Technology / Semiconductor / Internet Research

Nicolas Baratte

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>AMAT mentions “tremendous architecture inflections” in Logic and Memory (GAA, BSPD, HBM), this is true. But reviewed yesterday, how much, how fast versus declining Mature Logic and China declining?</li>
<li>2025 China to decline -25%, RoW to increase +25% on AI. This should continue in 2026. Post China’s elevated capex in 2023-24, the SPE sector is a play on AI. </li>
<li>ASML and KLA are 1) quasi monopoly 2) in segments that outgrow the total market. ASML is cheapish, KAL at average valuations. Best 2 stocks: ASML, KLA</li>
</ul>


AMAT mentions “tremendous architecture inflections” in Logic and Memory (GAA, BSPD, HBM), this is true. But reviewed yesterday, how much, how fast versus declining Mature Logic and China declining?
2025 China to decline -25%, RoW to increase +25% on AI. This should continue in 2026. Post China’s elevated capex in 2023-24, the SPE sector is a play on AI. 
ASML and KLA are 1) quasi monopoly 2) in segments that outgrow the total market. ASML is cheapish, KAL at average valuations. Best 2 stocks: ASML, KLA


SPE Part 2: Growth in 2025-26 from AI Segment Only (Logic, HBM, Packaging). Best 2 Stocks: ASML, KLA

Semiconductor & Technology Specialist, Ingenuity

William Keating

Semiconductor & Technology Specialist

Ingenuity

Our focus is exclusively on in-depth research & consulting in the broader semiconductor industry. We focus on the key players, namely Intel, Micron, Qualcomm, Apple, Samsung, NVIDIA, AMD, TSMC & Global Foundries - as well as some of the lesser known, but nonetheless critical, companies such as ASML (for EUV), Mellanox, Cavium, Xilinx etc. We specialise in their products, roadmaps, process technologies, competitive advantages & threats etc. We also help our clients understand the implications of new and emerging technologies, e.g. 3D X-Point, 3D NAND, Carbon Nanotubes, Autonomous Driving, Graphene, Silicon Photonics, Wafer-Level Optics, Artificial Intelligence, FPGA, GPU, ASIC etc. 

Semiconductor Analysis & Research

<ul>
<li>Q423 revenues of $2.49 billion, marginally above the guided midpoint, up 3.6% QoQ but down 15.6% YoY. Net income was $583 million, down $158 million QoQ.</li>
<li>Current quarter guidance of $2.3 billion, down 8% QoQ and also down around 5% YoY</li>
<li>Interesting Q&amp;A discussion on backlog. KLAC's order book is risker than their peers due to their shorter lead times. Something to watch...</li>
</ul>


Q423 revenues of $2.49 billion, marginally above the guided midpoint, up 3.6% QoQ but down 15.6% YoY. Net income was $583 million, down $158 million QoQ.
Current quarter guidance of $2.3 billion, down 8% QoQ and also down around 5% YoY
Interesting Q&amp;A discussion on backlog. KLAC's order book is risker than their peers due to their shorter lead times. Something to watch...


<ul>
<li>ASML reported Q423 revenues of €7.2 billion, up 7.5% QoQ and ~€100 million above the guided midpoint for the quarter.</li>
<li>ASML guided Q124 at €5.25 billion, down a very significant 27% sequentially. Also reiterated their previous forecast for 2024 revenues to be remain flat with 2023</li>
<li>ASML shares surged &gt;8% in overnight trading. What's going on here?</li>
</ul>


ASML reported Q423 revenues of €7.2 billion, up 7.5% QoQ and ~€100 million above the guided midpoint for the quarter.
ASML guided Q124 at €5.25 billion, down a very significant 27% sequentially. Also reiterated their previous forecast for 2024 revenues to be remain flat with 2023
ASML shares surged &gt;8% in overnight trading. What's going on here?


ASML Guides Q124 Down 27% QoQ, Shares Surge >8%. What Gives?

<ul>
<li>We talked about an environment of spending for wafer fab equipment that was roughly $140 billion plus for this year. Now it feels like there's additional momentum there.</li>
<li>Advanced packaging feels like it's accelerating. Initially we thought the packaging market might have been somewhere in the plus 20% overall. Now I think it's in excess of 30%.</li>
<li>2027 visibility is very good. I've been CFO here since 2013. I can't recall this level of visibility into the next year in the early May timeframe.</li>
</ul>


We talked about an environment of spending for wafer fab equipment that was roughly $140 billion plus for this year. Now it feels like there's additional momentum there.
Advanced packaging feels like it's accelerating. Initially we thought the packaging market might have been somewhere in the plus 20% overall. Now I think it's in excess of 30%.
2027 visibility is very good. I've been CFO here since 2013. I can't recall this level of visibility into the next year in the early May timeframe.


KLAC @ JPM 54th Annual TMC 2026. Key Takeaways & Full Transcript

Independent research on the U.S. markets, Baptista Research

Baptista Research

Independent research on the U.S. markets

Baptista Research is an independent financial research house focused on the U.S. markets. We provide equity research as well as credit research reports on the top-listed U.S. companies with most of our focus on technology, consumer goods and services, automobiles, industrials, oil and gas, pharma, and healthcare. Our research has served more than 3000 institutional investors including mutual funds, hedge funds, banks, family offices, and various buy-side firms. We operate a research subscription service where institutions, as well as retail investors, can have priority access to all our research. We also have a wide distribution of our research reports across some of the top global financial platforms. Apart from equity research and credit research, we also provide advisory services with respect to mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity/ venture capital fundraising, valuation reports, and investment management services for corporates.
Baptista Research is owned and managed by Ishan Majumdar, an ex-Venture Capitalist/ Investment Banker, a Chartered Accountant, and a Masters’ degree holder in Management from HEC Paris. Ishan has nearly a decade of experience in Mergers and Acquisitions, Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs), Venture Capital Investing, Corporate Strategy, and Valuation in front-office roles at the likes of BNP Paribas CIB, Credit Agricole CIB, Groupe Danone, and TIW Private Equity. He has worked on and closed multiple acquisition deals, leveraged buyouts, and start-up investment transactions.

<ul><li>KLA Corporation reported strong financial performance for the full year 2025 and the December quarter, marked by revenue growth, robust profitability, and sustained free cash flow generation.</li><li>For the full year, revenue increased 17% to a record $12.745 billion, with process control systems revenue expanding 19% and services growing 15%.</li><li>Earnings per share rose 29% year-over-year, supported by industry-leading gross and operating margins of 62.8% and 43.6%, respectively.</li></ul>

KLA Corporation reported strong financial performance for the full year 2025 and the December quarter, marked by revenue growth, robust profitability, and sustained free cash flow generation.For the full year, revenue increased 17% to a record $12.745 billion, with process control systems revenue expanding 19% and services growing 15%.Earnings per share rose 29% year-over-year, supported by industry-leading gross and operating margins of 62.8% and 43.6%, respectively.

KLAC US - KLA Corporation: 17% Revenue Growth Cannot Shield Margins From Supply Chain Pressure!

United States

KLA-Tencor Corporation manufactures yield management and process monitoring systems for the semiconductor industry.  The Company's systems are used to analyze product and process quality at critical steps in the manufacture of circuits and provide feedback so that fabrication problems can be identified. KLA-Tencor operates sales, service, and application centers worldwide.

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KLA-Tencor Corp (KLAC US)

SPE Part 2: Growth in 2025-26 from AI Segment Only (Logic, HBM, Packaging). Best 2 Stocks: ASML, KLA

architectural advancements in Logic and Memory, but questions remain on growth rates and China's decline. ASML and KLA are top picks in the sector....

Nicolas Baratte

KLAC. Looks a Lot Like LRCX!

Q423 $2.49 billion, +3.6% QoQ, -15.6% YoY. Net income was $583 million, down $158 million QoQ. Q124 guidance of $2.3 billion, -8% QoQ -5% YoY,...

William Keating

ASML Guides Q124 Down 27% QoQ, Shares Surge >8%. What Gives?

Q423 revenues of €7.2 billion, + 7.5% QoQ. Q124 guided at €5.25 billion, - 27% QoQ. Reiterated '24 guidance flat YoY. Share surge >8% overnight....

William Keating

KLAC @ JPM 54th Annual TMC 2026. Key Takeaways & Full Transcript

2027 visibility is very good. I've been CFO here since 2013. I can't recall this level of visibility into the next year in the early May timeframe.

William Keating

KLAC US - KLA Corporation: 17% Revenue Growth Cannot Shield Margins From Supply Chain Pressure!

KLA Corporation reported strong financial performance for the full year 2025 and the December quarter, marked by revenue growth, robust...

Baptista Research

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