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

Hua Hong Semiconductor / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Revenues of US$568.5 million, down 10% sequentially and down 9.7% YoY, at the bottom of the previously guided range.</li>
<li>Net loss of $25.8 million compared to a profit of $7.8 million in the previous quarter and $65.5 million in the year ago period.</li>
<li>With current quarter gross margins in the 2-5% range, HHGrace has flipped from best in class in H123 to the worst in class now.</li>
</ul>


Revenues of US$568.5 million, down 10% sequentially and down 9.7% YoY, at the bottom of the previously guided range.
Net loss of $25.8 million compared to a profit of $7.8 million in the previous quarter and $65.5 million in the year ago period.
With current quarter gross margins in the 2-5% range, HHGrace has flipped from best in class in H123 to the worst in class now.


HHGrace. Yikes! Things Just Got Really Ugly

Asia and Global Semiconductor and Tech Research

Andrew Lu

Vanguard Intl Semiconductor / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Shortage/Oversupply, price hike/cut, automotive/industrial demand and inventory corrections are still cyclical. Gross margin should double from 22-24% now once utilization returning to 100% and no more free wafer by 2025.</li>
<li>LCD driver foundry is facing a structural competition as China panel customers are building a local supply chain.</li>
<li>Attractive below NT$70 as: 1. inventory correction should be done by 2Q24; 2. global 8" foundry sales y/y improvement began 3Q23; 3. closing to cyclical low P/BV of 2.5x.</li>
</ul>


Shortage/Oversupply, price hike/cut, automotive/industrial demand and inventory corrections are still cyclical. Gross margin should double from 22-24% now once utilization returning to 100% and no more free wafer by 2025.
LCD driver foundry is facing a structural competition as China panel customers are building a local supply chain.
Attractive below NT$70 as: 1. inventory correction should be done by 2Q24; 2. global 8" foundry sales y/y improvement began 3Q23; 3. closing to cyclical low P/BV of 2.5x.


Why Is Vanguard Semi Becoming to a Bad Student, Cyclical or Structural?

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.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>A quick discussion of the companies that have reported so far, and my thoughts on the semiconductor stock space</li><li>Pretty much the entire index is going to receive inflows at the expense of the top 8 names.</li><li>Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta, Apple, and Tesla will all be cut from the index weight and redistributed into smaller names on <a href="https://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/237279/index-investors-beware-the-nasdaq-is-rebalancing-next-week.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">July 24, 2023</a>.</li></ul>

A quick discussion of the companies that have reported so far, and my thoughts on the semiconductor stock spacePretty much the entire index is going to receive inflows at the expense of the top 8 names.Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta, Apple, and Tesla will all be cut from the index weight and redistributed into smaller names on July 24, 2023.

Nasdaq Rebalance, Nanya, Camtek, Nordic Semi, Aehr Test, and Positioning

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

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

<ul>
<li>
Major earnings week ahead: Taiwan names like Macronix, Lite-On, Delta, Mediatek report, while global tech giants Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Apple headline a critical week of results.</li>
<li>
 Apple’s India shift faces hurdles: Apple plans to move most U.S. iPhone assembly to India by 2026E, but analysts caution full supply chain relocation from China will be difficult.</li>
<li>
UMC and Intel: Strategy and Uncertainty in Focus: Recent updates from UMC and Intel reveal supply chain adaptations and market visibility challenges for 2025E and beyond.</li>
</ul>



Major earnings week ahead: Taiwan names like Macronix, Lite-On, Delta, Mediatek report, while global tech giants Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Apple headline a critical week of results.

 Apple’s India shift faces hurdles: Apple plans to move most U.S. iPhone assembly to India by 2026E, but analysts caution full supply chain relocation from China will be difficult.

UMC and Intel: Strategy and Uncertainty in Focus: Recent updates from UMC and Intel reveal supply chain adaptations and market visibility challenges for 2025E and beyond.


Taiwan Tech Weekly: Taiwan's Big Earnings Week and Apple's High-Stakes Shift to India

United Microelectron Sp Adr / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
UMC guides for 2Q25 rebound, expecting 5–7% QoQ wafer shipment growth and margin recovery to ~30%, though 2H25 visibility remains low due to tariff and inventory uncertainty.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/intel-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16764:1" rel="noopener">Intel Corp (INTC US)</a> 12nm project progressing; Initial client orders planned for 2026E, with management leaving the door open to future partnerships—including rumored <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/globalfoundries-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:34513:1" rel="noopener">GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GFS US)</a> collaboration—amid strategic diversification efforts.</li>
<li>
Tariff-Driven pull-forward of orders IS happening but impact reportedly limited so far, with UMC noting mixed customer behavior; near-term demand strength appears broad-based. We have a Neutral rating for UMC.</li>
</ul>



UMC guides for 2Q25 rebound, expecting 5–7% QoQ wafer shipment growth and margin recovery to ~30%, though 2H25 visibility remains low due to tariff and inventory uncertainty.

Intel Corp (INTC US) 12nm project progressing; Initial client orders planned for 2026E, with management leaving the door open to future partnerships—including rumored GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GFS US) collaboration—amid strategic diversification efforts.

Tariff-Driven pull-forward of orders IS happening but impact reportedly limited so far, with UMC noting mixed customer behavior; near-term demand strength appears broad-based. We have a Neutral rating for UMC.


UMC Sees Broad Rebound in Demand Ahead But Is Demand Being Pulled Forward by Tariffs?

United States

GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. operates as a semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company. The Company offers chips designed for markets such as mobility, automotive, computing and wired connectivity, and consumer internet of things (IoT). GLOBALFOUNDRIES serves customers worldwide.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GFS US)

HHGrace. Yikes! Things Just Got Really Ugly

A surprise loss-making Q323, ASPs down ~16% YTD and set to decline further, inventory write-downs and gross margin collapsing to the 2-5% range....

William Keating

Why Is Vanguard Semi Becoming to a Bad Student, Cyclical or Structural?

Why Is Vanguard Semi Becoming to a Bad Student? Some Cyclical or some Structural reasons for the weaknesses coupled with three reasons suggested...

Andrew Lu

Nasdaq Rebalance, Nanya, Camtek, Nordic Semi, Aehr Test, and Positioning

A quick discussion of the companies that have reported so far, and my thoughts on the semiconductor stock space Pretty much the entire index is...

Fabricated Knowledge

Taiwan Tech Weekly: Taiwan's Big Earnings Week and Apple's High-Stakes Shift to India

Upcoming earnings reports from Taiwan and global tech giants, Apple's India assembly shift faces challenges, UMC and Intel navigate supply chain...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

UMC Sees Broad Rebound in Demand Ahead But Is Demand Being Pulled Forward by Tariffs?

UMC expects 2Q25 rebound with wafer shipment growth and margin recovery, but 2H25 visibility remains low due to tariff and inventory uncertainty.

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

HHGrace. Yikes! Things Just Got Really Ugly

A surprise loss-making Q323, ASPs down ~16% YTD and set to decline further, inventory write-downs and gross margin collapsing to the 2-5% range....

William Keating

Why Is Vanguard Semi Becoming to a Bad Student, Cyclical or Structural?

Why Is Vanguard Semi Becoming to a Bad Student? Some Cyclical or some Structural reasons for the weaknesses coupled with three reasons suggested...

Andrew Lu

Nasdaq Rebalance, Nanya, Camtek, Nordic Semi, Aehr Test, and Positioning

A quick discussion of the companies that have reported so far, and my thoughts on the semiconductor stock space Pretty much the entire index is...

Fabricated Knowledge

Taiwan Tech Weekly: Taiwan's Big Earnings Week and Apple's High-Stakes Shift to India

​Upcoming earnings reports from Taiwan and global tech giants, Apple's India assembly shift faces challenges, UMC and Intel navigate supply chain...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

UMC Sees Broad Rebound in Demand Ahead But Is Demand Being Pulled Forward by Tariffs?

​UMC expects 2Q25 rebound with wafer shipment growth and margin recovery, but 2H25 visibility remains low due to tariff and inventory uncertainty.

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Upcoming earnings reports from Taiwan and global tech giants, Apple's India assembly shift faces challenges, UMC and Intel navigate supply chain...

UMC expects 2Q25 rebound with wafer shipment growth and margin recovery, but 2H25 visibility remains low due to tariff and inventory uncertainty.