Technology / Semiconductor / Internet Research

Nicolas Baratte

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We’re going thru another iteration of the “AI peak” theory, driven by Hyperscalers’ declining Free Cash Flow. Coinciding with an “AI bubble” narrative, following the April-May stock rally.  </li>
<li>Stocks aren’t expensive. Semiconductors are trading at average PEx (17.7x forward EPS), Hyperscalers at -1 standard deviation (21.1x forward EPS). No valuations bubble. Expectations bubble? Consensus forecasts look reasonable.</li>
<li>Hyperscalers’ declining Free Cash Flows is true. Increasing Debt issuance is true. Also true: Cloud revenues are accelerating, margins are expanding. Most extraordinary is the increase in Remaining Performance Obligations.</li>
</ul>


We’re going thru another iteration of the “AI peak” theory, driven by Hyperscalers’ declining Free Cash Flow. Coinciding with an “AI bubble” narrative, following the April-May stock rally.  
Stocks aren’t expensive. Semiconductors are trading at average PEx (17.7x forward EPS), Hyperscalers at -1 standard deviation (21.1x forward EPS). No valuations bubble. Expectations bubble? Consensus forecasts look reasonable.
Hyperscalers’ declining Free Cash Flows is true. Increasing Debt issuance is true. Also true: Cloud revenues are accelerating, margins are expanding. Most extraordinary is the increase in Remaining Performance Obligations.


AI Is a Bubble, Again? Stocks Aren’t Expensive. Hyperscalers’ Future Revenue Tells a Different Story

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) / Equity Bottom-Up

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) (TSM US)

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing)

<ul>
<li>The SOX is up ~55% since March ’26, on the back of massive earnings. Valuations are  average. Within the SOX, there is a wide divergence in performance and valuations.</li>
<li>Memory sector is, at the same time: highest earnings growth, highest stock performance, and yet the lowest valuations. </li>
<li>Within the big caps, NVDA and TSMC are now abnormally cheap.</li>
</ul>


The SOX is up ~55% since March ’26, on the back of massive earnings. Valuations are  average. Within the SOX, there is a wide divergence in performance and valuations.
Memory sector is, at the same time: highest earnings growth, highest stock performance, and yet the lowest valuations. 
Within the big caps, NVDA and TSMC are now abnormally cheap.


What to Do with Semi Stocks? The SOX Rally Is Not a Crazy Bubble.

Managing Director, Zero One, Zero One

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Managing Director, Zero One

Zero One

Founded in 2015, Zero One produces independent investment research and provides corporate finance advisory services with a focus on both listed and private technology companies. Founder Vincent Fernando has over 20 years of experience in US and Asia capital markets.

Independent Investment Research

<ul>
<li>
Record 66.2% gross margin beat guidance by 120bps; management raised full-year revenue growth to "above 30%" and capex to high end of $52-56B on insatiable AI demand. </li>
<li>
Supply constraints persist through 2027 as TSMC builds three new N3 fabs globally. AI accelerator revenue CAGR reaffirmed at "higher-50s" through 2029. </li>
<li>
Supply chain scorecard: strongly positive for ASML, SK Hynix,  ASE; mixed for MediaTek and Apple; negative for Intel and Samsung  foundry competitiveness.</li>
</ul>



Record 66.2% gross margin beat guidance by 120bps; management raised full-year revenue growth to "above 30%" and capex to high end of $52-56B on insatiable AI demand. 

Supply constraints persist through 2027 as TSMC builds three new N3 fabs globally. AI accelerator revenue CAGR reaffirmed at "higher-50s" through 2029. 

Supply chain scorecard: strongly positive for ASML, SK Hynix,  ASE; mixed for MediaTek and Apple; negative for Intel and Samsung  foundry competitiveness.


TSMC 1Q26: 66% Gross Margin Beat — What It Means for ASML, NVIDIA, MediaTek & 7 More

<ul>
<li>Very impressive. 1H26 revenue growth ~35%, Operating Profits growth ~58% YoY (guidance). 1H26 Net Income growth ~54% (my estimate). Consensus will keep revising up.</li>
<li>Capacity is tight, 2026 Capex will be at high-end of guidance ($56bn), TSMC announced 3 new N3 Fabs, “doing everything” they can to speed up capacity ramp.</li>
<li>TSMC and ASML trade at +1 stdev above average. TSMC is a lot cheaper trading at 20.4x forward EPS (forward means 12 months forward or April 2027) vs ASML 40x.</li>
</ul>


Very impressive. 1H26 revenue growth ~35%, Operating Profits growth ~58% YoY (guidance). 1H26 Net Income growth ~54% (my estimate). Consensus will keep revising up.
Capacity is tight, 2026 Capex will be at high-end of guidance ($56bn), TSMC announced 3 new N3 Fabs, “doing everything” they can to speed up capacity ramp.
TSMC and ASML trade at +1 stdev above average. TSMC is a lot cheaper trading at 20.4x forward EPS (forward means 12 months forward or April 2027) vs ASML 40x.


TSMC Keeps Beating. Consensus Expects 38% EPS Growth in 2026. 1H26 EPS Growth Is Above 50% YoY.

<ul>
<li>Review of the conventional arguments (Bloomberg article): the timing gap between Capex and Revenue is the real issue.</li>
<li>Review of history of Tech Bubbles (Krugman): not clear if AI is a bubble, it could keep going for years, but if it bursts it will be worse than 1999-2003.</li>
<li>Best AI comp is Cloud Computing. Both enable new data analytics, new applications. Both are platforms. US Cloud Computing revenues increased 25x in 10 years (2015 to 2024).</li>
</ul>


Review of the conventional arguments (Bloomberg article): the timing gap between Capex and Revenue is the real issue.
Review of history of Tech Bubbles (Krugman): not clear if AI is a bubble, it could keep going for years, but if it bursts it will be worse than 1999-2003.
Best AI comp is Cloud Computing. Both enable new data analytics, new applications. Both are platforms. US Cloud Computing revenues increased 25x in 10 years (2015 to 2024).


What Are the Arguments in Favor and Against an AI Bubble?

United States

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) produces semiconductor products and devices. The Company offers products such as microprocessors, embedded microprocessors, chipsets, graphics, video and multimedia products and supplies it to third-party foundries, as well as provides assembling, testing, and packaging services. AMD serves customers worldwide.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD US)

AI Is a Bubble, Again? Stocks Aren’t Expensive. Hyperscalers’ Future Revenue Tells a Different Story

AI peak theory revisited as Hyperscalers' declining Free Cash Flow sparks "AI bubble" narrative. Valuations not bubble, expectations not inflated....

Nicolas Baratte

What to Do with Semi Stocks? The SOX Rally Is Not a Crazy Bubble.

The SOX index has surged 55% since March on strong earnings. Wide divergence in performance and valuations. Memory sector: high growth but low...

Nicolas Baratte

TSMC 1Q26: 66% Gross Margin Beat — What It Means for ASML, NVIDIA, MediaTek & 7 More

Record gross margin beat and raised revenue guidance due to AI demand; supply constraints persist through 2027 with TSMC building new fabs; supply...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

TSMC Keeps Beating. Consensus Expects 38% EPS Growth in 2026. 1H26 EPS Growth Is Above 50% YoY.

Impressive revenue and profit growth for TSMC, tight capacity leading to high Capex and new fabs, TSMC trading cheaper than ASML.

Nicolas Baratte

What Are the Arguments in Favor and Against an AI Bubble?

Timing gap between Capex and Revenue is the real issue, AI could be a bubble worse than 1999-2003, Cloud Computing is the best AI comp with...

Nicolas Baratte

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

AI Is a Bubble, Again? Stocks Aren’t Expensive. Hyperscalers’ Future Revenue Tells a Different Story

​AI peak theory revisited as Hyperscalers' declining Free Cash Flow sparks "AI bubble" narrative. Valuations not bubble, expectations not inflated....

Nicolas Baratte

What to Do with Semi Stocks? The SOX Rally Is Not a Crazy Bubble.

​The SOX index has surged 55% since March on strong earnings. Wide divergence in performance and valuations. Memory sector: high growth but low...

Nicolas Baratte

TSMC 1Q26: 66% Gross Margin Beat — What It Means for ASML, NVIDIA, MediaTek & 7 More

​Record gross margin beat and raised revenue guidance due to AI demand; supply constraints persist through 2027 with TSMC building new fabs; supply...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

TSMC Keeps Beating. Consensus Expects 38% EPS Growth in 2026. 1H26 EPS Growth Is Above 50% YoY.

​Impressive revenue and profit growth for TSMC, tight capacity leading to high Capex and new fabs, TSMC trading cheaper than ASML.

Nicolas Baratte

What Are the Arguments in Favor and Against an AI Bubble?

​Timing gap between Capex and Revenue is the real issue, AI could be a bubble worse than 1999-2003, Cloud Computing is the best AI comp with...

Nicolas Baratte

AI peak theory revisited as Hyperscalers' declining Free Cash Flow sparks "AI bubble" narrative. Valuations not bubble, expectations not inflated....

The SOX index has surged 55% since March on strong earnings. Wide divergence in performance and valuations. Memory sector: high growth but low...

Record gross margin beat and raised revenue guidance due to AI demand; supply constraints persist through 2027 with TSMC building new fabs; supply...

Impressive revenue and profit growth for TSMC, tight capacity leading to high Capex and new fabs, TSMC trading cheaper than ASML.

Timing gap between Capex and Revenue is the real issue, AI could be a bubble worse than 1999-2003, Cloud Computing is the best AI comp with...