Licensed investment advisory firm focusing on Chinese growth equities and global non-US Internet equities

<ul>
<li>We expect ACMR to report C4Q22 top-line, non-IFRS operating profit, and IFRS net income in-line, 21% and 96% vs. consensus, respectively. </li>
<li>New SPE import limits provide ACMR with a multi category quasi-monopoly. Thus, we raise our FY23 market share estimate for ECD/wafer clean/furnace to 51%/32%/2% from prior 25%/25%/0%.</li>
<li>ACMR’s quasi-monopoly position in multiple categories sustain its long-run growth, which underlines a 58% TP increase to US$ 30 and continued status as our top hardware pick.</li>
</ul>


We expect ACMR to report C4Q22 top-line, non-IFRS operating profit, and IFRS net income in-line, 21% and 96% vs. consensus, respectively. 
New SPE import limits provide ACMR with a multi category quasi-monopoly. Thus, we raise our FY23 market share estimate for ECD/wafer clean/furnace to 51%/32%/2% from prior 25%/25%/0%.
ACMR’s quasi-monopoly position in multiple categories sustain its long-run growth, which underlines a 58% TP increase to US$ 30 and continued status as our top hardware pick.


[ACM Research Inc. (ACMR US, BUY, TP US$30) TP Change]: At the Foothill of a Multi-Category Monopoly

<ul>
<li>ACMR reported C1Q23 top-line, GAAP EBIT and non-IFRS net profit (2.8%), 42% and 35% vs. our est., and in-line, and positive vs. negative, respectively. </li>
<li>We estimate ACMR’s China wafer clean/ECD share was 11%/45%~ in 1Q23, +4/28ppts YoY, while guidance implies 45%/50%~ in 4Q23, respectively; </li>
<li>We maintain BUY and US$ 30 TP, implying 2.0x FY24 EV/Sales</li>
</ul>


ACMR reported C1Q23 top-line, GAAP EBIT and non-IFRS net profit (2.8%), 42% and 35% vs. our est., and in-line, and positive vs. negative, respectively. 
We estimate ACMR’s China wafer clean/ECD share was 11%/45%~ in 1Q23, +4/28ppts YoY, while guidance implies 45%/50%~ in 4Q23, respectively; 
We maintain BUY and US$ 30 TP, implying 2.0x FY24 EV/Sales


[ACM Research (ACMR US)]: Preferred Local Tool Supplier Beginning Global Ascent

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The PCAOB has not, despite a cooperation agreement with the CSRC signed in 2013, been able to conduct on-site investigations of a HK or mainland-based company since 2010.</li>
<li>On Friday, the CSRC published a new Strengthening Confidentiality and File Management Related to Overseas Issuance to replace 2009 rules. </li>
<li>Importantly, the revised Provisions deletes the stipulation that “on-site inspections shall be dominated by domestic regulators or depend on the conclusions of inspections by domestic regulators.” Will it be enough?</li>
</ul>


The PCAOB has not, despite a cooperation agreement with the CSRC signed in 2013, been able to conduct on-site investigations of a HK or mainland-based company since 2010.
On Friday, the CSRC published a new Strengthening Confidentiality and File Management Related to Overseas Issuance to replace 2009 rules. 
Importantly, the revised Provisions deletes the stipulation that “on-site inspections shall be dominated by domestic regulators or depend on the conclusions of inspections by domestic regulators.” Will it be enough?


New CSRC "Provisions" Take a Step Towards Meeting PCAOB Requirements

China New Economy Equity Analyst, Blue Lotus Research Institute

Robert McKay

China New Economy Equity Analyst

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>In the past four quarters, Chinese companies bought 65+ ArF (Argon Fluoride) Immersion lithography machines, some capable of overlay precision as fine as 1.5nm overlay for Self-Aligned Double/Quadruple/Octuple Patterning (SAD/Q/OP);</li>
<li>The race is between Chinese foundries to put these lithography machines to meet the raging demand of AI, which looks optimistic in the medium term, despite short-term challenges;</li>
<li>The race is also among the global semiconductor industry to meet the demand for testing the limit of AI's scaling law. So far the balance tips in <strong>disfavor</strong> of China. </li>
</ul>


In the past four quarters, Chinese companies bought 65+ ArF (Argon Fluoride) Immersion lithography machines, some capable of overlay precision as fine as 1.5nm overlay for Self-Aligned Double/Quadruple/Octuple Patterning (SAD/Q/OP);
The race is between Chinese foundries to put these lithography machines to meet the raging demand of AI, which looks optimistic in the medium term, despite short-term challenges;
The race is also among the global semiconductor industry to meet the demand for testing the limit of AI's scaling law. So far the balance tips in disfavor of China. 


China's Near-Term Semiconductor Bottleneck Isn't ASML

United States

ACM Research, Inc. develops wet processing technology. The Company produces equipment for a range of applications in integrated circuits and wafer level packaging, as well as offers coating, developer, wet stripping, scrubber, and plating systems. ACM Research serves customers worldwide.

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ACM Research (ACMR US)

Chinese Semiconductor Beneficiary

The EV wave is big for Chinese lagging edge. One of the largest beneficiaries is bullish. ACM Research is a bit of an oddball stock. It’s a US...

Fabricated Knowledge

[ACM Research Inc. (ACMR US, BUY, TP US$30) TP Change]: At the Foothill of a Multi-Category Monopoly

ACMR’s quasi-monopoly position in multiple categories sustain its long-run growth, which underlines a 58% TP increase to US$ 30 and continued...

Blue Lotus Research Institute