AI | Semiconductors | Commodities, Mint Finance

Raghav Vashisht

AI | Semiconductors | Commodities

Deep Fundamental Analysis

Mint Finance

Mint Finance's investment research blends deep fundamental analysis with technical & quant insights. Investment strategies straddle across multiple asset classes with risk management embedded into every trade to deliver an outsized reward-to-risk ratio.

Mint Finance's research is centered around three key themes. First, energy transition and climate change. Second, artificial intelligence. Third, shifting world order with its impact across politics and monetary economics.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>With inference workloads scaling, NAND flash and HBM are now central to AI infrastructure, reshaping demand, pricing, and capex.</li>
<li>SSD demand is booked through 2026, HDD lead times stretch to 52 weeks, and persistent storage (commodity, you say?) has become mission-critical for inference data trails.</li>
<li>HBM to cross 43% of DRAM TAM, while packaging complexity and competition from Chinese players raise fresh and long-term questions on valuation and defensibility.</li>
</ul>


With inference workloads scaling, NAND flash and HBM are now central to AI infrastructure, reshaping demand, pricing, and capex.
SSD demand is booked through 2026, HDD lead times stretch to 52 weeks, and persistent storage (commodity, you say?) has become mission-critical for inference data trails.
HBM to cross 43% of DRAM TAM, while packaging complexity and competition from Chinese players raise fresh and long-term questions on valuation and defensibility.


From Commodity to Catalyst: Memory as the New Bottleneck

Research and consultancy, Tabbush Report

Daniel Tabbush

Research and consultancy

Tabbush Report

We provide research and consultancy on Asian banks. Our focus is on what we call “Asian bank research, without the noise.” We are interested in the most critical swing-factors for banks, the NPL and credit cycle, and where we believe there is a gap between perception and reality. We often focus on the less studied components of bank financial statements.  Our research is highly thematic, sometimes examining unlisted banks and companies as a window on mainstream banks. 

Being independent allows us to look at smaller banks, often overlooked by others. Analysis of BIS bank guidelines in the context of Asia, is also a focal point, while we also analyze global banks operating in the region. We use what we believe is the most comprehensive, reliable financials database, SNL Financial. S&P Capital IQ augments our database, with corporate data and CEIC, with economics. 

Asian bank research, without the noise.

<ul>
<li>Fed quarterly data on net charge-off rates (NCO) and delinquency rates, does not suggest any major concerns</li>
<li>The data is partly backwards looking, and does not include Tricolor, First Brands, but still, data appears benign</li>
<li>Growth in NCO and delinquencies since FY20-FY22 is skewed due to coming off of forbearance, lower rates, can help total figures in coming quarters</li>
</ul>


Fed quarterly data on net charge-off rates (NCO) and delinquency rates, does not suggest any major concerns
The data is partly backwards looking, and does not include Tricolor, First Brands, but still, data appears benign
Growth in NCO and delinquencies since FY20-FY22 is skewed due to coming off of forbearance, lower rates, can help total figures in coming quarters


US Banks - Quarterly NCO Rate in 2Q25 -4.7% QoQ, Delinquency Rates -1.9% QoQ

<ul>
<li>The comment by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jpmorgan-chase-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:277:1" rel="noopener">JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co (JPM US)</a> about its two bad loans suggesting there will be more, something like 'cockroaches' coming out from nowhere. </li>
<li>The weekly data from H8 filings at the Fed have been showing lower LLR for many weeks, suggesting a better credit environment not worsening - whatever the animal.</li>
<li>The reality is that most banks that have announced in the US are showing lower credit costs, lower NPLs or benign growth in bad loans. </li>
</ul>


The comment by JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co (JPM US) about its two bad loans suggesting there will be more, something like 'cockroaches' coming out from nowhere. 
The weekly data from H8 filings at the Fed have been showing lower LLR for many weeks, suggesting a better credit environment not worsening - whatever the animal.
The reality is that most banks that have announced in the US are showing lower credit costs, lower NPLs or benign growth in bad loans. 


US Banks - Cockroaches? Weekly LLR Only 0.32% YoY. Comment Appears to Be In Contrast to Data

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wells-fargo-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:232:1" rel="noopener">Wells Fargo &amp; Co (WFC US)</a> reported strong loan growth and much lower credit costs 3Q25</li>
<li>The credit costs from WFC are stepped down, and fully reflected of weekly B/S from Fed data</li>
<li>C&amp;I loans are up a lot, indicative of economic strength, NPL ratio for all loans, are falling more</li>
</ul>



Wells Fargo &amp; Co (WFC US) reported strong loan growth and much lower credit costs 3Q25
The credit costs from WFC are stepped down, and fully reflected of weekly B/S from Fed data
C&amp;I loans are up a lot, indicative of economic strength, NPL ratio for all loans, are falling more


Wells Fargo - Strong Loan Growth and Credit Metrics, in Line with Weekly B/S Data from Fed

<ul>
<li>Weekly data from Fed shows continued strength for banks and the underlying US economy, for data 1 October</li>
<li>Loan loss reserves (LLR) just hit a new low growth rate at 0.72% YoY which should be definitive: credit metrics in US are exceptional, and improving </li>
<li>New loan growth data hit a new high, up 4.86 YoY, sensible given we now have a bit more time passage after rate cut</li>
</ul>


Weekly data from Fed shows continued strength for banks and the underlying US economy, for data 1 October
Loan loss reserves (LLR) just hit a new low growth rate at 0.72% YoY which should be definitive: credit metrics in US are exceptional, and improving 
New loan growth data hit a new high, up 4.86 YoY, sensible given we now have a bit more time passage after rate cut


US Banks - Loan Loss Reserves Growth Hits Low at 0.72% YoY & Loan Growth Hits New High at 4.86%

United States

JPMorgan Chase & Co. provides global financial services and retail banking. The Company provides services such as investment banking, treasury and securities services, asset management, private banking, card member services, commercial banking, and home finance. JP Morgan Chase serves business enterprises, institutions, and individuals.

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JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM US)

From Commodity to Catalyst: Memory as the New Bottleneck

AI infrastructure is increasingly reliant on NAND flash and HBM, reshaping demand and pricing, with SSD demand booked through 2026 and HDD lead...

Mint Finance

US Banks - Quarterly NCO Rate in 2Q25 -4.7% QoQ, Delinquency Rates -1.9% QoQ

Fed quarterly data on NCO and delinquencies, does not suggest any systemic malaise in credit markets. Will be interesting to see how data changes...

Daniel Tabbush

US Banks - Cockroaches? Weekly LLR Only 0.32% YoY. Comment Appears to Be In Contrast to Data

Comment from JPM seems to be in contrast to US bank data, where there are no major or systemic signs of credit deterioration, rather it is the...

Daniel Tabbush

Wells Fargo - Strong Loan Growth and Credit Metrics, in Line with Weekly B/S Data from Fed

Strong data out from Wells Fargo for 3Q25 is very much in keeping with the weekly balance sheet data from Fed during the quarter, and as we are...

Daniel Tabbush

US Banks - Loan Loss Reserves Growth Hits Low at 0.72% YoY & Loan Growth Hits New High at 4.86%

New release from the Fed shows loan loss reserves at US banks seeing a lower growth rate that any time in the weekly series, and loan growth is...

Daniel Tabbush

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

From Commodity to Catalyst: Memory as the New Bottleneck

​AI infrastructure is increasingly reliant on NAND flash and HBM, reshaping demand and pricing, with SSD demand booked through 2026 and HDD lead...

Mint Finance

US Banks - Quarterly NCO Rate in 2Q25 -4.7% QoQ, Delinquency Rates -1.9% QoQ

Fed quarterly data on NCO and delinquencies, does not suggest any systemic malaise in credit markets. Will be interesting to see how data changes...

Daniel Tabbush

US Banks - Cockroaches? Weekly LLR Only 0.32% YoY. Comment Appears to Be In Contrast to Data

Comment from JPM seems to be in contrast to US bank data, where there are no major or systemic signs of credit deterioration, rather it is the...

Daniel Tabbush

Wells Fargo - Strong Loan Growth and Credit Metrics, in Line with Weekly B/S Data from Fed

Strong data out from Wells Fargo for 3Q25 is very much in keeping with the weekly balance sheet data from Fed during the quarter, and as we are...

Daniel Tabbush

US Banks - Loan Loss Reserves Growth Hits Low at 0.72% YoY & Loan Growth Hits New High at 4.86%

New release from the Fed shows loan loss reserves at US banks seeing a lower growth rate that any time in the weekly series, and loan growth is...

Daniel Tabbush

AI infrastructure is increasingly reliant on NAND flash and HBM, reshaping demand and pricing, with SSD demand booked through 2026 and HDD lead...