Equity Long-Short

Mo Aziz

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>FabNext is €2bn of genuine, well-built 300mm capacity that generates more depreciation than EBITDA through 2027 — holding EBIT negative and return on capital below zero.</li>
<li>The cheapest EV/EBITDA multiple in the peer group reflects the only negative ROIC in the peer group — cheapness that accurately prices the return is not an opportunity.</li>
<li>Initiating BEARISH, fair value €76 (7.0x FY2027E EBITDA of €435m); one event overrides the call — a disclosed tier-one leading-edge qualification at FabNext moves fair value above €105 immediately.</li>
</ul>


FabNext is €2bn of genuine, well-built 300mm capacity that generates more depreciation than EBITDA through 2027 — holding EBIT negative and return on capital below zero.
The cheapest EV/EBITDA multiple in the peer group reflects the only negative ROIC in the peer group — cheapness that accurately prices the return is not an opportunity.
Initiating BEARISH, fair value €76 (7.0x FY2027E EBITDA of €435m); one event overrides the call — a disclosed tier-one leading-edge qualification at FabNext moves fair value above €105 immediately.


Siltronic (WAF GY): FabNext Is Real. The Return Is Not. Initiating BEARISH

Asia and Global Semiconductor and Tech Research

Andrew Lu

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Y/Y improvement for LCD, PMIC, GaAs RF, gaming card, cooling system, semi equipment&amp;material, semi fab construction, memory, and foundry vendors but more y/y deterioration for WiFi and CMOS sensor vendors</li>
<li>After 6 vendors beating consensus, we might see AI server supply chain, large panel LCD driver, WiFi/networking, and NAND flash vendors in US to report a better than expected 1Q24.</li>
<li>We might see 8"/12" raw wafer (like Shin Etsu, SUMCO , National Silicon Industry, Siltronic AG) vendors in Japan, China, and Germany to report a worse than expected 1Q24.</li>
</ul>


Y/Y improvement for LCD, PMIC, GaAs RF, gaming card, cooling system, semi equipment&amp;material, semi fab construction, memory, and foundry vendors but more y/y deterioration for WiFi and CMOS sensor vendors
After 6 vendors beating consensus, we might see AI server supply chain, large panel LCD driver, WiFi/networking, and NAND flash vendors in US to report a better than expected 1Q24.
We might see 8"/12" raw wafer (like Shin Etsu, SUMCO , National Silicon Industry, Siltronic AG) vendors in Japan, China, and Germany to report a worse than expected 1Q24.


Early Signs from the Reported March/1Q24 Taiwan Semi/Tech Sales

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>Silicon wafers area shipments (in MSI) declined by 14.3% YoY in 2023</li>
<li>Wafer revenues also declined by 10.9% to $12.3 billion over the same period</li>
<li>We expect Q124 revenues to be down ~20% QoQ and anticipate a further 5% YoY decline in full year 2024 shipments</li>
</ul>


Silicon wafers area shipments (in MSI) declined by 14.3% YoY in 2023
Wafer revenues also declined by 10.9% to $12.3 billion over the same period
We expect Q124 revenues to be down ~20% QoQ and anticipate a further 5% YoY decline in full year 2024 shipments


Silicon Wafers Area Shipments Decline 14.3% YoY in 2023

<ul>
<li>Record 300mm shipments, three loss-makers: ¥134bn of depreciation — not demand — is the entire gap; it peaks in FY2026 and mechanically rolls to ¥90bn by FY2028.</li>
<li>China has won 200mm and is contesting mature-node 300mm; at the leading edge — where the profit pool sits — no Chinese supplier is qualified below 14nm.</li>
<li>
Constructive on the sector: SUMCO top pick BULLISH ¥4,200 (9.0x FY2028E EBITDA), Shin-Etsu BULLISH ¥7,300 (11.5x FY2027E EBITDA), GlobalWafers NEUTRAL NT$920, Siltronic BEARISH €76. </li>
</ul>


Record 300mm shipments, three loss-makers: ¥134bn of depreciation — not demand — is the entire gap; it peaks in FY2026 and mechanically rolls to ¥90bn by FY2028.
China has won 200mm and is contesting mature-node 300mm; at the leading edge — where the profit pool sits — no Chinese supplier is qualified below 14nm.

Constructive on the sector: SUMCO top pick BULLISH ¥4,200 (9.0x FY2028E EBITDA), Shin-Etsu BULLISH ¥7,300 (11.5x FY2027E EBITDA), GlobalWafers NEUTRAL NT$920, Siltronic BEARISH €76. 


Silicon Wafer Industry Handbook: Primer, Cycle Framework and the 300mm Valuation Map

<ul>
<li>We are upgrading our existing facilities and any discussions with customers at this point are based on the capacity that we believe is possible as a result of such upgrades.</li>
<li>Demand is likely to exceed supply for more than three years, because of such supply constraints. In terms of the price level,  prices would need to be dramatically higher.</li>
<li>We have no plans whatsoever to restart the Yoshinogari project. At current price levels, it is not viable. All costs are rising now, with Japan potentially headed for more inflation</li>
</ul>


We are upgrading our existing facilities and any discussions with customers at this point are based on the capacity that we believe is possible as a result of such upgrades.
Demand is likely to exceed supply for more than three years, because of such supply constraints. In terms of the price level,  prices would need to be dramatically higher.
We have no plans whatsoever to restart the Yoshinogari project. At current price levels, it is not viable. All costs are rising now, with Japan potentially headed for more inflation


Silicon Wafers & The Looming Leading Edge Supply Crisis

Germany

Siltronic AG manufactures hyperpure silicon wafers. The Company offers products including non-polished and epitaxial coated wafers with different diameter sizes. Siltronic caters its products worldwide for use in computers, smartphones, flat-panel displays, navigation systems, automotive engine control systems, and many other applications.

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Siltronic AG (WAF GR)

Siltronic (WAF GY): FabNext Is Real. The Return Is Not. Initiating BEARISH

The lowest multiple among peers but also the only one with negative return. One is the explanation for the other — and neither changes without a...

Mo Aziz

Early Signs from the Reported March/1Q24 Taiwan Semi/Tech Sales

Early Signs from the Reported March/1Q24 Taiwan Semi/Tech Sales; we might see AI server, WiFi/networking, and NAND vendors in US to beat 1Q24 but...

Andrew Lu

Silicon Wafers Area Shipments Decline 14.3% YoY in 2023

Silicon wafers area shipments declined by 14.3% YoY in 2023 while revenues also declined by 10.9% to $12.3 billion. Q124 revenues will be down ~20%...

William Keating

Silicon Wafer Industry Handbook: Primer, Cycle Framework and the 300mm Valuation Map

The industry ships record volumes and reports losses. The gap is ¥134bn of scheduled non-cash depreciation — already peaking. Contracts reprice...

Mo Aziz

Silicon Wafers & The Looming Leading Edge Supply Crisis

Demand is likely to exceed supply for more than three years, because of such supply constraints. In terms of the price level, prices would need to...

William Keating

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