Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Diodes Incorporated reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 with mixed outcomes during a challenging economic environment.</li><li>The company experienced decreased revenue, reflecting slower-than expected recovery in consumer, computing, and communication segments, along with expected seasonal effects from the Chinese New Year holiday.</li><li>Revenue for the quarter stood at $302 million, a significant reduction from the previous year.</li></ul>

Diodes Incorporated reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 with mixed outcomes during a challenging economic environment.The company experienced decreased revenue, reflecting slower-than expected recovery in consumer, computing, and communication segments, along with expected seasonal effects from the Chinese New Year holiday.Revenue for the quarter stood at $302 million, a significant reduction from the previous year.

Diodes Incorporated: Focus on High-Value New Product Development and Portfolio Expansion!  - Major Drivers

Asia and Global Semiconductor and Tech Research

Andrew Lu

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Like other automotive/industrial semi vendors, Diodes guides 4Q23 sales of 20% q/q and 35% y/y decline (miss by 21%) and weaker gross margin/operating margin of 35%/7% (miss by 5ppts).</li>
<li>The company sees 4Q23 sales decline of 20% mainly from 19% of automotive and 26% of industrial customers due to customer inventory cut coupled with year-end distributor inventory management. </li>
<li>We expect this adjustment for automotive/industrial IDMs to last for at least 6 months and suggest our clients to avoid these names unless valuation becoming attractive.  </li>
</ul>


Like other automotive/industrial semi vendors, Diodes guides 4Q23 sales of 20% q/q and 35% y/y decline (miss by 21%) and weaker gross margin/operating margin of 35%/7% (miss by 5ppts).
The company sees 4Q23 sales decline of 20% mainly from 19% of automotive and 26% of industrial customers due to customer inventory cut coupled with year-end distributor inventory management. 
We expect this adjustment for automotive/industrial IDMs to last for at least 6 months and suggest our clients to avoid these names unless valuation becoming attractive.  


With No Surprise, Diodes Guides Automotive/Industrial Semi Demand to Fall over 20% Q/Q

<ul><li>This is our first report on semiconductors player, Diodes Incorporated.</li><li>Diodes' gross profit target of $1 billion has not been met yet, but the company remains positive about its strategic position in the market for eventual growth.</li><li>We have further incorporated a sensitivity analysis/ scenario analysis to understand how changes in key assumptions could impact the valuation under 3 scenarios - a base case, a bull case, and a bear case.</li></ul>

This is our first report on semiconductors player, Diodes Incorporated.Diodes' gross profit target of $1 billion has not been met yet, but the company remains positive about its strategic position in the market for eventual growth.We have further incorporated a sensitivity analysis/ scenario analysis to understand how changes in key assumptions could impact the valuation under 3 scenarios - a base case, a bull case, and a bear case.

Diodes Incorporated: Initiation of Coverage - How Their Focus on Design Wins Is Shaping the Future of Automotive and Industrial Sectors! - Major Drivers

<ul>
<li>Microchip used to be the bellwether for semiconductor demand After many semis guided weaknesses in automotive, industrial, and digital consumer much earlier, Microchip's 19% miss in 1Q24 gives no surprise.</li>
<li>
<strong>Why the worst among all?</strong> We attributed Microchip to over 85% of its products on automotive, industrial, and digital consumer. Other semis have higher exposure on PC and comm.</li>
<li>
<strong>Priced in?</strong> We estimate over 20% y/y decline in 2024 sales vs. Bloomberg's -8% y/y. 2024E EPS of US$2.94 is likely below US$1. Price is only 10% below historical peak.</li>
</ul>


Microchip used to be the bellwether for semiconductor demand After many semis guided weaknesses in automotive, industrial, and digital consumer much earlier, Microchip's 19% miss in 1Q24 gives no surprise.

Why the worst among all? We attributed Microchip to over 85% of its products on automotive, industrial, and digital consumer. Other semis have higher exposure on PC and comm.

Priced in? We estimate over 20% y/y decline in 2024 sales vs. Bloomberg's -8% y/y. 2024E EPS of US$2.94 is likely below US$1. Price is only 10% below historical peak.


From the Bellwether to a Lagging Indicator- Why Does Microchip Guide the Worst Among All?

<ul>
<li>Continuous weaknesses to be seen in industrial and general non-AI server semi demand starting 3Q23 and lasting into 1Q24 and some weaknesses in digital consumer semi demand starting 4Q23.</li>
<li>Memory semiconductor vendors see strengths in 4Q23 and continuous improvement in DRAM/NAND price in 1Q24.</li>
<li>We see a healthy mid single digit q/q and y/y decline on 4Q23 MOI but suggest vendors to avoid in next 1-2 months before they guide down the market.</li>
</ul>


Continuous weaknesses to be seen in industrial and general non-AI server semi demand starting 3Q23 and lasting into 1Q24 and some weaknesses in digital consumer semi demand starting 4Q23.
Memory semiconductor vendors see strengths in 4Q23 and continuous improvement in DRAM/NAND price in 1Q24.
We see a healthy mid single digit q/q and y/y decline on 4Q23 MOI but suggest vendors to avoid in next 1-2 months before they guide down the market.


First Run of Tech/Semis' Guidance Tells Us What Industries and Companies to Avoid

United States

Diodes Incorporated manufactures and supplies discrete, logic, and analog semiconductor devices to consumers in the electronics, computing, industrial, communications, and automotive markets. The Company's products include diodes, transistors, MOSFETs, single gate logic, LED drivers, and USB switches.

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Diodes Inc (DIOD US)

Diodes Incorporated: Focus on High-Value New Product Development and Portfolio Expansion! - Major Drivers

Diodes Incorporated reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2024 with mixed outcomes during a challenging economic...

Baptista Research

With No Surprise, Diodes Guides Automotive/Industrial Semi Demand to Fall over 20% Q/Q

With No Surprise, Diodes Guides Automotive/Industrial Semi Demand to Fall over 20% Q/Q, margin contraction, and rising months of inventory. We see...

Andrew Lu

Diodes Incorporated: Initiation of Coverage - How Their Focus on Design Wins Is Shaping the Future of Automotive and Industrial Sectors! - Major Drivers

This is our first report on semiconductors player, Diodes Incorporated. Diodes' gross profit target of $1 billion has not been met yet, but the...

Baptista Research

From the Bellwether to a Lagging Indicator- Why Does Microchip Guide the Worst Among All?

From the Bellwether to a Lagging Indicator- Why Does Microchip Guide the Worst Among All? For next six months, we like both Intel and Qualcomm more...

Andrew Lu

First Run of Tech/Semis' Guidance Tells Us What Industries and Companies to Avoid

First Run of Tech/Semis' Guidance Tells Us What Industries and Companies to Avoid; Weaknesses to be seen in industrial, general non-AI server semi,...

Andrew Lu

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