Technology / Semiconductor / Internet Research

Nicolas Baratte

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Companies exude confidence and unanimously explain that AI is the fastest growing revenue segment ever.  AI leads to revenue growth, increase in volume, higher pricing, higher engagement. </li>
<li>Companies also explain that AI today only reflects a small part of long-term planning. AI is a decade long transformation of how we work, search for information or buy products.  </li>
<li>Meta and Microsoft see equipment delays and are capacity constrained in 2024. Capex will increase in 2025. </li>
</ul>


Companies exude confidence and unanimously explain that AI is the fastest growing revenue segment ever.  AI leads to revenue growth, increase in volume, higher pricing, higher engagement. 
Companies also explain that AI today only reflects a small part of long-term planning. AI is a decade long transformation of how we work, search for information or buy products.  
Meta and Microsoft see equipment delays and are capacity constrained in 2024. Capex will increase in 2025. 


Google, Meta, Microsoft: What Did They Say About AI, Capex and Revenues?

Equity Long-Short, Semiconductors, Fabricated Knowledge

Douglas O'Laughlin

Equity Long-Short, Semiconductors

Fabricated Knowledge

Learn more about the world's most important manufactured product. Meaningful insight, timely analysis, and an occasional investment idea.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>I don’t think it’s been any secret that I’ve been a peak litho bear for quite some time. I think we are finally seeing reality hit the company and the stock. Let’s discuss earnings, and then I’ll talk about peak lithography and TSMC.</li><li>ASML accidentally leaked earnings this week, and the leak wasn’t good. They beat Q3, but the issue was the outlook for next year and orders coming way below expectations. It’s funny because Q4 revenue is expected to accelerate, but no one is paying attention to that.\</li><li>Memory was half of the measly 2.6 billion-order book and is likely driven more by DUV for HBM than logic High NA.</li></ul>

I don’t think it’s been any secret that I’ve been a peak litho bear for quite some time. I think we are finally seeing reality hit the company and the stock. Let’s discuss earnings, and then I’ll talk about peak lithography and TSMC.ASML accidentally leaked earnings this week, and the leak wasn’t good. They beat Q3, but the issue was the outlook for next year and orders coming way below expectations. It’s funny because Q4 revenue is expected to accelerate, but no one is paying attention to that.\Memory was half of the measly 2.6 billion-order book and is likely driven more by DUV for HBM than logic High NA.

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) / Equity Bottom-Up

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing)

<ul>
<li>Main positive surprise in 3Q24 is a sharp margins expansion, reflecting Utilization increase. OP 9% above Consensus.</li>
<li>Main positive surprise in 4Q24 guidance: high QoQ revenue growth at 13%, which suggests further Utilization increase and TSMC could beat its margins guidance again.  </li>
<li>Net Income growth is accelerating in 2H24 to ~55% YoY. The stock is not that expensive, we estimate trading at 17.2x 2025 and 13.8x 2026 EPS.</li>
</ul>


Main positive surprise in 3Q24 is a sharp margins expansion, reflecting Utilization increase. OP 9% above Consensus.
Main positive surprise in 4Q24 guidance: high QoQ revenue growth at 13%, which suggests further Utilization increase and TSMC could beat its margins guidance again.  
Net Income growth is accelerating in 2H24 to ~55% YoY. The stock is not that expensive, we estimate trading at 17.2x 2025 and 13.8x 2026 EPS.


TSMC: 3Q24 Large Beat, Guidance Better, the Stock Is Not Expensive

<ul>
<li>AI demand will remain strong but is plateauing in terms of YoY growth. The rest of end-demand remains weak (Consumer, PC, Auto, Industrials). TSMC and UMC monthly sales confirm this. </li>
<li>TSMC high growth plateau ~40% YoY: AI (Nvidia Broadcom, AMD), Intel, new smartphone chips. Comps will get harder early 2025. Valuations are high but not extreme: limited upside and downside.</li>
<li>UMC lackluster at ~6% YoY growth, reflecting lackluster end-markets from smartphone, Consumer Elec, PC, Auto &amp; Industrials. Average valuations; in need of an elusive catalyst.</li>
</ul>


AI demand will remain strong but is plateauing in terms of YoY growth. The rest of end-demand remains weak (Consumer, PC, Auto, Industrials). TSMC and UMC monthly sales confirm this. 
TSMC high growth plateau ~40% YoY: AI (Nvidia Broadcom, AMD), Intel, new smartphone chips. Comps will get harder early 2025. Valuations are high but not extreme: limited upside and downside.
UMC lackluster at ~6% YoY growth, reflecting lackluster end-markets from smartphone, Consumer Elec, PC, Auto &amp; Industrials. Average valuations; in need of an elusive catalyst.


TSMC, UMC Monthly Sales: TSMC up Strong but Plateauing, UMC Lackluster, Confirming 2 Big Trends

Global TMT Analyst, Ex-PM, 30 years experience

Neil Campling

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-electronics-co-ltd-cec874fc-ef78-403b-8658-7a7298f0a28d" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25241:1" rel="noopener">Samsung Electronics (SMSN LI)</a> Q3 preliminary Operating Profit results is 12% below consensus. Company issues rare apology, effectively admitting technology competitiveness falls short.</li>
<li>
<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> is powering ahead in HBM memory in our view, securing Nvidia 2025 allocations, and industry leading efficiencies.</li>
<li>A range of factors have created a great opportunity for SK Hynix investment given misunderstood industry dynamics and position at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nvidia-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5891:1" rel="noopener">NVIDIA Corp (NVDA US).</a>
</li>
</ul>



Samsung Electronics (SMSN LI) Q3 preliminary Operating Profit results is 12% below consensus. Company issues rare apology, effectively admitting technology competitiveness falls short.

SK Hynix (000660 KS) is powering ahead in HBM memory in our view, securing Nvidia 2025 allocations, and industry leading efficiencies.
A range of factors have created a great opportunity for SK Hynix investment given misunderstood industry dynamics and position at NVIDIA Corp (NVDA US).



SAMSUNG: Less About Preliminary Results, More About the Tech Missteps. Samsung Pain Is HYNIX’s Gain

United States

Broadcom Inc. designs, develops, and supplies semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions. The Company offers storage adapters, controllers, networking processors, motion control encoders, and optical sensors, as well as infrastructure and security software to modernize, optimize, and secure the most complex hybrid environments. Broadcom serves customers worldwide.

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Broadcom (AVGO US)

Google, Meta, Microsoft: What Did They Say About AI, Capex and Revenues?

Is AI really increasing revenues, profitability? There is still considerable doubt within the investors community on the "reality" of AI, or its...

Nicolas Baratte

Earnings: TSMC, ASML, AEHR, Telecom

I don’t think it’s been any secret that I’ve been a peak litho bear for quite some time. I think we are finally seeing reality hit the company and...

Fabricated Knowledge

TSMC: 3Q24 Large Beat, Guidance Better, the Stock Is Not Expensive

Margins expansion from 3Q24 reflects Utilization finally picking up, driving gross margins up. Yet, utilization is only at ~80% in 3Q24 when 10...

Nicolas Baratte

TSMC, UMC Monthly Sales: TSMC up Strong but Plateauing, UMC Lackluster, Confirming 2 Big Trends

AI demand remains strong but YoY growth is plateauing. The rest of Tech end-demand remains weak (Consumer, PC, Auto, Industrials). Sept. monthly...

Nicolas Baratte

SAMSUNG: Less About Preliminary Results, More About the Tech Missteps. Samsung Pain Is HYNIX’s Gain

Samsung issues rare apology for Q3 profit miss. Admits to being behind in leading technologies. SK Hynix is ahead in HBM memory and set to win....

Neil Campling

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