Technology / Semiconductor / Internet Research

Nicolas Baratte

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>April 2025, the US Gvt extended restrictions on Nvidia’s China-specific H20 chip. Restriction also apply to H20’s memory bandwidth. This means SK Hynix HBM and TSMC CoWoS.   </li>
<li>Nvidia new China-specific chip derive from this: a downgraded chip, half a Blackwell, without HBM-CoWoS packaging. Time to design, manufacture, could lead to ~15% downside risk to FY26 Consensus?   </li>
<li>FY26 revenues could land at US$175bn or  -12% below Consensus at 199bn. $175bn implies 35% growth YoY, Consensus expects 52%. The stock trades at “low” 30x FY26 and 24x FY27.</li>
</ul>


April 2025, the US Gvt extended restrictions on Nvidia’s China-specific H20 chip. Restriction also apply to H20’s memory bandwidth. This means SK Hynix HBM and TSMC CoWoS.   
Nvidia new China-specific chip derive from this: a downgraded chip, half a Blackwell, without HBM-CoWoS packaging. Time to design, manufacture, could lead to ~15% downside risk to FY26 Consensus?   
FY26 revenues could land at US$175bn or  -12% below Consensus at 199bn. $175bn implies 35% growth YoY, Consensus expects 52%. The stock trades at “low” 30x FY26 and 24x FY27.


Nvidia’s Jensen Complaining About Export Restrictions to China: How Much Is at Stake? Quite a Lot.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Import tariff into the US: Korea 25%, Taiwan 32%. But the White house clarified: no Reciprocal Tariff on semiconductors.  </li>
<li>There are other exemption (pharmaceuticals, lumber, certain minerals not available in the US). But then Apple or Nvidia don’t import Semis from Taiwan or Korea. </li>
<li>They import iPhones from China / India or Servers made in Taiwan. Is it a little bug to be fixed? There’s an interesting loophole: 10% tariff on Singapore.  </li>
</ul>


Import tariff into the US: Korea 25%, Taiwan 32%. But the White house clarified: no Reciprocal Tariff on semiconductors.  
There are other exemption (pharmaceuticals, lumber, certain minerals not available in the US). But then Apple or Nvidia don’t import Semis from Taiwan or Korea. 
They import iPhones from China / India or Servers made in Taiwan. Is it a little bug to be fixed? There’s an interesting loophole: 10% tariff on Singapore.  


No Tariffs on Semiconductors – but Does It Matter?

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

<ul>
<li>In this insight, we highlight the recent pricing gap divergences of the major Korean holdcos and opcos which could provide trading opportunities in 2Q 2025.</li>
<li>Among the 38 holdcos/opcos, there have been several pairs that have resulted in significant price ratio divergence which could provide trading opportunities in terms of their pricing gaps closing reversal.</li>
<li>Given the resumption in short selling in Korea, there is going to be a lot more interest in pair trades in Korea, especially among the major Korean holdcos/opcos. </li>
</ul>


In this insight, we highlight the recent pricing gap divergences of the major Korean holdcos and opcos which could provide trading opportunities in 2Q 2025.
Among the 38 holdcos/opcos, there have been several pairs that have resulted in significant price ratio divergence which could provide trading opportunities in terms of their pricing gaps closing reversal.
Given the resumption in short selling in Korea, there is going to be a lot more interest in pair trades in Korea, especially among the major Korean holdcos/opcos. 


Korean Holdcos Vs Opcos Gap Trading Opportunities in 2Q 2025

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Samsung Life Insurance (032830 KS) and Samsung Fire &amp; Marine Insurance (000810 KS) plan to sell about 278 billion won of Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) in block deal sales.</li>
<li>A total of 5 million shares of Samsung Electronics shares that are expected to be sold in this block deal sale represents 0.1% of Samsung Electronics' outstanding shares.</li>
<li>If Samsung Life Insurance is able to sell 4.256 million shares of Samsung Electronics for 236.4 billion won, this would represent 1.3% of Samsung Life Insurance's market cap. </li>
</ul>


Samsung Life Insurance (032830 KS) and Samsung Fire &amp; Marine Insurance (000810 KS) plan to sell about 278 billion won of Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) in block deal sales.
A total of 5 million shares of Samsung Electronics shares that are expected to be sold in this block deal sale represents 0.1% of Samsung Electronics' outstanding shares.
If Samsung Life Insurance is able to sell 4.256 million shares of Samsung Electronics for 236.4 billion won, this would represent 1.3% of Samsung Life Insurance's market cap. 


Block Deal Sale of About 278 Billion Won of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life and Samsung F&M

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) / Equity Bottom-Up

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing)

<ul>
<li>Smartphone 2024 small growth about +5% YoY. PC 2024 small unit growth +4%. Don’t expect much better in 2025 but the Silicon content will increase, both for processor and DRAM.</li>
<li>Lots of cuts in 2025 Semiconductor Capex. TSMC is up but Samsung, UMC, Intel down. Japan Semi Equipment association has revised down 2025 growth from 10% to 5%.</li>
<li>Cloud Capex booming. Microsoft announced US$80bn in FY25. Meta at US$60-65bn. TSMC to increase 5-3nm wafer price by 5-10%. The Ai segment of semiconductors is doing extremely well</li>
</ul>


Smartphone 2024 small growth about +5% YoY. PC 2024 small unit growth +4%. Don’t expect much better in 2025 but the Silicon content will increase, both for processor and DRAM.
Lots of cuts in 2025 Semiconductor Capex. TSMC is up but Samsung, UMC, Intel down. Japan Semi Equipment association has revised down 2025 growth from 10% to 5%.
Cloud Capex booming. Microsoft announced US$80bn in FY25. Meta at US$60-65bn. TSMC to increase 5-3nm wafer price by 5-10%. The Ai segment of semiconductors is doing extremely well


Tech News: Smartphone and PC Stabilize. Semicon Capex Cuts. Cloud Capex Up. TSMC Increasing Prices.

South Korea

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. manufactures a wide range of consumer and industrial electronic equipment and products such as semiconductors, personal computers, peripherals, monitors, televisions, and home appliances including air conditioners and microwave ovens. The Company also produces Internet access network systems and telecommunications equipment including mobile phones.

Samsung Electronics Pref Shares (005935 KS)

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Samsung Electronics Pref Shares (005935 KS)

Nvidia’s Jensen Complaining About Export Restrictions to China: How Much Is at Stake? Quite a Lot.

Nvidia new China-specific chip GPU will take time, leading to potential downside risk for FY26 revenues. But the stock is trading at low multiples

Nicolas Baratte

No Tariffs on Semiconductors – but Does It Matter?

US import tariffs on Korea and Taiwan are high, but no reciprocal tariff on semiconductors. Apple and Nvidia don't import semis from these...

Nicolas Baratte

Korean Holdcos Vs Opcos Gap Trading Opportunities in 2Q 2025

In this insight, we highlight the recent pricing gap divergences of the major Korean holdcos and opcos which could provide trading opportunities in...

Douglas Kim

Block Deal Sale of About 278 Billion Won of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life and Samsung F&M

Samsung Life Insurance (032830 KS) and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (000810 KS) plan to sell about 278 billion won of Samsung Electronics...

Douglas Kim

Tech News: Smartphone and PC Stabilize. Semicon Capex Cuts. Cloud Capex Up. TSMC Increasing Prices.

Smartphone and PC small growth in 2024 and 2025, but Silicon content in processors and DRAM will increase. Semiconductor Capex cuts in 2025. Cloud...

Nicolas Baratte

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Nvidia’s Jensen Complaining About Export Restrictions to China: How Much Is at Stake? Quite a Lot.

​Nvidia new China-specific chip GPU will take time, leading to potential downside risk for FY26 revenues. But the stock is trading at low multiples

Nicolas Baratte

No Tariffs on Semiconductors – but Does It Matter?

​US import tariffs on Korea and Taiwan are high, but no reciprocal tariff on semiconductors. Apple and Nvidia don't import semis from these...

Nicolas Baratte

Korean Holdcos Vs Opcos Gap Trading Opportunities in 2Q 2025

In this insight, we highlight the recent pricing gap divergences of the major Korean holdcos and opcos which could provide trading opportunities in...

Douglas Kim

Block Deal Sale of About 278 Billion Won of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life and Samsung F&M

Samsung Life Insurance (032830 KS) and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (000810 KS) plan to sell about 278 billion won of Samsung Electronics...

Douglas Kim

Tech News: Smartphone and PC Stabilize. Semicon Capex Cuts. Cloud Capex Up. TSMC Increasing Prices.

​Smartphone and PC small growth in 2024 and 2025, but Silicon content in processors and DRAM will increase. Semiconductor Capex cuts in 2025. Cloud...

Nicolas Baratte

Nvidia new China-specific chip GPU will take time, leading to potential downside risk for FY26 revenues. But the stock is trading at low multiples

US import tariffs on Korea and Taiwan are high, but no reciprocal tariff on semiconductors. Apple and Nvidia don't import semis from these...

Smartphone and PC small growth in 2024 and 2025, but Silicon content in processors and DRAM will increase. Semiconductor Capex cuts in 2025. Cloud...