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

Equity Bottom-Up

Zhen Ding Technology Holding / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhen-ding-technology-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16830:1" rel="noopener">Zhen Ding Technology Holding (4958 TT)</a> is leveraging its full-stack PCB and IC substrate portfolio to position itself as a critical enabler of AI hardware across cloud, channel, and edge applications. </li>
<li>AI-Linked hardware is expected to account for over 70% of Zhen Ding’s revenue in 2025, up sharply from 45% in 2024 and just 8% in 2023.</li>
<li>Zhen Ding shares remain substantially below their 52-week highs; we see the company well-placed in terms of long-term drivers. Well placed for an upcoming AI robotics boom.</li>
</ul>



Zhen Ding Technology Holding (4958 TT) is leveraging its full-stack PCB and IC substrate portfolio to position itself as a critical enabler of AI hardware across cloud, channel, and edge applications. 
AI-Linked hardware is expected to account for over 70% of Zhen Ding’s revenue in 2025, up sharply from 45% in 2024 and just 8% in 2023.
Zhen Ding shares remain substantially below their 52-week highs; we see the company well-placed in terms of long-term drivers. Well placed for an upcoming AI robotics boom.


TechChain Insights: Zhen Ding - How Next Generation PCBs/Substrates Will Be Critical for AI Devices

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

Kokusai Electric  / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>KKR is looking to raise approximately US$620m through an accelerated secondary offering for around 13% of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kokusai-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40152:1" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric (6525 JP)</a>'s (KE) stock.</li>
<li>KKR had sold in the IPO and undertaken an extended selldown in July 2024 as well. Hence, this deal is somewhat well flagged.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the placement and run the deal through our ECM framework.</li>
</ul>


KKR is looking to raise approximately US$620m through an accelerated secondary offering for around 13% of Kokusai Electric (6525 JP)'s (KE) stock.
KKR had sold in the IPO and undertaken an extended selldown in July 2024 as well. Hence, this deal is somewhat well flagged.
In this note, we will talk about the placement and run the deal through our ECM framework.


Kokusai Electric Placement - Well Flagged but past Deal Didn’t Do Well

Technology / Semiconductor / Internet Research

Nicolas Baratte

<ul>
<li>Samsung doesn’t provide guidance when it reports, but gives revenue an operating profit guidance ~2 weeks before reporting. But we have an officially non-official preview in Korean media. </li>
<li>2Q25 operating profit will be “weaker than expected”, declining “by more than 15% from the first quarter” to KRW mid-5 trillion range. Consensus expects +1% QoQ. </li>
<li>Some positive news to counter balance this large disappointment – smartphone, HBM3E – I am skeptical any of these can lift profits in 2H25, revisit early 2026.</li>
</ul>


Samsung doesn’t provide guidance when it reports, but gives revenue an operating profit guidance ~2 weeks before reporting. But we have an officially non-official preview in Korean media. 
2Q25 operating profit will be “weaker than expected”, declining “by more than 15% from the first quarter” to KRW mid-5 trillion range. Consensus expects +1% QoQ. 
Some positive news to counter balance this large disappointment – smartphone, HBM3E – I am skeptical any of these can lift profits in 2H25, revisit early 2026.


Samsung 2Q25 Official Leaks: Sharp Decline in Operating Profits, but It’s the Bottom. Really?

Himax Technologies Inc Adr / Equity Bottom-Up

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<li>
China’s push for 100% auto chip localization by 2027 poses risk to Himax, which derived 75% of 1Q25 revenue from China. We engaged the company for comments./</li>
<li>
Himax may avoid direct targeting due to Taiwanese roots and local production via CN Nexchip, and we believe is less vulnerable than Western firms like NXP, TI, and Wolfspeed.</li>
<li>
Copackaged Optics (CPO) industry momentum continues to build as Himax continues role alongside TSMC and FOCI; industry moves from Nvidia, AMD validate long-term optical interconnect opportunity Himax is positioned for.</li>
</ul>



China’s push for 100% auto chip localization by 2027 poses risk to Himax, which derived 75% of 1Q25 revenue from China. We engaged the company for comments./

Himax may avoid direct targeting due to Taiwanese roots and local production via CN Nexchip, and we believe is less vulnerable than Western firms like NXP, TI, and Wolfspeed.

Copackaged Optics (CPO) industry momentum continues to build as Himax continues role alongside TSMC and FOCI; industry moves from Nvidia, AMD validate long-term optical interconnect opportunity Himax is positioned for.


TechChain Insights: Himax Threatened by China Auto Chip Push? CPO Tech with TSMC Remains Bright Spot

<ul>
<li>Marvell AI event yesterday, good efforts to explain its Data Center / Accelerators roadmap, growth opportunity: ~50% Cagr to 2028, a bit higher than TSMC (45%), lower than AMD (60%). </li>
<li>CEO suggests that data center revenues can increase 4.4x to 2028, total revenue to ~triple to CY28. That’s possible but Marvell’s fragility is margins and lower scalability than AMD, Nvidia.  </li>
<li>The nature of custom-designed ASICs is a lot of R&amp;D for a single customer. Marvell GAAP margins are thin and therefore a binary bet on operating leverage.</li>
</ul>


Marvell AI event yesterday, good efforts to explain its Data Center / Accelerators roadmap, growth opportunity: ~50% Cagr to 2028, a bit higher than TSMC (45%), lower than AMD (60%). 
CEO suggests that data center revenues can increase 4.4x to 2028, total revenue to ~triple to CY28. That’s possible but Marvell’s fragility is margins and lower scalability than AMD, Nvidia.  
The nature of custom-designed ASICs is a lot of R&amp;D for a single customer. Marvell GAAP margins are thin and therefore a binary bet on operating leverage.


Marvell Expects Hyper-Growth in Data Center Custom Chips (ASIC) With a Higher Earnings Risk

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.

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Advanced Micro Devices (AMD US)

TechChain Insights: Zhen Ding - How Next Generation PCBs/Substrates Will Be Critical for AI Devices

Zhen Ding is poised to become a key leader in the backbone of AI hardware with a strong portfolio with strong growth expected in the coming years.

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Kokusai Electric Placement - Well Flagged but past Deal Didn’t Do Well

KKR is looking to raise approximately US$620m through an accelerated secondary offering for around 13% of Kokusai Electric (6525 JP)'s (KE) stock.

Sumeet Singh

Samsung 2Q25 Official Leaks: Sharp Decline in Operating Profits, but It’s the Bottom. Really?

Samsung's 2Q25 operating profit to decline by over 15% from Q1, Consensus expects +1%. Some positive news but skepticism about profit lift in 2H25.

Nicolas Baratte

TechChain Insights: Himax Threatened by China Auto Chip Push? CPO Tech with TSMC Remains Bright Spot

China's push for auto chip localization poses some risk to Himax, but its local production may offer some protection. Himax's role in Copackaged...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Marvell Expects Hyper-Growth in Data Center Custom Chips (ASIC) With a Higher Earnings Risk

Marvell's AI event highlights Data Center/Accelerators roadmap with potential 50% CAGR to 2028, but faces challenges in margins and scalability...

Nicolas Baratte

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

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TechChain Insights: Zhen Ding - How Next Generation PCBs/Substrates Will Be Critical for AI Devices

​Zhen Ding is poised to become a key leader in the backbone of AI hardware with a strong portfolio with strong growth expected in the coming years.

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Kokusai Electric Placement - Well Flagged but past Deal Didn’t Do Well

KKR is looking to raise approximately US$620m through an accelerated secondary offering for around 13% of Kokusai Electric (6525 JP)'s (KE) stock.

Sumeet Singh

Samsung 2Q25 Official Leaks: Sharp Decline in Operating Profits, but It’s the Bottom. Really?

​Samsung's 2Q25 operating profit to decline by over 15% from Q1, Consensus expects +1%. Some positive news but skepticism about profit lift in 2H25.

Nicolas Baratte

TechChain Insights: Himax Threatened by China Auto Chip Push? CPO Tech with TSMC Remains Bright Spot

​China's push for auto chip localization poses some risk to Himax, but its local production may offer some protection. Himax's role in Copackaged...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Marvell Expects Hyper-Growth in Data Center Custom Chips (ASIC) With a Higher Earnings Risk

​Marvell's AI event highlights Data Center/Accelerators roadmap with potential 50% CAGR to 2028, but faces challenges in margins and scalability...

Nicolas Baratte

Zhen Ding is poised to become a key leader in the backbone of AI hardware with a strong portfolio with strong growth expected in the coming years.

Samsung's 2Q25 operating profit to decline by over 15% from Q1, Consensus expects +1%. Some positive news but skepticism about profit lift in 2H25.

China's push for auto chip localization poses some risk to Himax, but its local production may offer some protection. Himax's role in Copackaged...

Marvell's AI event highlights Data Center/Accelerators roadmap with potential 50% CAGR to 2028, but faces challenges in margins and scalability...