Rohm’s share price was up 6% on Friday, December 8, on the news that the Japanese government will subsidize its collaboration with Toshiba in power semiconductors.
The subsidy will amount to one-third of the ¥388.3 billion yen the two companies plan to invest in Silicon Carbide and Silicon devices for the electric vehicle and other industries.
Rohm hit bottom on October 31, management cut FY Mar-24 guidance on November 1 and the market is now looking to recovery. Toshiba will be delisted on December 20.
AMD’s resurgence against a dominant Intel saw the company grow annual revenues >4x between 2017 and 2022
FY 2023 revenue is likely to be down roughly $1 billion or ~4% YoY.
We expect a combination of renewed Data Center market share growth plus a grand entrance into the AI acceleration segment will restart the party all over again in 2024.
Mediatek Inc (2454 TT) has rebounded from the bottom of the cycle, and it will be able to reach more than 20% YoY in 2024F.
The demand for 4G and 5G Smartphone SoC will be split around 55/45 by shipment volume, with Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) (2330 TT) being the primary supplier for MediaTek.
The MediaTek Dimensity 6000 series will be the new flagship product line in 2024F.
The shares are down 27% from their May high, largely discounting excessive inventory and a decline in profits that is likely to continue through next March or June.
Inventory adjustment, the revival of semiconductor, factory automation and medical related demand, plus the leveling off of depreciation, should enable a return to growth after that.
Projected valuations are at the low end of their 10-year ranges. Buy into the current weakness, keeping in mind that 1Q results are likely to be weak.
~$900 million supercomputer deal is off the charts compared to all previous deals
Without the deal, Cerebras would likely soon have run out of cash. With the deal, Cerebras is effectively working as a supercomputer contractor for G42 for the next several years
Three supercomputers to be built in the US, we suspect the remaining six to be built in the UAE. That’s likely to raise some eyebrows.
More clear y/y improvement for 8/12″ raw wafer, WiFi IC, GaAs RF/VCSEL, and memory vendors but more y/y deterioration for OLED/LCD driver, LCD panel, design service, equipment/materials, and foundry vendors.
GaAs RF and gaming GPU card vendors showed very impressive y/y sales growth of 54% and 63%, respectively. ABF substrate vendors showed the weakest sales decline of 34% among all.
Except A Data (+2.5% m/m) and Phison Electronics (+5.6% m/m) might see stronger share price to reflect stronger November sales, most of others see good/bad news in the price already.
Global semiconductor sales have increased MoM for seven months in a row. PC & 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
We believe TSMC represents defensive exposure to AI for investors concerned that many other AI-related stocks’ valuations may be too high.
While one may think TSMC seems too obvious as a play, we note that the stock is up only 4.5% over the last six months.
We view TSMC as trading at an inexpensive valuation; even a cheap valuation should our hypothesis that the stock is structurally re-rating upwards turn out to be true.
Memory names have rallied strongly, with Nanya Tech outperforming since the start of November.
DRAM bottomed and NAND flash prices have jumped. Micron says that 2025E could be a record year for the Memory industry.
High valuations make near-term upside for Memory names uncertain. For Long/Shorts one can consider Long Micron vs. Short SK Hynix or Long Micron vs. Short Nanya Tech.
Improving outlook with Q1F24 revenue forecast slightly above the high end of the guided range
2024 is being positioned as a “recovery year”, helping reset investor expectations about the nature and speed of the recovery
Micron’s share price typically rallies strongest into record revenue years. 2024 will not be a record revenue year. As such, we think the present rally is premature.
Although it is still early to determine the extent of the utilization rate that could be reached in UMC for 2Q24F, there is a greater chance for a rebound.
UMC’s high-end technology, specifically 28nm, has a utilization rate of over 80% in 4Q23F.
MediaTek is UMC’s largest client, dominating in WiFi, TV SoC, Bluetooth, and other areas.
Nvidia reports/guides a better than expected 3Q/4Q23 sales, margin, and EPS on stronger AI GPU sales growth of nearly 3x.
Nvidia reports a healthy 3.04 MOI, down 5% q/q and down 37% y/y and contributes nicely to account for 9% of TSMC sales.
In spite of concerns on good news priced in, seasonal weaker 1Q24, and MI300X/ASIC alternative AI solutions, we expect more raise to come in 2024-2025E.
By offering 15k and 30k/m 3nm capacity by 4Q24/4Q25 to Intel, TSMC will see Intel becoming one of its top 3 customers by accounting for 12% of TSMC 2025 sales
By leveraging 3nm outsourcing, Intel will have incremental sales/capacity growth of 19-20% per year by accounting for 28%/44% of sales in 2024/2025, beating consensus’ 14%/9% y/y sales growth for 2024/2025.
We estimate 30-35% 5 years EPS CAGR for Intel, driven by TSMC’s 2/3nm foundry support, lower cost and process R&D, lower capex and depreciation cost, and AI PC CPU launch.
Nvidia’s street-beating results indicate strong growth to continue; Generative AI demand will next expand from startups, consumer internet, and cloud service providers increasingly to enterprise AI-linked demand.
Nvidia is not expensive despite recent market concerns. We believe Nvidia can meet or even beat its current calendar year 2024 earnings expectations and forward PE is cheap.
Short a basket of Taiwan AI concept stocks vs. a core Nvidia long position rather than take profits in Nvidia. We have swapped one Taiwan stock in our short basket.
Nvidia Results Today U.S. Time — Taiwan Market Surged Recently on Improving AI/Semiconductor Expectations and Potential for Easing U.S.-China Tensions.
Taiwan: Underowned, Yet Gaining on Peers. Our Fellow Insight Provider Analyzes Why Taiwan Might Still Be Underowned.
Asia Geopolitics: Following Biden-Xi Meeting, Asia Is a Safer Place For Now.
SEMI reports Oct front/back end equipment billings decline of 14% and 18% y/y, respectively, which was improved from 18% and 24% y/y decline in September, implying early signs of recovery.
WSTS/SIA earlier reported September sales of US$44.89bn, up 1.9% m/m and down only 4% y/y (vs. 16% decline in June), suggesting semi sales y/y improvement and pass the cycle trough.
We are positive on SOX INDEX likely to break new high of over 4,000 in six months and expect PC/smartphone/training AI semi and DRAM semi/equipment vendors to outperform in short.
Weekly Top Ten Tech Hardware and Semiconductor
Receive this weekly newsletter keeping 45k+ investors in the loop
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.
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 & down 10% QoQ. Why are wafer shipments declining when key end markets are in recovery mode?
Earnings season wrapping up — Hon Hai & Asustek recently reported… Some AI names rallied hard but our Nvidia L/S trade still working
Hon Hai’s margin expansion story is finally starting to be realized. Stock’s perceived political risk could be an opportunity.
How Asustek plans to take the lead globally in AI PCs; Gaming PCs will be the first key battleground. MSI could be an interesting play on Asustek’s recent strong performance.
This earnings season, Industrial semiconductor demand has been the biggest incremental softening in end market demand. That’s not surprising.
I have been talking about the FIFO (First-In, First-Out) cycle, and the only two remaining segments that have not had a meaningful correction are Industrial and Automotive.
We are now seeing the beginning of Industrial weakening.
Asustek reported results on November 13th that beat analyst expectations thanks to a major margin rebound. The stock soared post results.
Asus plans to be the first company globally to release an AI PC, leveraging extensive AI R&D across different devices as well as its leading market share in gaming PCs.
However, gaming PC competitor MSI is already moving fast; Shows how gaming PCs are likely to be the first AI PC battleground. Long Asustek, remains preferred over Acer.
The inventory adjustment of consumer electronics products is nearing completion and industrial products will end later.
Silergy Corp (6415 TT)‘s short-term growth momentum comes from the demand of new smartphone, while its long-term growth momentum comes from the automotive, new energy and high-performance computing area.
In 1H24, the pro forma gross profit margin can be maintained at around 50%.
Hon Hai beat expectations yesterday when it reported thanks to higher than expected margins. Gross margin rose to its highest level since 2018, hitting 6.7%.
The company has maintained its 2025E 10% gross margin target and implied that 2024 will see significant margin improvement as new higher margin businesses ramp up revenue contribution.
Two key market concerns: News of Chinese government investigation and political risk given Mr. Gou running for president. Company said operations continue as normal. Hon Hai remains a Structural Long.
Weekly Top Ten Tech Hardware and Semiconductor
Receive this weekly newsletter keeping 45k+ investors in the loop
Last week global heavyweights AMD, Samsung, and Qualcomm delivered good news, including for the Memory, PC, and Smartphone industries. Taiwan company results supported their views as well.
Looking ahead, Novatek, Asustek, and Himax are set to release in Taiwan. Combined with NXP abroad, this will provide color on display demand, automotive, and servers/PCs.
A new Chinese memory chip maker just received major government investment, with an IPO of its related company planned.
Q323 revenues of NT$57 billion, up 1.4% QoQ but down 24.3% YoY. For 2023 YTD, revenues have amounted to NT$167,575 billion, down 20.5% YoY.
Net income was NT$15.97, essentially flat QoQ. Gross margin came in at 35.9%, also flat QoQ. Utilisation for the quarter was 67%, down from 71% in the prior quarter.
Utilization set to further decline to low 60% levels in Q423, the lowest since the downturn began.
Q323 revenues of $1.85 billion, flat sequentially but down 11% YoY. Net income was $249 million, up 5% sequentially but down 26% YoY.
At a midpoint of $1.85 billion, forward guidance is once again flat sequentially. Overall it was a solid report with guidance slightly better than UMC delivered last week.
Despite the solid quarter, the company’s outlook for 2024 was bleak with a 50% CapEx cut, LTAs under mounting pressure & ominous-sounding LTA “True Up” on the horizon.
Reports emphasizing that SMIC fell short of 3Q expectations don’t make much sense. The real test starts this quarter with 7nm smart phone processors for Huawei in mass production.
Profits are under pressure from low capacity utilization, rising depreciation and continued high investment. Cash flow is adequate. The balance sheet is sound.
The share price dropped 6.8% on Friday after rising 44% from late August to early November. 4Q guidance points to near-zero operating and net profit. Recovery will take time.
Takeaways post model updated: 1. most foundries miss 4Q23 but y/y decline to decelerate; 2. y/y sales passed the trough but utilization later; 3. wafer shipment down 18-20% in 2023;
More takeaways: 4. different mix with different price; 5. some are defensive this year, some might have larger upside for 2024; 6. gross margin still falling and capex cut needed.
Automotive/Industrial lags only not beginning of the fall: Smartphone, pc, consumer/IOT foundry orders might recover earlier than automotive/industrial for 2-3 quarters, resulting fablesses in these area to outperform.
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.
Like other automotive/industrial semi vendors, Diodes guides 4Q23 sales of 20% q/q and 35% y/y decline (miss by 21%) and weaker gross margin/operating margin of 35%/7% (miss by 5ppts).
The company sees 4Q23 sales decline of 20% mainly from 19% of automotive and 26% of industrial customers due to customer inventory cut coupled with year-end distributor inventory management.
We expect this adjustment for automotive/industrial IDMs to last for at least 6 months and suggest our clients to avoid these names unless valuation becoming attractive.
More y/y improvement (or decline deceleration) for PC/server, power management IC (PMIC), CMOS sensor/touch controller, GaAs RF/VCSEL, gaming GPU card, memory, and foundry vendors
GaAs RF/VCSEL and gaming GPU card vendors saw very impressive sales growth, driven by new phones introduction and rush orders to use NVIDIA RTX 4090 gaming card for AI training.
Stronger than expected Oct for TSMC and Gigabyte might drive 4Q sales and near term share price upside; Visera, Andes Tech, and AP Memory might see sales and price downside.
Weekly Top Ten Tech Hardware and Semiconductor
Receive this weekly newsletter keeping 45k+ investors in the loop