Technology / Semiconductor / Internet Research

Nicolas Baratte

Equity Bottom-Up

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) / Equity Bottom-Up

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC)

<ul>
<li>Chinese Foundries (HuaHong, SMIC) have outgrown ex-China (GlobalFoundries, UMC, Vanguard) very significantly. Reacting to US sanctions, Chinese Chip Designers have shifted to domestic Foundries. China / ex-China supply-chains have decoupled.</li>
<li>End-Demand diverged up to 2Q24. Chinese Foundries were mentioning end-demand recovering, customers restocking, tight capacity. Ex-China Foundries mentioning the opposite: weak end-demand, customers destocking, low utilization. </li>
<li>Change of direction in 3Q24. Chinese Foundries become cautious, we see an obvious inventory problem on overblown end-demand growth expectations. Ex-China end-demand is stabilizing, destocking coming to an end.</li>
</ul>


Chinese Foundries (HuaHong, SMIC) have outgrown ex-China (GlobalFoundries, UMC, Vanguard) very significantly. Reacting to US sanctions, Chinese Chip Designers have shifted to domestic Foundries. China / ex-China supply-chains have decoupled.
End-Demand diverged up to 2Q24. Chinese Foundries were mentioning end-demand recovering, customers restocking, tight capacity. Ex-China Foundries mentioning the opposite: weak end-demand, customers destocking, low utilization. 
Change of direction in 3Q24. Chinese Foundries become cautious, we see an obvious inventory problem on overblown end-demand growth expectations. Ex-China end-demand is stabilizing, destocking coming to an end.


Foundries. China (Hua Hong, SMIC) Has Outperformed but on Poor Margins & Inventory Risk.

Taiwan Tech Focused Senior Analyst

Patrick Liao

<ul>
<li>In 4Q24, the Company expects revenue to be flat to up 2% QoQ and gross margin to range from 18% to 20%.</li>
<li>2025 will expect AI to grow 10%+, others segment grows about single digits.  </li>
<li>SMIC's capex increase ~60k/8" equivalent capacity this year, and plan to increase around 50k per year.</li>
</ul>


In 4Q24, the Company expects revenue to be flat to up 2% QoQ and gross margin to range from 18% to 20%.
2025 will expect AI to grow 10%+, others segment grows about single digits.  
SMIC's capex increase ~60k/8" equivalent capacity this year, and plan to increase around 50k per year.


Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>SOUTHBOUND had a huge week on a net basis on smallest gross in weeks. Last week I said I expected High-div SOEs to continue being sold. They were sold again.</li>
<li>Consumer Discretionary, Healthcare, Utilities saw big buying as a percentage of volume traded. Only China Mobile and CNOOC were net sold. Even <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-traditional-chinese-medicine" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:351:1" rel="noopener">China Traditional Chinese Medicine (570 HK)</a> was bought.</li>
<li>There is clearly a HK Risk On angle to the flows this week and last.</li>
</ul>


SOUTHBOUND had a huge week on a net basis on smallest gross in weeks. Last week I said I expected High-div SOEs to continue being sold. They were sold again.
Consumer Discretionary, Healthcare, Utilities saw big buying as a percentage of volume traded. Only China Mobile and CNOOC were net sold. Even China Traditional Chinese Medicine (570 HK) was bought.
There is clearly a HK Risk On angle to the flows this week and last.


HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 25 Oct 2024); Everything Bought in BIG Week

<ul>
<li>SMIC's revenue might be looking at around US$2bn in 4Q24 and it's a bit reduction of GM from 3Q24 because of the seasonality at the year end.</li>
<li>Since around 2019, US was putting an sanction on China, no matter how the argument is true.</li>
<li>SMIC continued delivering 7nm chips, and even the 5nm chips could be further delivered using a similar method, although the yield rate may be a concern.</li>
</ul>


SMIC's revenue might be looking at around US$2bn in 4Q24 and it's a bit reduction of GM from 3Q24 because of the seasonality at the year end.
Since around 2019, US was putting an sanction on China, no matter how the argument is true.
SMIC continued delivering 7nm chips, and even the 5nm chips could be further delivered using a similar method, although the yield rate may be a concern.


SMIC (981.HK): Surviving Amidst a Prolonged US-China Trade War

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

<ul>
<li>Both SMIC &amp; Hua Hong reported Q423 earnings in line with expectations and both guided Q124 flat to slightly down. SMIC expects FY24 mid single digit growth YoY.</li>
<li>The downturn has exposed inherent weakness in China's Semi Foundry segment relative to peers as exemplified by the significant GM disparity</li>
<li>China's two leading semi foundries have ~80% domestic dependence. Right now, that's a headwind</li>
</ul>


Both SMIC &amp; Hua Hong reported Q423 earnings in line with expectations and both guided Q124 flat to slightly down. SMIC expects FY24 mid single digit growth YoY.
The downturn has exposed inherent weakness in China's Semi Foundry segment relative to peers as exemplified by the significant GM disparity
China's two leading semi foundries have ~80% domestic dependence. Right now, that's a headwind


China Semi Foundry: Fierce Competition & Sluggish Rebound In Year Of The Dragon

China

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)

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Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) (981 HK)

Foundries. China (Hua Hong, SMIC) Has Outperformed but on Poor Margins & Inventory Risk.

Chinese foundries have overgrown ex-China counterparts, but now face inventory issues. Ex-China foundries are stabilizing, destocking coming to an...

Nicolas Baratte

SMIC (981.HK): Keeping a Steady Growth

Company forecasts steady revenue growth and gross margin improvement, with a focus on AI and capacity expansion, likely to grow around 50k/ 8"...

Patrick Liao

HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 25 Oct 2024); Everything Bought in BIG Week

SOUTHBOUND investors go big this week buying everything but China Mobile and CNOOC. Every sector was positive. This is a risk-on move in large net...

Travis Lundy

SMIC (981.HK): Surviving Amidst a Prolonged US-China Trade War

SMIC's revenue for 4Q24 expected ~US$2bn, slight reduction from 3Q24 due to year-end seasonality. Despite US sanctions on China since 2019, SMIC...

Patrick Liao

China Semi Foundry: Fierce Competition & Sluggish Rebound In Year Of The Dragon

SMIC & Hua Hong reported in line Q423 & both guided Q124 flat to slightly down. SMIC calls FY24 growth ~+5% YoY. Fierce competition, GM pressure,...

William Keating

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

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Foundries. China (Hua Hong, SMIC) Has Outperformed but on Poor Margins & Inventory Risk.

​Chinese foundries have overgrown ex-China counterparts, but now face inventory issues. Ex-China foundries are stabilizing, destocking coming to an...

Nicolas Baratte

SMIC (981.HK): Keeping a Steady Growth

​Company forecasts steady revenue growth and gross margin improvement, with a focus on AI and capacity expansion, likely to grow around 50k/ 8"...

Patrick Liao

HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 25 Oct 2024); Everything Bought in BIG Week

SOUTHBOUND investors go big this week buying everything but China Mobile and CNOOC. Every sector was positive. This is a risk-on move in large net...

Travis Lundy

SMIC (981.HK): Surviving Amidst a Prolonged US-China Trade War

​SMIC's revenue for 4Q24 expected ~US$2bn, slight reduction from 3Q24 due to year-end seasonality. Despite US sanctions on China since 2019, SMIC...

Patrick Liao

China Semi Foundry: Fierce Competition & Sluggish Rebound In Year Of The Dragon

SMIC & Hua Hong reported in line Q423 & both guided Q124 flat to slightly down. SMIC calls FY24 growth ~+5% YoY. Fierce competition, GM pressure,...

William Keating

Chinese foundries have overgrown ex-China counterparts, but now face inventory issues. Ex-China foundries are stabilizing, destocking coming to an...

Company forecasts steady revenue growth and gross margin improvement, with a focus on AI and capacity expansion, likely to grow around 50k/ 8"...

SMIC's revenue for 4Q24 expected ~US$2bn, slight reduction from 3Q24 due to year-end seasonality. Despite US sanctions on China since 2019, SMIC...