Technology / Semiconductor / Internet Research

Nicolas Baratte

Equity Bottom-Up

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) / Equity Bottom-Up

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing)

<ul>
<li>Tax credit increase from 25% to 35% (portion of investment deducted from taxable income), which becomes as impactful in $ as the direct subsidies or about $40bn. </li>
<li>The US is working hard to make Semi investments more attractive. Subsidies, loans and tax credits altogether now approach $150bn. </li>
<li>That could mitigate a little bit of TSMC price increase in Arizona. But it’s not massive. The impact of tax credits increase from 2% of revenue to 3%. </li>
</ul>


Tax credit increase from 25% to 35% (portion of investment deducted from taxable income), which becomes as impactful in $ as the direct subsidies or about $40bn. 
The US is working hard to make Semi investments more attractive. Subsidies, loans and tax credits altogether now approach $150bn. 
That could mitigate a little bit of TSMC price increase in Arizona. But it’s not massive. The impact of tax credits increase from 2% of revenue to 3%. 


US Congress’s Gift to Semiconductor Manufacturers: 35% Tax Credit on Investments

<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?

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

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) - ADR / Equity Bottom-Up

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) - ADR

<ul>
<li>Samsung’s 1.4nm Technology Delay Highlights Potential That Intel Could End Up the Only Viable Alternative to TSMC -- Maintain Structural Long for TSMC</li>
<li>Micron Results Today Will Provide Insight Into Resilience of AI/HPC Equipment Demand</li>
<li>TechChain Insights: Himax Threatened by China Auto Chip Push? CPO Tech with TSMC Remains Bright Spot </li>
</ul>


Samsung’s 1.4nm Technology Delay Highlights Potential That Intel Could End Up the Only Viable Alternative to TSMC -- Maintain Structural Long for TSMC
Micron Results Today Will Provide Insight Into Resilience of AI/HPC Equipment Demand
TechChain Insights: Himax Threatened by China Auto Chip Push? CPO Tech with TSMC Remains Bright Spot 


Taiwan Tech Weekly: 1.4nm Slips from Samsung’s Grip? Why Intel May Be TSMCs Sole Next Gen Competitor

<ul>
<li>Nvidia, AMD launch a new GPU every 2 years. At each generation, higher performance manufacturing (TSMC) and HBM (higher density, higher speed, thinner layers). Hence, cost increase at each generation. </li>
<li>Price and volumes are negotiated 1 year ahead. TSMC, SK Hynix expect AI / HBM revenues to double in 2025. Expect another 50-60% in 2026. </li>
<li>Why HBM attracts less interest than Foundry (TSMC) or Design (AMD, AVGO, Nvidia)? Mostly, investor still think this is a cyclical business – HBM isn’t.</li>
</ul>


Nvidia, AMD launch a new GPU every 2 years. At each generation, higher performance manufacturing (TSMC) and HBM (higher density, higher speed, thinner layers). Hence, cost increase at each generation. 
Price and volumes are negotiated 1 year ahead. TSMC, SK Hynix expect AI / HBM revenues to double in 2025. Expect another 50-60% in 2026. 
Why HBM attracts less interest than Foundry (TSMC) or Design (AMD, AVGO, Nvidia)? Mostly, investor still think this is a cyclical business – HBM isn’t.


HBM Should Be as Attractive an Investment as Nvidia or TSMC but the Stocks Don’t Show That

<ul>
<li>TSMC’s Next Generation 2nm Node Gathers Momentum as Intel Lags Behind</li>
<li>TSMC’s Arizona Plant Ships First AI Chips — But Taiwan Remains Core to Packaging</li>
<li>MediaTek (2454.TT): Chinese Stimulus Program Might Lose Actively; Google DPU Project Delay to 2026. </li>
</ul>


TSMC’s Next Generation 2nm Node Gathers Momentum as Intel Lags Behind
TSMC’s Arizona Plant Ships First AI Chips — But Taiwan Remains Core to Packaging
MediaTek (2454.TT): Chinese Stimulus Program Might Lose Actively; Google DPU Project Delay to 2026. 


Taiwan Tech Weekly: TSMC's 2nm Node to Generate Largest Revenue Ever; US Bottleneck in Adv Packaging

United States

Micron Technology, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets dynamic random access memory chips (DRAMs), very fast static random access memory chips (SRAMs), Flash Memory, other semiconductor components, and memory modules.

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US Congress’s Gift to Semiconductor Manufacturers: 35% Tax Credit on Investments

US increases tax credit for semiconductor investments from 25% to 35%, as impactful as direct subsidies at about $40bn, part of $150bn in total...

Nicolas Baratte

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

Taiwan Tech Weekly: 1.4nm Slips from Samsung’s Grip? Why Intel May Be TSMCs Sole Next Gen Competitor

Samsung's 1.4nm technology delay could make Intel the only viable alternative to TSMC, while Micron's results will show the resilience of AI/HPC...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

HBM Should Be as Attractive an Investment as Nvidia or TSMC but the Stocks Don’t Show That

TSMC and SK Hynix expect AI/HBM revenues to double by 2025. Investors overlook HBM's potential due to misconceptions about its cyclical nature.

Nicolas Baratte

Taiwan Tech Weekly: TSMC's 2nm Node to Generate Largest Revenue Ever; US Bottleneck in Adv Packaging

TSMC's advancements in 2nm node technology outpace Intel, while Arizona plant ships AI chips and Taiwan remains central to packaging. MediaTek...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

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US Congress’s Gift to Semiconductor Manufacturers: 35% Tax Credit on Investments

​US increases tax credit for semiconductor investments from 25% to 35%, as impactful as direct subsidies at about $40bn, part of $150bn in total...

Nicolas Baratte

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

Taiwan Tech Weekly: 1.4nm Slips from Samsung’s Grip? Why Intel May Be TSMCs Sole Next Gen Competitor

​Samsung's 1.4nm technology delay could make Intel the only viable alternative to TSMC, while Micron's results will show the resilience of AI/HPC...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

HBM Should Be as Attractive an Investment as Nvidia or TSMC but the Stocks Don’t Show That

TSMC and SK Hynix expect AI/HBM revenues to double by 2025. Investors overlook HBM's potential due to misconceptions about its cyclical nature.

Nicolas Baratte

Taiwan Tech Weekly: TSMC's 2nm Node to Generate Largest Revenue Ever; US Bottleneck in Adv Packaging

​TSMC's advancements in 2nm node technology outpace Intel, while Arizona plant ships AI chips and Taiwan remains central to packaging. MediaTek...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

US increases tax credit for semiconductor investments from 25% to 35%, as impactful as direct subsidies at about $40bn, part of $150bn in total...

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.

Samsung's 1.4nm technology delay could make Intel the only viable alternative to TSMC, while Micron's results will show the resilience of AI/HPC...

TSMC's advancements in 2nm node technology outpace Intel, while Arizona plant ships AI chips and Taiwan remains central to packaging. MediaTek...