Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs Specialist, Objective Analysis

Jim Handy

Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs Specialist

Objective Analysis

Objective Analysis offers third-party independent market research and data for the semiconductor industry and investors in the semiconductor industry.

Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs

Equity Bottom-Up

<p>Micron reported earnings above guidance in its first fiscal quarter, and told of a new effort to increase its share of industry profits without changing its share of industry gigabit sales.  Although the company was hit in early December by both a power outage and an earthquake, production has not been substantially reduced.  Customer demand is currently somewhat constrained by shortages of chips that Micron does not produce.</p>

Micron reported earnings above guidance in its first fiscal quarter, and told of a new effort to increase its share of industry profits without changing its share of industry gigabit sales.  Although the company was hit in early December by both a power outage and an earthquake, production has not been substantially reduced.  Customer demand is currently somewhat constrained by shortages of chips that Micron does not produce.

Micron Reports Solid 1QFY21, Adds New Twist to Strategy

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>The Semiconductor Industry Association released world semiconductor revenues for November.  The trend is still positive with year-to-date revenues 5.9% above those of 2019.  This helps underscore the improved guidance chip makers are providing.</p>

The Semiconductor Industry Association released world semiconductor revenues for November.  The trend is still positive with year-to-date revenues 5.9% above those of 2019.  This helps underscore the improved guidance chip makers are providing.

November Semiconductor Sales Continue Upward Trend

President

Thomas Coughlin

Coughlin Associates

<p>Solid state storage is now primary storage in many applications, driven by the wide-spread use of NAND flash.  NVMe is now the dominant SSD interface, enabling new network and storage architectures.  MRAM and 3D XPoint memory are appearing in many storage/memory products and the slow-down in NOR, SRAM and DRAM scaling are opening opportunities for RRAM and FRAM memories as well.  All these memory technologies are enabling established and startup companies.</p>

Solid state storage is now primary storage in many applications, driven by the wide-spread use of NAND flash.  NVMe is now the dominant SSD interface, enabling new network and storage architectures.  MRAM and 3D XPoint memory are appearing in many storage/memory products and the slow-down in NOR, SRAM and DRAM scaling are opening opportunities for RRAM and FRAM memories as well.  All these memory technologies are enabling established and startup companies.

Solid State Storage and Memory in 2021:  New Opportunities for Leaders and Startups

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

MSCI Emerging Markets Index / Technical Analysis

<p>We are no longer recommending an overweight to China (<strong>MSCI China</strong>) due to recent RS deterioration. Our favorite countries remain Taiwan (<strong>TAIEX</strong>) and India (<strong>SENSEX</strong>), while Brazil (<strong>Bovespa</strong>) and South Korea (<strong>KOSPI</strong>) display improving price and RS trends -- add exposure. MSCI EM <strong>Technology </strong>and <strong>Materials </strong>are our top two Sector overweights. Additionally, the EM <strong>Health Care</strong> Sector shows bullish price and RS inflections, making it a timely Sector to add exposure to at current levels.</p>

We are no longer recommending an overweight to China (MSCI China) due to recent RS deterioration. Our favorite countries remain Taiwan (TAIEX) and India (SENSEX), while Brazil (Bovespa) and South Korea (KOSPI) display improving price and RS trends -- add exposure. MSCI EM Technology and Materials are our top two Sector overweights. Additionally, the EM Health Care Sector shows bullish price and RS inflections, making it a timely Sector to add exposure to at current levels.

Overweight EM Vs. EAFE; Dollar Weakness Continues

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Quantitative Analysis

<div><p>The Asia Short Interest weekly looks at moves in market wide short interest and highlights movements in stock specific short interest across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan using the last available data published by the relevant authorities.</p></div><div><p>Hong Kong saw shorts rise on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/country-garden-services-holdings-company-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27343:1" rel="noopener">Country Garden Services Holdings (6098 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29043:1" rel="noopener">JD.com (HK) (9618 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/netease" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29030:1" rel="noopener">NetEase (9999 HK)</a> while there was short covering on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Holdings (700 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/semiconductor-manufacturing-international-corp-smic" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14231:1" rel="noopener">Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) (981 HK)</a>. Shorts increased on Industrials, Consumer Discretionary and Real Estate, and decreased on Financials and Information Technology names.</p></div><div><p>In Japan, stocks that saw the most shorts were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/honda-motor-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:154:1" rel="noopener">Honda Motor (7267 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12933:1" rel="noopener">Kao Corp (4452 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/central-japan-railway-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13520:1" rel="noopener">Central Japan Railway Co (9022 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bridgestone-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8914:1" rel="noopener">Bridgestone Corp (5108 JP)</a> while shorts decreased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/m3-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13316:1" rel="noopener">M3 Inc (2413 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/takeda-pharmaceutical-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11747:1" rel="noopener">Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toto-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11028:1" rel="noopener">Toto Ltd (5332 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/casio-computer-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18338:1" rel="noopener">Casio Computer (6952 JP)</a>. Sectorally, shorts increased on Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology, Consumer Staples and Industrials, and decreased on Health Care names.</p></div><div><p>In Korea, there were large short positions put on in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lg-chem-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3583:1" rel="noopener">LG Chem Ltd (051910 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-electronics-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:191:1" rel="noopener">Samsung Electronics (005930 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/celltrion-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:991:1" rel="noopener">Celltrion Inc (068270 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-hynix-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16955:1" rel="noopener">SK Hynix (000660 KS)</a>.</p></div><div><p>Stocks in Taiwan that saw the highest increase in shorts were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/largan-precision-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9126:1" rel="noopener">Largan Precision (3008 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/unimicron-technology-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18778:1" rel="noopener">Unimicron Technology (3037 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chung-hsin-electric-machinery-mfg-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3380:1" rel="noopener">Chung Hsin Electric &amp; Machinery Mfg (1513 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/innolux-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4509:1" rel="noopener">Innolux Corp (3481 TT)</a> while shorts were covered on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-semiconductor-manufacturing-company" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11230:1" rel="noopener">TSMC (2330 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/walsin-technology-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11084:1" rel="noopener">Walsin Technology (2492 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/epistar-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6849:1" rel="noopener">Epistar Corp (2448 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/novatek-microelectronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10904:1" rel="noopener">Novatek Microelectronics Corp (3034 TT)</a>.   </p></div>

The Asia Short Interest weekly looks at moves in market wide short interest and highlights movements in stock specific short interest across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan using the last available data published by the relevant authorities.Hong Kong saw shorts rise on Country Garden Services Holdings (6098 HK), JD.com (HK) (9618 HK), China Mobile (941 HK) and NetEase (9999 HK) while there was short covering on Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK), Tencent Holdings (700 HK), Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK) and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) (981 HK). Shorts increased on Industrials, Consumer Discretionary and Real Estate, and decreased on Financials and Information Technology names.In Japan, stocks that saw the most shorts were Honda Motor (7267 JP), Kao Corp (4452 JP), Central Japan Railway Co (9022 JP) and Bridgestone Corp (5108 JP) while shorts decreased on M3 Inc (2413 JP), Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP), Toto Ltd (5332 JP) and Casio Computer (6952 JP). Sectorally, shorts increased on Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology, Consumer Staples and Industrials, and decreased on Health Care names.In Korea, there were large short positions put on in LG Chem Ltd (051910 KS), Samsung Electronics (005930 KS), Celltrion Inc (068270 KS) and SK Hynix (000660 KS).Stocks in Taiwan that saw the highest increase in shorts were Largan Precision (3008 TT), Unimicron Technology (3037 TT), Chung Hsin Electric &amp; Machinery Mfg (1513 TT) and Innolux Corp (3481 TT) while shorts were covered on TSMC (2330 TT), Walsin Technology (2492 TT), Epistar Corp (2448 TT) and Novatek Microelectronics Corp (3034 TT).   

Asia Short Interest: JD, NetEase, Xiaomi, SMIC, M3, Toto, LG Chem, Celltrion, Largan, TSMC

South Korea

SK Hynix Inc. provides products and services for the electronic components industry. The Company manufactures semiconductors, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), NAND flash memory, and static random access memory (SRAM) chips.

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SK Hynix (000660 KS)

Micron Reports Solid 1QFY21, Adds New Twist to Strategy

Micron reported better-than-expected earnings in its January 7 earnings call, with a new strategy and technology leadership to improve...

Jim Handy

November Semiconductor Sales Continue Upward Trend

The just-released November chip sales figures showed surprising strength. This Smartkarma Insight explains why the chip market is burgeoning while...

Jim Handy

Solid State Storage and Memory in 2021: New Opportunities for Leaders and Startups

Solid State Storage/Memory enables new applications in 2021, fueling storage systems and embedded device established and startup companies.

Thomas Coughlin

Overweight EM Vs. EAFE; Dollar Weakness Continues

Our favorite countries remain Taiwan (TAIEX) and India (SENSEX), while Brazil (Bovespa) and South Korea (KOSPI) display improving price and RS...

Vermilion Research

Asia Short Interest: JD, NetEase, Xiaomi, SMIC, M3, Toto, LG Chem, Celltrion, Largan, TSMC

The weekly short interest report looks at large moves across HK, Japan, Korea and Taiwan names to gauge investor interest in the stock.

Brian Freitas

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