Asia and Global Semiconductor and Tech Research

Andrew Lu

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Takeaways: 1. Semi equipment vendors beat 4Q23E; 2. China and DRAM customers stronger ; 3. Margin stable due to lack of depreciation; 4. Top four controls over 90% of shares;</li>
<li>More takeaways: 5. Semi equipment companies' share price performance should lag behind foundries, foundries should lag behind fabless customers; 6. China semi equipment vendors outperforming global peers on local replacement;</li>
<li>Estimating a flattish global semiconductor equipment sales growth for 2023 and 2024 but expecting a double digit y/y sales growth of 17% for 2025 and 10% for 2026. </li>
</ul>


Takeaways: 1. Semi equipment vendors beat 4Q23E; 2. China and DRAM customers stronger ; 3. Margin stable due to lack of depreciation; 4. Top four controls over 90% of shares;
More takeaways: 5. Semi equipment companies' share price performance should lag behind foundries, foundries should lag behind fabless customers; 6. China semi equipment vendors outperforming global peers on local replacement;
Estimating a flattish global semiconductor equipment sales growth for 2023 and 2024 but expecting a double digit y/y sales growth of 17% for 2025 and 10% for 2026. 


Takeaways After Global Semi Equipment Model Updated and Our View on 2024/2025

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>Q323 revenues of $2.40 billion, at the upper end of the guidance range, up 2% QoQ but down 12.5% YoY</li>
<li>Current quarter revenue forecast of $2.45 billion, essentially flat sequentially</li>
<li>Services revenue on track for ~8% YoY growth despite overall revenues tracking to an 8.6% YoY decline..</li>
</ul>


Q323 revenues of $2.40 billion, at the upper end of the guidance range, up 2% QoQ but down 12.5% YoY
Current quarter revenue forecast of $2.45 billion, essentially flat sequentially
Services revenue on track for ~8% YoY growth despite overall revenues tracking to an 8.6% YoY decline..


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.

Equity Capital Markets

Kokusai Electric  / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kokusai-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40152:1" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric (6525 JP)</a> priced its IPO at JPY1,840 per share to raise secondary proceeds of US$723 million. The shares will start trading on 25 October.</li>
<li>We previously discussed the IPO in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kokusai-electric-ipo-the-bull-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:113787" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric IPO: The Bull Case</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kokusai-electric-ipo-the-bear-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:114152" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric IPO: The Bear Case</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kokusai-electric-ipo-lower-price-range-is-reasonable" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:114886" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric IPO: Lower Price Range Is Reasonable</a>.</li>
<li>The peers have modestly derated since the lowered IPO price range was announced on 10 October. However, the IPO price remains attractive. Our DCF valuation is JPY2,058. </li>
</ul>



Kokusai Electric (6525 JP) priced its IPO at JPY1,840 per share to raise secondary proceeds of US$723 million. The shares will start trading on 25 October.
We previously discussed the IPO in Kokusai Electric IPO: The Bull Case, Kokusai Electric IPO: The Bear Case and Kokusai Electric IPO: Lower Price Range Is Reasonable.
The peers have modestly derated since the lowered IPO price range was announced on 10 October. However, the IPO price remains attractive. Our DCF valuation is JPY2,058. 


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.

<ul>
<li>TSMC results came in much better than feared. Revenue was slightly weaker than expected and below consensus. This quarter's big story was margins driven primarily by FX changes.</li>
<li>Revenue was slightly below Taiwan Dollar (TWD) expectations, but margins were ahead of consensus. The big driver of this margin beat was FX, as the dollar weakened against the TWD.</li>
<li>The margin beat happened despite the 3nm ramp, a meaningful headwind. As N3 becomes a larger node, the headwind should increase, especially next quarter.</li>
</ul>


TSMC results came in much better than feared. Revenue was slightly weaker than expected and below consensus. This quarter's big story was margins driven primarily by FX changes.
Revenue was slightly below Taiwan Dollar (TWD) expectations, but margins were ahead of consensus. The big driver of this margin beat was FX, as the dollar weakened against the TWD.
The margin beat happened despite the 3nm ramp, a meaningful headwind. As N3 becomes a larger node, the headwind should increase, especially next quarter.


Weekly Earnings (ASML, LRCX, TSMC, Nanya)

<ul>
<li>
The new clarification of the October export restrictions came out today, and as far as I can tell, it is a slight liberalization of the previous export restrictions for semicap. 
</li>
<li>
For AI, it looks to be the closing of the A800 and H800 loopholes.
</li>
<li>
I read both documents. They are pretty dense, and instead of going through a super detailed analysis, I want to give you a spark notes version of the export restrictions and the implications.
</li>
</ul>



The new clarification of the October export restrictions came out today, and as far as I can tell, it is a slight liberalization of the previous export restrictions for semicap. 


For AI, it looks to be the closing of the A800 and H800 loopholes.


I read both documents. They are pretty dense, and instead of going through a super detailed analysis, I want to give you a spark notes version of the export restrictions and the implications.



United States

Applied Materials, Inc. develops, manufactures, markets, and services semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment and related spare parts for the worldwide semiconductor industry.  The Company's customers include semiconductor wafer and integrated circuit manufacturers, flat panel liquid crystal displays, solar photovoltaic cells and modules and other electronic devices manufacturers.

QUALCOMM, Inc . manufactures digital wireless communications equipment.  The Company licenses its code division multiple access (CDMA) and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access intellectual property to other companies, and produces CDMA-based integrated circuits; and produces equipment and software used to track workers and assets; and software for wireless content enablement.

KLA-Tencor Corporation manufactures yield management and process monitoring systems for the semiconductor industry.  The Company's systems are used to analyze product and process quality at critical steps in the manufacture of circuits and provide feedback so that fabrication problems can be identified. KLA-Tencor operates sales, service, and application centers worldwide.

Monolithic Power Systems Inc specializes in high-performance, integrated power solutions. The Company provides small, highly energy efficient, easy-to-use power solutions for systems found in industrial applications, telecom infrastructures, cloud computing, automotive, and consumer applications.

ON Semiconductor Corporation supplies analog, standard logic, and discrete semiconductors for data and power management. The Company's products include integrated circuits, and analog ICs. ON also offers discrete semiconductors in a variety of surface mount and standard packages.

Skyworks Solutions, Inc., a wireless semiconductor company, designs and manufactures radio frequency and complete semiconductor system solutions for mobile communications applications.  The Company provides front-end modules, radio frequency subsystems, and system solutions to wireless handset and infrastructure customers worldwide.

Microchip Technology Incorporated designs, manufactures, and markets microcontrollers, related mixed-signal and memory products, and application development systems for high-volume embedded control applications. The Company also designs, develops, and markets linear/mixed-signal, power management, and thermal management products.

Entegris Inc. provides materials management products and services to the microelectronics industry on a worldwide basis.  The Company provides products such as wafer shippers, wafer transport and process carriers, pods, and work-in-process boxes.  Entegris also provides chemical delivery products such as valves, fittings, tubing, pipe, and containers.

Analog Devices, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets integrated circuits used in analog and digital signal processing.  The Company's products are used in communications, computer, industrial, instrumentation, military/aerospace, automotive, and high-performance consumer electronics applications.  Analog Devices sells its products worldwide.

Teradyne, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, and supports semiconductor test products and services on a world wide basis. The Company's test equipment products and services include: semiconductor test systems, military/aerospace test instrumentation and systems, circuit-board test and inspection systems and automotive diagnostic and test systems.

Tokyo Electron Limited manufactures and sells industrial electronics products, such as semiconductor manufacturing machines, computer system, and electronic components.  The Company products are sold in US, Taiwan, and others as well as in Japan.

ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. offers assembly and testing services. The Company provides outsourced assembly, semiconductor testing, semiconductor packaging, and other related services. ASE Technology Holding operates in Taiwan.

MediaTek Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions. The company provides SOC system solutions for wireless communications, high-definition TV, optical storage, DVD and Blu-ray products.

Lasertec Corporation develops, designs, manufactures and markets photomask inspection systems to make semiconductor devices, confocal scanning laser microscopes and liquid crystal display (LCD) inspection systems.

United Microelectronics Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets integrated circuits (ICs) and related electronic products.  The Company's main products are consumer electronic ICs, memory ICs, personal computer peripheral ICs, and communication ICs.

NXP Semiconductors NV operates as a global semiconductor company. The Company designs semiconductors and software for mobile communications, consumer electronics, security applications, in-car entertainment, and networking.  NXP offers its products to the automotive, identification, wireless infrastructure, lighting, mobile, and computing applications.

LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. develops, manufactures and sells silicon rods and silicon wafers. The Company's main products include 6 inch, 6.5 inch and 8 inch monocrystalline silicon rods and wafers.

LONGi Green Energy Technology (601012 CH)

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation operates a semiconductor foundry. The Company provides integrated circuit foundry and technology services including the testing, development, design, manufacturing, packaging, and sale of integrated circuits. Semiconductor Manufacturing International offers its products and services around the world.

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) (981 HK)

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC)

DISCO CORPORATION manufactures abrasive and precision industrial machinery for cutting and grinding purposes.  The Company's products are applied in the semiconductor, electronics, and construction industries to produce consumer goods such as personal computers, digital cameras, video game systems, and Digital Video Disc (DVD) players.

Renesas Electronics Corporation researches, develops, designs and manufactures electronic components such as semiconductors and integrated devices.

Lam Research Corporation manufactures, markets, and services semiconductor processing equipment used in the making of integrated circuits.  The Company's products are used to deposit special films on a silicon wafer and etch away portions of various films to create a circuit design.  Lam sells its products around the world.

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Lam Research (LRCX US)

Takeaways After Global Semi Equipment Model Updated and Our View on 2024/2025

Takeaways After Global Semi Equipment Model Updated and Our View on 2024/2025; We are providing six takeaways and sales growth estimates for 2024-2026

Andrew Lu

KLAC. Bouncing Along The Bottom

Q323 revenue $2.40 billion, +2% QoQ but -12.5% YoY. Q423 forecast of $2.45 billion. Services revenue on track for ~8% YoY growth despite overall...

William Keating

Kokusai Electric IPO: Trading Debut

The peers have modestly derated since the lowered IPO price range was announced on 10 October. However, the IPO price remains attractive. Our DCF...

Arun George

Weekly Earnings (ASML, LRCX, TSMC, Nanya)

TSMC results came in much better than feared. Revenue was slightly weaker than expected and below consensus. This quarter's big story was margins...

Fabricated Knowledge

October Restrictions Implications

The new clarification of the October export restrictions came out today, and as far as I can tell, it is a slight liberalization of the previous...

Fabricated Knowledge

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