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

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Global semiconductor sales have increased MoM  for seven months in a row. PC &amp; Smartphone unit shipments have bottomed and are on the rise. Memory has bottomed.</li>
<li>Silicon wafer inventories are piled high, ASML, TEL facing down zero growth in 2024, foundry utilisations are (mostly) in the doldrums with further ASP cuts looming on the horizon. </li>
<li>Multiple data points suggest we'll still be talking about this downturn well into 2024</li>
</ul>


Global semiconductor sales have increased MoM  for seven months in a row. PC &amp; Smartphone unit shipments have bottomed and are on the rise. Memory has bottomed.
Silicon wafer inventories are piled high, ASML, TEL facing down zero growth in 2024, foundry utilisations are (mostly) in the doldrums with further ASP cuts looming on the horizon. 
Multiple data points suggest we'll still be talking about this downturn well into 2024


Semiconductors. The Downturn Is Over. Or Is It?

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Global silicon wafer area shipments declined 10% QoQ in Q323 but customer inventory remains at historical highs and is showing no signs of declining</li>
<li>SUMCO's Operating Profit forecasted to fall by ¥8.6 billion QoQ in Q423 </li>
<li>The company vowed to make "substantial" production cuts in a bid to bring their inventory situation under control. </li>
</ul>


Global silicon wafer area shipments declined 10% QoQ in Q323 but customer inventory remains at historical highs and is showing no signs of declining
SUMCO's Operating Profit forecasted to fall by ¥8.6 billion QoQ in Q423 
The company vowed to make "substantial" production cuts in a bid to bring their inventory situation under control. 


Silicon Wafers. SUMCO Sounds The Alarm As Inventory Continues To Climb

<ul>
<li>TSMC Reported October revenues of NT$243.20 billion, an increase of 34.8% QoQ and an increase of 15.7% YoY.</li>
<li>According to IDC, worldwide smartphone shipments amounted to 302.8 million units in Q323, still down 0.1% YoY, but up ~14.1% sequentially.</li>
<li>Silicon wafer area shipments for Q323 amounted to 3,010 MSI, down 19.5% YoY &amp; down 10% QoQ. Why are wafer shipments declining when key end markets are in recovery mode?</li>
</ul>


TSMC Reported October revenues of NT$243.20 billion, an increase of 34.8% QoQ and an increase of 15.7% YoY.
According to IDC, worldwide smartphone shipments amounted to 302.8 million units in Q323, still down 0.1% YoY, but up ~14.1% sequentially.
Silicon wafer area shipments for Q323 amounted to 3,010 MSI, down 19.5% YoY &amp; down 10% QoQ. Why are wafer shipments declining when key end markets are in recovery mode?


Semiconductor Events Deserving Your Attention @ 13/11/23

<ul>
<li>Q2’23 silicon wafer shipments amounted to 3,331 MSI,  + 2.0% QoQ, -10% YoY </li>
<li>Customer inventory levels remain at all time record highs with memory being the worst offender</li>
<li>No change in our outlook for 14% overcapacity in 2023 with supply demand balance likely taking until 2026.</li>
</ul>


Q2’23 silicon wafer shipments amounted to 3,331 MSI,  + 2.0% QoQ, -10% YoY 
Customer inventory levels remain at all time record highs with memory being the worst offender
No change in our outlook for 14% overcapacity in 2023 with supply demand balance likely taking until 2026.


IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jsr-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17620:1" rel="noopener">JSR Corp (4185 JP)</a>'s pre-conditional tender offer from JIC is JPY4,350 per share. Since the deal announcement on 26 June, the gross spread has averaged 6.4%.</li>
<li>The wide gross spread reflects the risk in satisfying the pre-conditions related to country approvals, particularly in China. JIC, unusually can waive all or part of the conditions precedent.</li>
<li>The wild card is geopolitical developments. There are three China approval scenarios. The likely scenario is the deal approval under a normal procedure with a delay to the tender start.</li>
</ul>



JSR Corp (4185 JP)'s pre-conditional tender offer from JIC is JPY4,350 per share. Since the deal announcement on 26 June, the gross spread has averaged 6.4%.
The wide gross spread reflects the risk in satisfying the pre-conditions related to country approvals, particularly in China. JIC, unusually can waive all or part of the conditions precedent.
The wild card is geopolitical developments. There are three China approval scenarios. The likely scenario is the deal approval under a normal procedure with a delay to the tender start.


JSR Corporation (4185 JP): Tender Offer Risk/Reward

Taiwan

eMemory Technology, Inc. develops and provides logic non-volatile memory (LogicNVM) technology. The company licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor foundries, integrated devices manufacturers (IDMs), and fabless design houses around the world.

Nanya Technology Corp. manufactures and markets dynamic random access memories (DRAMs).  The Company sells its products in Taiwan and exports worldwide.

Realtek Semiconductor Corp. designs, tests, and distributes integrated circuits which are used in consumer electronics, computer systems and peripherals, and communication network hardware.  The Company also provides technical counseling and systems software services.

Global Unichip Corporation designs and produces a wide variety of silicon chips.

Novatek Microelectronics Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets integrated circuits (ICs).  The Company's products are used in telecommunication, computer peripherals, and LCD (liquid crystal display) drivers.

ASPEED Technology Inc. is a fabless IC-design house that specializes in server management, PC/AV extensions solution, desktop virtualization and security enhancement. The Company's products range from silicon chips, IPs to software products that enable sophisticated SOC- centric multimedia, praphics and new work applications.

Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation offers integrated circuit foundry services.  The Company manufactures 0.18um logic, mixed-signal, analog, high voltage, low power, CMOS RF, flash, embedded memory, and bipolar CMOS DMOS semiconductors.

Alchip Technologies Ltd. provides silicon design and manufacturing services. The Company offers a range of system on chip (SoC) design solutions for low power, high performance, and cost considerations. Alchip produces SoC solutions for products including consumer electronics, optical networking, and medical imaging equipment. Alchip serves customers worldwide.

Faraday Technology Corp. designs and manufactures application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and wafers.

Sino-American Silicon Products Inc. supplies silicon-based products, including silicon lapped wafer, silicon diffusion wafer, silicon ingot, silicon diffused diode chip, and automobile rectifier.  The Company sells its products worldwide.

SUMCO Corporation manufactures silicon wafers for the semiconductor industry. The Company produces silicon wafers used to produce solar batteries as well as ultra-high purity quartz used to produce vessels for silicon manufacturing process. SUMCO markets its products worldwide.

MA-COM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc. provides high performance analog semiconductor solutions. The Company supplies semiconductors, active and passive components, and sub-assemblies for use in radio frequency, microwave, and millimeter wave applications. MA-COM Technology Solutions serves customers throughout the United States.

ROHM COMPANY LIMITED manufactures custom linear integrated circuits and semiconductor devices for use primarily in consumer electronics.  The Company has plants and sales offices worldwide.  Rohm's subsidiaries include Wako Electric and Apollo Electronics.

Sanan Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. operates in the business of researching, producing and selling of LED epitaxial wafers and wafers.

SCREEN Holdings Co Ltd.  manufactures and sell semiconductors, FPD devices, commercial printing and printed circuit boards(PCB). The company also provides additional services for its products.

MKS Instruments, Inc. develops, manufactures, and supplies instruments and components used to control and analyze gases in semiconductor manufacturing and similar industrial manufacturing processes. The Company's products are used to manufacture flat panel displays, magnetic and optical storage devices and media, solar cells, fiber optic cables, and diamond thin films.

Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor Co., Ltd. manufactures discrete semiconductor devices. The Company's main products are High Voltage Diode, Silicon Rectifier Diode, Silicon Bridge Rectifier, MWO High Voltage Silicon Diode and special High Voltage Silicon Diode .

Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor (002129 CH)

Hua Hong Semiconductor Limited manufactures semiconductors on 200mm wafers for specialty applications. The Company's products are used in the consumer electronic, communication, computing and industrial, and automotive industries.

Rambus Inc. designs, develops, licenses, and markets high-speed chip-to-chip interface technology to enhance the performance and cost-effectiveness of consumer electronics, computer systems, and other electronic systems.  The Company licenses semiconductor companies to manufacture and sell memory and logic ICs incorporating Rambus interface technology.

TongFu Microelectronics Co., Ltd. manufactures integrated chips. The Company provides assembling and testing service for memory, microprocessor, micro-controller, hybrid circuit, analog circuit, and other related services throughout China.

Globalwafers Co., Ltd. specializes in silicon wafer manufacturing and also provides solar wafers and crystal rods. The Company possesses a complete production line from ingot growth, slicing, etching, diffusion, polishing to epitaxy. Their products include Epi wafers, polished wafers, etched wafers, ultra thin wafers and deep diffusion wafers.

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Globalwafers (6488 TT)

Semiconductors. The Downturn Is Over. Or Is It?

Despite the positives that PC and Smartphone markets are in recovery mode, semi sales growing MoM etc, multiple data points suggest we'll still be...

William Keating

Silicon Wafers. SUMCO Sounds The Alarm As Inventory Continues To Climb

SUMCO's Operating Profit forecasted to fall by ¥8.6 billion QoQ in Q423. The company vowed to make "substantial" production cuts in a bid to bring...

William Keating

Semiconductor Events Deserving Your Attention @ 13/11/23

Silicon wafer area shipments for Q323 amounted to 3,010 MSI, down 19.5% YoY & down 10% QoQ. Why are wafer shipments declining when key end markets...

William Keating

Q2'23 Silicon Wafer Shipments +2% QoQ

Q2’23 silicon wafer shipments of 3,331 MSI, + 2.0% QoQ, -10% YoY. Inventory levels at record highs. We see ~14% overcapacity in 2023 with return...

William Keating

JSR Corporation (4185 JP): Tender Offer Risk/Reward

The wide gross spread reflects the risk in satisfying the pre-conditions related to country approvals, particularly in China. In this note, we...

Arun George

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