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

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

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) - ADR

<ul>
<li>Rapidus Corporation -- The Japan-based semiconductor startup has emerged as a key part of the country’s ambition to reclaim a foothold in the advanced semiconductor manufacturing space.</li>
<li>How Rapidus Compares to TSMC -- Rapidus’s challenge is not only in catching up with TSMC’s leading-edge process nodes but also in ensuring manufacturing maturity and cost competitiveness.</li>
<li>Maintain Structural Long rating for TSMC -- Accumulate on market weakness. TSMC is partially insulated from U.S. tariff risks thanks to its position producing the most advanced chips.</li>
</ul>


Rapidus Corporation -- The Japan-based semiconductor startup has emerged as a key part of the country’s ambition to reclaim a foothold in the advanced semiconductor manufacturing space.
How Rapidus Compares to TSMC -- Rapidus’s challenge is not only in catching up with TSMC’s leading-edge process nodes but also in ensuring manufacturing maturity and cost competitiveness.
Maintain Structural Long rating for TSMC -- Accumulate on market weakness. TSMC is partially insulated from U.S. tariff risks thanks to its position producing the most advanced chips.


Japan's Semiconductor Gamble: Can Rapidus Challenge TSMC?

<ul>
<li>Recent U.S. Market Weakness Appears to Have Been More Focused on Falling Sentiment for Server Businesses, Not PCs</li>
<li>CES 2025 Showed Qualcomm Chips Gaining Momentum in PCs, While AMD Continued Aggressive Competition -- Intel Under Pressure</li>
<li>PC Maker Universe to Experience Decent Revenue Growth in 2025E -- Structural Long Asustek &amp; Dell</li>
</ul>


Recent U.S. Market Weakness Appears to Have Been More Focused on Falling Sentiment for Server Businesses, Not PCs
CES 2025 Showed Qualcomm Chips Gaining Momentum in PCs, While AMD Continued Aggressive Competition -- Intel Under Pressure
PC Maker Universe to Experience Decent Revenue Growth in 2025E -- Structural Long Asustek &amp; Dell


PC Monitor: Snapdragon’s Surge, AMD’s Gains, Intel’s Test; Long Asus & Dell

Founder/CEO of ROK Advisory, ROK Advisory LLC

Ken S. Kim

Founder/CEO of ROK Advisory

ROK Advisory LLC

ROK is an independent research advisory firm. We guide you to minimize the information gap between foreign and local investors in Northeast Asia with a focus in Korea, Taiwan and Japan.

Independent Research Advisory Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Politics - where do we go from here and is more uncertainty ahead? </li>
<li>Changes to corporate governance for the better for minority investors? </li>
<li>Can the KOSPI perform if Samsung Electronics continues not to? </li>
</ul>


Politics - where do we go from here and is more uncertainty ahead? 
Changes to corporate governance for the better for minority investors? 
Can the KOSPI perform if Samsung Electronics continues not to? 


Taiwan Tech Focused Senior Analyst

Patrick Liao

United Microelectronics Corp / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/united-microelectron-sp-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11540:1" rel="noopener">United Microelectron Sp Adr (UMC US)</a> experiences approximately a 5-10% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) decline in 1Q25. For the full year of 2025, we anticipate a modest year-over-year (YoY) decline of around 5%.</li>
<li>We have observed some strength from Taiwanese Fabless companies, which could support the 1Q25 demand for UMC.  </li>
<li>It has been noted that mature wafer demand is not solely driven by China and may help offset the impacts of the US-China Trade War, benefiting foundries outside of China.</li>
</ul>



United Microelectron Sp Adr (UMC US) experiences approximately a 5-10% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) decline in 1Q25. For the full year of 2025, we anticipate a modest year-over-year (YoY) decline of around 5%.
We have observed some strength from Taiwanese Fabless companies, which could support the 1Q25 demand for UMC.  
It has been noted that mature wafer demand is not solely driven by China and may help offset the impacts of the US-China Trade War, benefiting foundries outside of China.


UMC (2303.TT; UMC.US): 1Q25 Outlook; Surprise Support of Taiwanese Fabless.

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>Intel is pinning much hope on the success of the AIPC, a venture in which they are tied at the hip with Microsoft, which calls it a CoPilot+ PC</li>
<li>The AIPC/CoPilot+ PC concept is struggling to gain traction. They will sell in volume, but only because buyers will have limited alternatives available. Ultimately, we see AIPCs cannibalising non-AIPCs</li>
<li>Intel's performance was underwhelming to say the least, but at the same time, not in the least bit surprising. Earnings coming on January 23. </li>
</ul>


Intel is pinning much hope on the success of the AIPC, a venture in which they are tied at the hip with Microsoft, which calls it a CoPilot+ PC
The AIPC/CoPilot+ PC concept is struggling to gain traction. They will sell in volume, but only because buyers will have limited alternatives available. Ultimately, we see AIPCs cannibalising non-AIPCs
Intel's performance was underwhelming to say the least, but at the same time, not in the least bit surprising. Earnings coming on January 23. 


Intel @ CES 2025. Doubling Down On The AIPC & Other Fantastical Tales

United States

QUALCOMM, Inc . manufactures digital wireless communications equipment.  The Company licenses its code division multiple access (CDMA) and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access intellectual property to other companies, and produces CDMA-based integrated circuits; and produces equipment and software used to track workers and assets; and software for wireless content enablement.

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Qualcomm Inc (QCOM US)

Japan's Semiconductor Gamble: Can Rapidus Challenge TSMC?

Japan's Rapidus aims to boost country's semiconductor industry, but faces significant challenges in catching up to TSMC's advanced nodes and cost...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

PC Monitor: Snapdragon’s Surge, AMD’s Gains, Intel’s Test; Long Asus & Dell

Recent market weakness in the U.S. is centered on server businesses, not PCs. Qualcomm chips gaining traction in PCs at CES 2025, while AMD...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

2025 Korea

What to expect in Korea for 2025 after a doldrum 2024? Korea has been one of the better performers to start 2025...can it continue?

Ken S. Kim

UMC (2303.TT; UMC.US): 1Q25 Outlook; Surprise Support of Taiwanese Fabless.

UMC expects a 5-10% QoQ decline in 1Q25, with a modest 5% YoY decline for 2025. Taiwanese Fabless companies may boost 1Q25 demand, while mature...

Patrick Liao

Intel @ CES 2025. Doubling Down On The AIPC & Other Fantastical Tales

AIPC/CoPilot+ PC concept is struggling to gain traction. They will sell in volume, but only because buyers will have limited alternatives...

William Keating

Price Gauge

52-week Range

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Japan's Semiconductor Gamble: Can Rapidus Challenge TSMC?

​Japan's Rapidus aims to boost country's semiconductor industry, but faces significant challenges in catching up to TSMC's advanced nodes and cost...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

PC Monitor: Snapdragon’s Surge, AMD’s Gains, Intel’s Test; Long Asus & Dell

​Recent market weakness in the U.S. is centered on server businesses, not PCs. Qualcomm chips gaining traction in PCs at CES 2025, while AMD...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

2025 Korea

What to expect in Korea for 2025 after a doldrum 2024? Korea has been one of the better performers to start 2025...can it continue?

Ken S. Kim

UMC (2303.TT; UMC.US): 1Q25 Outlook; Surprise Support of Taiwanese Fabless.

UMC expects a 5-10% QoQ decline in 1Q25, with a modest 5% YoY decline for 2025. Taiwanese Fabless companies may boost 1Q25 demand, while mature...

Patrick Liao

Intel @ CES 2025. Doubling Down On The AIPC & Other Fantastical Tales

AIPC/CoPilot+ PC concept is struggling to gain traction. They will sell in volume, but only because buyers will have limited alternatives...

William Keating

Japan's Rapidus aims to boost country's semiconductor industry, but faces significant challenges in catching up to TSMC's advanced nodes and cost...

Recent market weakness in the U.S. is centered on server businesses, not PCs. Qualcomm chips gaining traction in PCs at CES 2025, while AMD...