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) / Equity Bottom-Up

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) (TSM US)

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing)

<ul>
<li>UMC &amp; Mediatek Results Today in Taiwan, Samsung Also Reporting; Taiwan AI Names Flying; Himax &amp; Novatek Top Losers Ahead of Results.</li>
<li>Semiconductor Surge: Southeast Asia Taking Center Stage Amid Taiwan's Geopolitical Shift</li>
<li>First Run of Tech/Semis' Guidance Tells Us What Industries and Companies to Avoid</li>
</ul>


UMC &amp; Mediatek Results Today in Taiwan, Samsung Also Reporting; Taiwan AI Names Flying; Himax &amp; Novatek Top Losers Ahead of Results.
Semiconductor Surge: Southeast Asia Taking Center Stage Amid Taiwan's Geopolitical Shift
First Run of Tech/Semis' Guidance Tells Us What Industries and Companies to Avoid


Taiwan Tech Weekly: Semiconductors Surging in Southeast Asia; UMC & Mediatek Results Today

Asia and Global Semiconductor and Tech Research

Andrew Lu

TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) (2330 TT)

<ul>
<li>TSMC expects 2024 semi sector in recovery with 20-25% y/y growth itself, driven by AI customers. By controlling capex, more rooms to raise dividends but no growth for equipment vendors.</li>
<li>Faster ramp on N3, likely N3E, N3P than competitor's. TSMC expects 3nm from 6% of sales in 3Q23, 12.7% in 4Q23 to 15% in 2024, 3x y/y increase in 2024. </li>
<li>TSMC reports a nearly 30% q/q drop on IOT and consumer IC demand and sees weakness on 12" mature technology despite better demand 8" specialty technology. </li>
</ul>


TSMC expects 2024 semi sector in recovery with 20-25% y/y growth itself, driven by AI customers. By controlling capex, more rooms to raise dividends but no growth for equipment vendors.
Faster ramp on N3, likely N3E, N3P than competitor's. TSMC expects 3nm from 6% of sales in 3Q23, 12.7% in 4Q23 to 15% in 2024, 3x y/y increase in 2024. 
TSMC reports a nearly 30% q/q drop on IOT and consumer IC demand and sees weakness on 12" mature technology despite better demand 8" specialty technology. 


What Stories TSMC Investor Conference Telling Us About Customers, Supply Chains, and Competitors

Vanguard Intl Semiconductor / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Shortage/Oversupply, price hike/cut, automotive/industrial demand and inventory corrections are still cyclical. Gross margin should double from 22-24% now once utilization returning to 100% and no more free wafer by 2025.</li>
<li>LCD driver foundry is facing a structural competition as China panel customers are building a local supply chain.</li>
<li>Attractive below NT$70 as: 1. inventory correction should be done by 2Q24; 2. global 8" foundry sales y/y improvement began 3Q23; 3. closing to cyclical low P/BV of 2.5x.</li>
</ul>


Shortage/Oversupply, price hike/cut, automotive/industrial demand and inventory corrections are still cyclical. Gross margin should double from 22-24% now once utilization returning to 100% and no more free wafer by 2025.
LCD driver foundry is facing a structural competition as China panel customers are building a local supply chain.
Attractive below NT$70 as: 1. inventory correction should be done by 2Q24; 2. global 8" foundry sales y/y improvement began 3Q23; 3. closing to cyclical low P/BV of 2.5x.


Why Is Vanguard Semi Becoming to a Bad Student, Cyclical or Structural?

Taiwan Tech Focused Senior Analyst

Patrick Liao

<ul>
<li>It remains cautiously optimistic for the 2024 outlook despite limited order visibility.  </li>
<li>The Vanguard wafer shipment has decreased by 8-10% QoQ, with the ASP declining by 0-2% QoQ. The GM for 4Q23F is projected to be 22-24%. </li>
<li>The smartphone and computing/NB/TV sectors have returned to normal levels.</li>
</ul>


It remains cautiously optimistic for the 2024 outlook despite limited order visibility.  
The Vanguard wafer shipment has decreased by 8-10% QoQ, with the ASP declining by 0-2% QoQ. The GM for 4Q23F is projected to be 22-24%. 
The smartphone and computing/NB/TV sectors have returned to normal levels.


Vanguard (5347.TT): The Smartphone and Computing/NB/TV Sectors Have Turned to Normal.

<ul>
<li>Vanguard's order visibility is about two months, and its order backlog is also about two months now.</li>
<li>Vanguard's goal is to establish a 12" wafer Fab, which we estimate will likely be viable around 2026F.</li>
<li>We believe that technology nodes below 28nm HKMG, specifically 40nm and below, would be suitable for transfer.</li>
</ul>


Vanguard's order visibility is about two months, and its order backlog is also about two months now.
Vanguard's goal is to establish a 12" wafer Fab, which we estimate will likely be viable around 2026F.
We believe that technology nodes below 28nm HKMG, specifically 40nm and below, would be suitable for transfer.


VIS (5347:TT): The Outlook Is a Bit Slower in 4Q23F

Taiwan

Vanguard International Semiconductor Corporation offers integrated circuit foundry services.  The Company manufactures 0.18um logic, mixed-signal, analog, high voltage, low power, CMOS RF, flash, embedded memory, and bipolar CMOS DMOS semiconductors.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Vanguard Intl Semiconductor (5347 TT)

Taiwan Tech Weekly: Semiconductors Surging in Southeast Asia; UMC & Mediatek Results Today

Key Taiwan results ahead include Mediatek, UMC, Realtek, Novatek, and Himax. Taiwan AI names have been flying lately while Novatek and Himax have...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

What Stories TSMC Investor Conference Telling Us About Customers, Supply Chains, and Competitors

What Stories TSMC Investor Conference Telling Us About Customers, Supply Chains, and Competitors; TSMC expects 2024 semi sector in recovery with 20...

Andrew Lu

Why Is Vanguard Semi Becoming to a Bad Student, Cyclical or Structural?

Why Is Vanguard Semi Becoming to a Bad Student? Some Cyclical or some Structural reasons for the weaknesses coupled with three reasons suggested...

Andrew Lu

Vanguard (5347.TT): The Smartphone and Computing/NB/TV Sectors Have Turned to Normal.

It remains cautiously optimistic for the 2024 outlook despite limited order visibility. The smartphone and computing/NB/TV sectors have returned...

Patrick Liao

VIS (5347:TT): The Outlook Is a Bit Slower in 4Q23F

Vanguard's order outlook is a bit slower in 4Q23F. Vanguard's goal is to establish a 12" wafer Fab, which we estimate will likely be viable with...

Patrick Liao

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)