Technology / Semiconductor / Internet Research

Nicolas Baratte

Nicolas Baratte has been a financial analyst since 2000, covering the Technology sector in Asia mostly, and Global Tech in a couple of jobs. Nicolas has worked on the sell-side for JPMorgan, CLSA and Macquarie. On the buy-side for a Tiger fund and Prudential. Nicolas has covered Asian semiconductors, Asian hardware and components, and the global Semi supply chain. In addition to stock coverage, he also publishes research on sectors as that often shows clearer trends and pinpoints the inflection points in a sharper way. Nicolas lives mostly in Taiwan, sometimes in France and is in New York regularly.

Kioxoa Pre-IPO - The Positives - Among the Leaders in Its Space

Kioxoa Pre-IPO - The Negatives - Still a Follower of the Cycle

What Is Kioxia? And Should You Bother? Part 1: Why NAND Is so Hard (And Not Attractive)

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Kioxia has been under-investing in Capex (27% of revenue versus competitors 37%) and R&amp;D (5% versus 11%) because Free Cash Flow is low, too low to pay back debt. </li>
<li>The Memory cycle peaked in June-24 and NAND prices have been declining since. Memory stocks (Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix) peaked in June. </li>
<li>The valuations multiples that reconcile with a US$4.9bn market value are half or one-third that of competitors. A huge discount is applied, reflecting the financial and technological weakness of Kioxia. </li>
</ul>


Kioxia has been under-investing in Capex (27% of revenue versus competitors 37%) and R&amp;D (5% versus 11%) because Free Cash Flow is low, too low to pay back debt. 
The Memory cycle peaked in June-24 and NAND prices have been declining since. Memory stocks (Micron, Samsung, SK Hynix) peaked in June. 
The valuations multiples that reconcile with a US$4.9bn market value are half or one-third that of competitors. A huge discount is applied, reflecting the financial and technological weakness of Kioxia. 


Kioxia Part 2: Financials (Under-Investments, Razor-Thin FCF), Valuations (Memory Cycle Has Peaked)

Kioxia Holdings

Kioxia Part 2: Financials (Under-Investments, Razor-Thin FCF), Valuations (Memory Cycle Has Peaked)