Tech Hardware and Semiconductor

1. Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC ADR Short Interest New Highs; Chunghwa Telecom Short Spike

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC: +19.5% Premium; Short Interest in ADRs Jumps to New Highs; Open Fresh Short of Spread at 20% or Higher
• ASE: +3.8% Premium; Wait for Higher Premium Before Opening New Short
• CHT: -1.0% Discount; Consider Going Long the Spread; ADR Short Interest Rises to New Highs

2. Intel Foundry. Lowering 18A Expectations, Moving Away From Copy Exactly? What’s Going On?

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• On April 29, Intel hosted the latest in a series of “Direct Connect” events, this time focusing on the company’s Foundry progress and plans
• They talked about “ups and downs” with 18A, seeming to lower expectations for the process node which former CEO Gelsinger “bet the company on”. Lots of emphasis on 14A instead.  
• Foundry chief Naga Chandrasekaran casually announced that the company was “walking away” from Copy Exactly and “democratizing innovation” at the fabs to fix yield, reliability, predictability and cost challenges. Wow!

3. Delta Taiwan Vs. Thailand Monitor: Delta Thai Rally Looks Overdone; Taiwan Remains Better Value

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Delta Thailand’s rally looks sentiment-driven, not fundamental: 1Q25 results were decent but not a major beat.
• Valuation gap widened to unjustifiable levels: Delta Thailand trades at 52x trailing PER vs. Delta Taiwan at 25x.
• Delta Taiwan remains the structurally stronger,cheaper exposure to the group’s long-term growth themes.

4. Taiwan Tech Weekly: Taiwan’s Big Earnings Week and Apple’s High-Stakes Shift to India

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Major earnings week ahead: Taiwan names like Macronix, Lite-On, Delta, Mediatek report, while global tech giants Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Apple headline a critical week of results.
• Apple’s India shift faces hurdles: Apple plans to move most U.S. iPhone assembly to India by 2026E, but analysts caution full supply chain relocation from China will be difficult.
• UMC and Intel: Strategy and Uncertainty in Focus: Recent updates from UMC and Intel reveal supply chain adaptations and market visibility challenges for 2025E and beyond.

5. Delta Taiwan Vs. Delta Thailand: Valuation Gap Widens After Strong 1Q25; Why AI Now Needs Microgrids

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Delta Taiwan delivered record 1Q25 results, driven by strong AI data center demand; EPS beat Bloomberg consensus by 8%.
• Management highlights microgrids as essential for resilient AI infrastructure amid power grid instability, and challenges keeping national power supply up with data center expansion.
• Valuation gap widens sharply: Delta Taiwan trades at 22x PER vs. 60x for Delta Thailand, despite having stronger 2025–2026E growth. Weak macroeconomic situation also makes Delta Thailand highly vulnerable.

6. Nidec (6594 JP): Low Exposure to Trade War

By Scott Foster, LightStream Research

• Geographically diversified production, gearing to growth technologies, and consolidation of operations should support sales and profits in a difficult political and economic environment.
• Negatives largely in the price, but uncertainty over tariffs, exchange rates, recession, and the outcome of the takeover bid for Makino Milling also remains to be seen.
• The shares have rebounded from their recent sell-off but are still selling at only 15x projected EPS for FY Mar-26, the lowest P/E ratio in more than a decade.

7. Memory Monitor: SK Hynix Signals Resilient AI Demand Ahead; Nanya More Exposed to Global Downturn

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• SK Hynix expects continued AI/server memory strength despite global uncertainty — Expects 2025E HBM revenue to double YoY.
• PC and smartphone memory demand experienced moderate recovery — Supported by China stimulus and AI-featured product cycles.
• Continue to view SK Hynix shares in more favorable position vs. Nana Tech shares — Especially in a scenario of global economic weakness.

8. MediaTek 1Q25 Earnings: AI Momentum Drives Strength, But 2H Visibility Remains Murky Due to Tariffs

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• MediaTek beat 1Q25 EPS expectations as Smart Edge and mobile segments delivered strong sequential growth; flagship SoC traction supports improved ASP mix.
• AI remains central to strategy: NVIDIA partnership progressing — NT$1bn AI ASIC revenue targeted for 2026.
• Tariff-Driven macro caution clouds 2H outlook, but we maintain Structural Long view — AI, auto, and premium mobile SoCs drive long-term opportunity.

9. MediaTek (2454.TT): Tariffs Are Highly Uncertain, but Client Purchasing Hasn’t Changed Much.

By Patrick Liao

• 2Q25 guidance is projected to be between NT$147.2bn and NT$159.4bn (midpoint-flat QoQ), with a gross margin expected to range between 45.5% and 48.5%, and operating expenses between 27% and 31%. 
• In 2Q25, MediaTek expects mobile to be flat to slightly down, continued QoQ growth in smart edge, and QoQ growth in power ICs. 
• Regarding flagship smartphone SoCs, MediaTek remains optimistic about gaining market share and expects the ASP (average selling price) of its next-generation flagship chips to continue rising.

10. ASE Technology: Demand Pull-Ins and Tariff Fears Create an Uneven Outlook for Backend Services

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• ASE slightly missed 1Q25 profit expectations; operating margin slipped slightly due to seasonal ATM softness and higher opex from LEAP and test investments.
• LEAP advanced packaging and AI test continue to scale; but still make up only ~6% of revenue; ASE’s exposure to vulnerable mature/legacy chip end-applications remains too high.
• We rate ASE Neutral, vulnerable to global slowdown; citing macro opacity, tariff-related pull-ins, and a non-cheap valuation relative to 2H25 growth uncertainty and risks of a market de-rating.

1. What TSMC’s 1Q25 Results Reveal About the Future of Chipmaking in the U.S. (Structural Long)

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC’s Arizona Yield Success Silences Doubts: Management confirmed first U.S. fab has achieved yields comparable to Taiwan, validating global replication model and reinforcing alignment with U.S. clients like Apple, Nvidia. 
• U.S. Buildout Anchoring TSMC’s Long-Term Dominance: With 30% of N2 and beyond capacity to be in USA, TSMC building footprint across fabs, packaging, and R&D competitors will struggle to match. 
• Margins Resilient, AI Demand Accelerating: 1Q25 beat on AI strength despite smartphone softness and earthquake disruption. 2Q25E revenue guidance of +13% QoQ reflects continued momentum in advanced nodes and HPC.

2. Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC Premium at Mid-Range; Short Interest Highs for ASE & IMOS

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC: 16.5% Premium; Short Interest Remains Near Historical Highs for ADR and Local
• ASE: +2.2% Premium; Wait for Closer to Par Before Going Long; Short Interest in Local Shares at Highs
• ChipMOS: +1.1% Premium; Short Interest in Local Shares Hits New Highs

3. Faraday Technology’s Breakout: AI Packaging Demand Defying the Global Semiconductor Slowdown

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Faraday Top-Line Soars on CoWoS Chip Packaging Services Support Ramp — 78% of MP Revenue Came from AI/HPC Applications
• TSMC-Aligned Execution Enables Asset-Light Business Scaling for Faraday — New Fabless OSAT Service is Highly Differentiated; Competitive Advantage
• Outlook: Continued Very Strong Momentum into 2Q25 — 1H25 Revenue Will Be Higher Than All of 2024

4. SK Hynix Earnings Highlights Strong AI Dependence and Tariff Concerns

By Jim Handy, Objective Analysis

• SK hynix announced their second-highest revenue and operating profit for the first quarter of 2025
• Much of the company’s performance is the result of its first-mover advantage and excellent execution in the HBM market
• Two issues threaten the company: AI growth may stall, and tariff changes could interfere with the company’s global supply chain

5. Taiwan Tech Weekly: TSMC U.S. Bet Pays Off; UMC & Faraday Step Up Next; Latest Mobile Shipments Data

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC’s Arizona fab hits Taiwan-level yields, easing replication concerns and reinforcing its global leadership across N2 and advanced packaging. 
• AI demand offsets smartphone softness in 1Q25; TSMC guides +13% QoQ revenue for 2Q25 as margins hold firm despite tariff and earthquake headwinds. 
• Faraday and UMC results ahead this week — Key readouts on Taiwan’s ASIC, mature node, and design service momentum amid U.S.-China tech decoupling.

6. Intel (INTC.US): Exploring a Tough Journey. (IV)

By Patrick Liao

• After the new CEO, Mr. Lip-Pu Tan, took office at the chip giant Intel Corp (INTC US), he initiated a large-scale restructuring of the executive team and organization.
• Intel Corp (INTC US) to sell 51% share of Altera to Silver Lake, a global leader in technology investing. This deal is further to deal with non-performing assets.
• Now, the critical question is, who are the clients of Intel Corp (INTC US) IFS (Intel Foundry Service)?  

7. UMC (2303.TT; UMC.US): 2Q25 Guidance Beat; Tariff Affection Unknown; No GF Merger Plan Right Now.

By Patrick Liao

• 2Q25 guidance: Wafer shipments: increase 5~7%, ASP in USD: flat, GM: About 30%.
• The US tariffs affect customer outcome visibility in 2Q25 and 2H25 is limited. 
• UMC is seeking a strategic plan to enhance shareholder value, and there is no ongoing merger plan at the moment, which implies no merger plan with GF. 

8. UMC Sees Broad Rebound in Demand Ahead But Is Demand Being Pulled Forward by Tariffs?

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• UMC guides for 2Q25 rebound, expecting 5–7% QoQ wafer shipment growth and margin recovery to ~30%, though 2H25 visibility remains low due to tariff and inventory uncertainty.
• Intel Corp (INTC US) 12nm project progressing; Initial client orders planned for 2026E, with management leaving the door open to future partnerships—including rumored GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GFS US) collaboration—amid strategic diversification efforts.
• Tariff-Driven pull-forward of orders IS happening but impact reportedly limited so far, with UMC noting mixed customer behavior; near-term demand strength appears broad-based. We have a Neutral rating for UMC.

9. Intel Q125 Earnings. Outlook Disappoints As LBT Shows Senior Executives The Door

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Intel reported Q125 revenues of $12.7 billion, down 0.4% YoY, down 11% QoQ but still $500 million above the guided midpoint, precisely the same beat as in the prior quarter.
• Looking ahead, Intel forecasted current quarter revenues of $11.8 billion at the midpoint, this time extending the range from $1 billion in the prior quarter to $1.2 billion
• LBT is in the process of undertaking sweeping changes to his ELT, flattening its structure, taking on multiple additional reports and showing many senior executives the door. That’s good.

10. Keyence (6861 JP): A Beneficiary of Rising Interest Rates

By Scott Foster, LightStream Research

• Keyence stands to benefit from a rising return on its large holdings of cash and securities, which are also available for investment and higher dividends.
• The company’s engineering-service business model should keep gross and operating margins high while it continues to expand overseas.
• Projected valuations at the low end of their 5-year ranges. Recession and abrupt appreciation of the yen are the primary risks.

1. Delta Taiwan Vs. Thailand Monitor: Delta Thailand Crash Closes Gap, But Still Relatively Expensive

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Delta Thailand Has Dramatically Underperformed Delta Taiwan — Delta Thailand Now Finally Trading at a Less Extreme Level vs. Delta Taiwan
• Latest Relative Growth Profiles — Delta Taiwan Has Higher Growth Profile in 2025E
• Even After the Major Pricing Reversion Since Mid-February, Delta Thailand Remains Overvalued Relative to Delta Taiwan

2. Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC Spread Close to Long Level; UMC & ASE Deep Discounts

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC: +14.9% Premium; Spread Has Fallen Close to Long Levels
• UMC: -2.6% Discount; Good Level to Go Long the Spread
• ASE: -3.2% Discount; Spread at Extreme Low, Good Level to Go Long

3. Intel Vision: Lip Bu Tan’s First Keynote As Intel CEO

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me the truth
• I intend to under promise and over deliver. I will not be satisfied until we delight you
• How long will I stay at Intel? I’m here for as long as it takes

4. Intel’s Annual Shareholder Meeting Proxy Statement Has A Few Interesting Gems

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• We remain steadfast in our belief in our company’s future. That said, there are no quick fixes. We need to demonstrate consistent execution and results over a sustained period. Frank Yeary
• Intel’s ELT scored themselves a remarkable 29.7 out of 35 for their 2024 “Product Leadership” goal, despite mounting data center market share loss and Gaudi being an abject failure
• While Pat Gelsinger’s departure from Intel was labelled a “retirement” last December, the Proxy Statement refers to it as a “resignation”. Which was it?

5. Taiwan Tech Weekly: TSMC Goes ‘Taiwan Speed’ in Arizona; Phison Predicts Edge AI Flash Memory Boom

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC Accelerates U.S. Expansion — New Arizona Fab to Be Built at ‘Taiwan Speed’
• Phison CEO Sees Decade-Long Boom for NAND Flash as AI Shifts to the Edge
• Delta Taiwan Vs. Thailand Monitor: Delta Thailand Crash Closes Gap, But Still Relatively Expensive 

6. UMC (2303.TT; UMC.US): Merges with GFS? It Should Be a Terrific, but It Won’t Be Easy to Happen.

By Patrick Liao

• Both United Microelectron Sp Adr (UMC US) and GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GFS US) saw positive reactions in their stocks following a possible merger news, despite the current instability in the stock markets.  
• Although GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GFS US)‘s technology is held above 7nm, it is ahead of United Microelectron Sp Adr (UMC US), which is still certain generations above China’s current technology in general.  
• If these two companies wish to merge, there are still some subjective factors that need to be considered, and it will not be easy to get approval.  

1. Taiwan Tech Weekly: Delta At Nvidia GTC 2025; Foxconn EV Strategy Win; Key Semi Industry Indicators

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• NVIDIA GTC 2025 Last Week — Delta Electronics Expands Role in Nvidia Ecosystem Showcasing AI-Centric Power Solutions
• Foxconn’s Huge EV Bet Pays Off: Key Mitsubishi Win Could Spark Additional Automaker Deals to Come 
• Semiconductors. Key Indicator Updates, 2024 In Review, and 2025 Forecasts 

2. Foxconn’s Huge EV Bet Pays Off: Key Mitsubishi Win Could Spark Additional Automaker Deals to Come

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Mitsubishi Motors plans to outsource EV production to Foxconn, signaling the most significant commercial validation of Foxconn’s MIH EV platform to date.
• While Foxconn’s AI server manufacturing is currently the company’s strongest growth driver, its EV strategy is increasingly gaining credibility as a second long-term pillar.
• Foxconn — Structural Long. We see depressed share price as buying opportunity. Mitsubishi contract win increases the probability for additional major OEM production partnership wins this year for Foxconn.

3. Silicon Box. A Sad Development & Sadly, Still A Black Box

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• On September 18 2024, one of the three co-founders of Silicon Box, Dr. Sutardja, sadly passed away. An industry visionary, much loved by many. May he rest in peace.
• The company’s website still does not reflect this fact, and an interview with their Head of Business just two weeks after his passing, bizarrely doesn’t mention it at all
• With just six press releases in four years, the company is slow to communicate progress and remains vague on precisely which specific technologies they offer. Still a black box IMO

4. UMC (2303.TT; UMC.US): 1Q25 Results Could Be Upbeat, but 2Q25 Could Be a Bit Downside.

By Patrick Liao

• The 1Q25 outlook is slightly affected by earthquakes, but production can resume in late 1Q25.
• The UMC 12nm project could be in vain if Intel collaborates with TSMC or if TSMC takes over Intel’s foundry service.   
• UMC’s annual revenue could see a -5% year-over-year growth in 2025, but there may be a few percentages increase in wafer shipments.  

1. Intel. Mr. Tan’s Greatest Challenge Is Not Process Or Foundry Leadership. It’s Something Far Bigger

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Whether Intel can achieve Process or Foundry leadership in a credible timeframe is something Mr. Tan has relatively little control over in the short term.
• His most pressing challenge will be to address the corporate culture of entitlement that’s rife throughout the company, starting with the BoD
• Measure his success by the number of high profile resignations we see in the coming months. Those who created Intel’s problems cannot be the ones to fix them. 

2. Tokyo Electron (8035 JP): Buy if You’re Not Afraid of Recession

By Scott Foster, LightStream Research

• After dropping by half, Tokyo Electron’s share price has bounced. But it is still vulnerable to cutbacks in AI-related investments and tariff-induced recession.
• A positive scenario has net profit rising by 8% in FY Mar-26. In a negative scenario, it drops by 25%. We take the positive view.
• Innovations in manufacturing point toward a big step up in profit margins by the end of the decade. But watch out for a cyclical downturn between now and then.

3. Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC Spread Rebounds; ChipMOS Local Short Interest Spiking

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC: +19.4% Premium; Consider Shorting if Spread Rises Above 20%
• ASE: +0.5% Premium; Ideally Wait for Lower Level But Near-Zero Still a Long Opportunity
• ChipMOS: -0.8% Discount; Wait for More Extreme Levels; Short Interest Spiking in Local Shares

4. Semiconductors. Key Indicator Updates, 2024 In Review, 2025 Forecasts

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Global semiconductor sales for the month of January 2025 hit $56.5 billion, an increase of 17.9% YoY, but down 1.7% MoM
• TSMC is also off to an excellent start in 2025. YTD revenues through February are up 39.2%.
• 2025 Semi forecast? Think 2024 without the memory boom and way more volatility

5. Taiwan Tech Weekly: Mediatek Wins Google AI Chip from Broadcom; Hon Hai to Expand U.S. Production

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Google Diversifying from Broadcom to Mediatek for Next Generation AI Chip
• Hon Hai CEO: Clients’ U.S.-Based Tech Manufacturing Set To Expand
• Memory Monitor: Multiple Reports Indicate Rising NAND & DRAM Prices

6. Intel (INTC.US): Exploring a Tough Journey. (III)

By Patrick Liao

• Intel Corp (INTC US) has hired Mr. Lip-Bu Tan as the new CEO effective March 18th. He was formerly a board member of Intel before resigning in June 2024.
• The A18 technology node marks a new beginning for Intel Corp (INTC US), which is believed to be the new hope, but we approach it with caution.
• Intel Corp (INTC US) should focus on developing its own technology and also consider using Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) – ADR (TSM US) as an insurance policy.  

7. Memory Monitor: Multiple Reports Indicate Rising NAND & DRAM Prices

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Key Memory Names Have Rebounded; Micron and SK Hynix Lead
• NAND Flash Memory Prices to Increase; NAND Flash Pricing to Improve in 2H25E
• Memory Monitor Universe: NAND Flash Price Improvement Favors Long SK Hynix and Micron vs. Short Nanya Tech

8. Micron 2QF25 Earnings Call Positive, But Tread with Caution

By Jim Handy, Objective Analysis

• Micron’s strong HBM and Data Center growth has nearly offset low revenues in the remainder of the company’s business.
• This HBM growth depends heavily upon continued strength in hyperscale data center AI CapEx
• Micron outlined means to maintain stability in its industry, but China semiconductor goals are in conflict with these measures

9. MHI (7011 JP): U.S. Presses Japan to Spend More on Defense

By Scott Foster, LightStream Research

• Japan’s top defense and aerospace contractor is being rerated to account for the limits on relying on the U.S. for defense in an alarming national security environment.
• A reasonably optimistic scenario brings MHI’s P/E ratio down to 22X in FY Mar-28, by which time Japan’s defense spending is scheduled reach 2% of GDP.
• The Trump administration wants Japan to spend more, but getting the budget through the national Diet is difficult enough as it is. 

10. Micron. HBM Gets Even Better, NAND Gets Even Worse

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Micron this week reported revenues of $8.1 billion, down 8% QoQ but up 38% YoY, and at the top end of the guided range
• Micron is expecting to reach an annual run rate of $7.8 billion by Q425. Wow!
• NAND is headed for yet another downturn after six quarters of sequential growth. 

1. Silicon Wafers. Is It Time To Invest?

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Worldwide silicon wafer shipments decreased by 2.7% to 12,266 million square inches in 2024, details here. This follows a 14.3% decline in the prior year.
• Silicon wafer companies continue to trade at historic lows with two of the top four players sporting P/B ratios of 0.7. Intel’s P/B is presently 0.9. This makes little sense.
• The current depreciation headwinds triggered by a huge CapEx splurge from 2021-2024 will turn to tailwinds once demand recovers and built-ahead production capacity stands ready & waiting.

2. Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC Trading Range Breakdown? ChipMOS Discount Rare Long Opportunity

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC: +14.1% Premium; Given Latest Market Weakness, Safest to Wait for a Slightly Lower Premium Before Going Long
• ASE: -1.8% Discount; Good Level to Go Long the Spread
• ChipMOS: -6.8% Discount: Long the Spread, Historical Extreme Discount Level

3. Taiwan Tech Weekly: If TSMC Joins Intel for Foundry, It Will Entrench Dominance; Structural Long

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC Eyes Intel Foundry Joint Venture: Strategic Expansion or Risky Bet?
• TSMC Addresses U.S. Expansion Concerns: Strengthens TSMC Position & Positive for Semi Industry Capex 
• MWC Barcelona Showcased The 6G Showdown: MediaTek Vs. Qualcomm in the Race for Wireless Supremacy 

4. Intel Finally Gets A New CEO: Lip-Bu Tan. Now What?

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Lip-Bu Tan, former CEO of Cadence and founding partner at Walden Catalyst Ventures, will become Intel’s ninth CEO effective March 18
• Mr. Tan is an extremely impressive technology leader, speaker, & influencer with many and varied interests. He is an excellent choice for the most important CEO role in Intel’s history
• Press releases seem to emphasise Products over Foundry but any decision in this regard will take time so it doesn’t appear that Mr. Tan is simply following the board’s orders.

5. IS AI Spending Poised to Fall?

By Jim Handy, Objective Analysis

• Hyperscaler CapEx could be slowing down, based on 4Q24 spending
• Microsoft made a significant cut in Q4, but Amazon, Facebook, and Alibaba all made big increases
• Industry CapEx as a percent of revenue has slowed its growth

6. Silergy (6147.TT): 1Q25 Outlook Sales: Down QoQ but up QoQ. 2025 Outlook Sales: Up 20-30% YoY.

By Patrick Liao

• 2025 outlook Sales: up 20-30% YoY. More certain on China demand recovery. Gradually enters Mass-Production (MP) for Gen 3/4 products. Main growth drivers are consumer and Electric Vehicle.  
• Silergy targets for auto sales contributed to reach 15% in 2025.  
• Will witness a rebound in 2Q25 for computing and Consumer and auto will also grow QoQ given resumption for production in China.  

1. Taiwan Tech Weekly: TSMC’s Expansion Visualized; Implications of New U.S. Investment; New HBM Memory

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC’s Latest Global Expansion Plans, Visualized; Taiwan Manufacturing Will Continue to Remain One Generation Ahead of Overseas
• TSMC (2330.TT; TSM.US): Invest Further in US up to 100bn; Intel Foundry Service Gets Direct Clients.
• Memory Monitor: Nanya Tech Soared on DRAM Recovery and Custom HBM News 

2. Former CEO Claims Intel Is Back & Says Can We Please Stop Talking About Breaking It Up?

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• On March 1, ex Intel CEO Craig Barrett posted a rebuttal of his former board members opinion piece on the subject of the company’s future
• He claims that Intel is back, the company must not be broken up, the board should be fired and Mr. Gelsinger should be rehired to finish the job he started
• Meanwhile, Intel has put its Ohio fab on hold until the end of the decade, its German fab on hold for two years, both damning indictments of Mr Gelsinger’s strategy

3. Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC’s Range Declining; ASE Near Parity; ChipMOS Rare Discount

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC: +18.5% Premium; Wait for Lower Premium Before Going Long
• ASE: +0.2% Premium; Near-Parity Premium is Opportunity to Long the Spread
• ChipMOS: -3% Discount; Rare Discount is Opportunity to Long the Spread

4. TSMC To Invest A Further $100 Billion In Arizona

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• TSMC plans to invest $100 billion in the US to build three new fabs, two new advanced packaging facilities and establish an R&D centre, all in Arizona
• During the press conference at the White House, Mr Wei received fulsome praise from President Trump and was careful to thank him for his vision and support on multiple occasions
• The announcement lacked key details such as construction timelines and which process technologies would be deployed but it would still appear to have done the trick, at least for now.

5. TSMC Addresses U.S. Expansion Concerns: Strengthens TSMC Position & Positive for Semi Industry Capex

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC just held a press conference this evening in Taiwan regarding its expanded U.S. investment plans. TSMC said it won’t impact Taiwan investments; it is actually accelerating its Taiwan investments.
• Additionally, we see TSMC’s aggressive U.S. expansion significantly weakening Intel’s ability to compete, as it removes one of Intel’s major differentiators–domestic U.S. production.
• Maintain Structural Long rating on TSMC — Expanded U.S. investment fortifies the company’s global leadership. ALSO — Positive news for semiconductor manufacturing equipment companies internationally and in Taiwan. ASML, etc.

6. TSMC (2330.TT; TSM.US): Invest Further in US up to 100bn; Intel Foundry Service Gets Direct Clients.

By Patrick Liao

• On March 4th, Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) – ADR (TSM US) announced that the company will further increase its investment up to $100 billion in the US.
• The restructured case of Intel Corp (INTC US) has elicited different opinions, but a few companies may consider trying out Intel Foundry Service.
• Currently, we find these developments acceptable, although we view them as the result of political interference, and time will tell.

7. TSMC (2330.TT; TSM.US): TSMC Held Press Conference Regarding Further Investment of USD$100bn in US.

By Patrick Liao

• TSMC Chairman Dr. CC Wei pointed out that TSMC builds production lines everywhere to meet customers’ demands. TSMC has never gone against this principle.  
• On the 3rd of March, U.S. President Trump and TSMC Chairman jointly announced at the White House that TSMC would reinvest at least $100 billion in the U.S.
• Regarding concerns from the public that TSMC might gradually shift its production focus to the U.S., TSMC made it clear that this would not happen.

8. SMIC (981.HK): Speculation About the Deepseek Rumor Does Imply Continued Creative Works in the World

By Patrick Liao

• There is speculation about Deepseek’s wafer manufacturing yield issue at Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) (981 HK) these days.  
• The potential concern serves as a signal for a hot topic within the company, carrying two underlying meanings.
• Although NVIDIA Corp (NVDA US) is making waves in AI applications, we must not overlook the potential for continued creative developments in the world, such as Deepseek’s solution.  

9. MWC Barcelona Showcased The 6G Showdown: MediaTek Vs. Qualcomm in the Race for Wireless Supremacy

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• The Stakes in the 6G Race: 100x Data Speeds & AI-Driven Networks
• Qualcom’s Strategy vs. Mediatek’s Gameplan to Win the 6G Battle — Takeaways from MWC 2025 in Barcelona
• Investment Takeaways: MediaTek vs. Qualcomm — Maintain Structural Long for Mediatek but Qualcomm Could Offer Near-Term Relative Value Play

10. GlobalWafers (6488.TT): An Uncertainty Exists Whether Si Wafer Is Included in US Custom Tax or Not.

By Patrick Liao

• Regarding global silicon wafer market prices, Globalwafers (6488 TT) noted that the Long-Term Agreement (LTA) for 12-inch wafers primarily focuses on advanced process nodes, with prices remaining stable.
• In December 2024, Globalwafers (6488 TT) signed a final agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce, expecting to receive a maximum subsidy of USD$406mn.  
• Globalwafers (6488 TT) has not received any notifications regarding adjustments to chip policies.

1. Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC Spread Falls From Elevated Level; UMC & ASE Discount Opportunity

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• TSMC: +17.2% Premium; Wait for Lower Levels Before Going Long
• UMC: -1.9% Discount; Can Consider Going Long the Spread at Current Level
• ASE: -0.6% Discount; Discount is Opportunity to Long the Spread

2. LITE ON Comments Signal Continued Strength in Cloud/AIOT Ahead of Upcoming Nvidia Results

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Lite On Signals for Continued Strength in Cloud/AIOT Ahead of Upcoming Nvidia Results
• Lite On’s 1Q25E Outlook Was Positive and Did Not Indicate A Near-Term Slowdown
• Industry Take-Aways — Still No Signs of Acceleration on PC/Consumer… However Signals Cloud/AIoT Demand Healthy

3. NVIDIA Q425 Beats, Raises, Market Yawns, Then Vomits. A Lake Wobegon Moment Perhaps?

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Q425 revenues were a record $39.3 billion, up 78% YoY,  up 12% QoQ, handily beating the guided midpoint of $37.5 billion. It was NVIDIA’s eight consecutive quarter of sequential growth.
• After taking an overnight break to consider its options, the markets then positively vomited on NVIDIA, sending its share price down 8.5% on Thursday
• Jensen presents a utopian, Lake Wobegon-esque vision of all pervasive AI but in reality the pace of AI adoption will ultimately be determined by the pace of AI revenue generation

4. Microsoft CEO On AI CapEx: Show Me The Money!

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Microsoft dominated the technology news cycle recently on the back of a report by a TD Cowen analyst that the company is cancelling data centre leases in the US
• Dwarkesh Patel’s podcast with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella last week provided a fascinating insight into his thinking when it comes to AI compute build out, AI winners & losers etc.
• Mr Nadella’s approach to AI compute build out has always been a pragmatic “show me the money and I’ll build some more compute” approach. Now we better understand why.

5. Taiwan Tech Weekly: Trump’s New China Chip Restrictions; Foxconn & Honda Alliance?; TSMC & Intel

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Trump Adminstration Gearing Up to Further Restrict China’s Access to Chip Technology — Could Restrict Servicing of Existing Equipment
• Foxconn and Honda: Could This Be a New Alliance in EV Manufacturing?
• TSMC (2330.TT; TSM.US): Will TSMC Work on Intel Foundry Services? There Are Three Paradoxes… 

6. Intel Former Board Members Warn Against Rumoured TSMC Takeover Of Intel Foundry

By William Keating, Ingenuity

• Four former, long term Intel board members yesterday warned against any plans to have TSMC take over Intel Foundry, their second time weighing in on the future of the company
• They posit that TSMC is under pressure from the US Administration with Taiwan security being used as a bargaining chip
• They’re not wrong in their assertions that it would be a terrible idea, both for the US and for TSMC, but these are days where anything can happen. Let’s see

7. Memory Monitor: Nanya Tech Soared on DRAM Recovery and Custom HBM News

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• Nanya Tech Soared in February on DRAM Recovery and Custom HBM News
• Nanya’s Custom HBM Strategy & the Positive DRAM Market Outlook
• Memory Monitor Universe: SK Hynix & Micron Still Have Strong FY2025E Expected Growth; Nanya Tech Still Negative

8. ChipMOS Results Shows Signs of a Shifting Semiconductor Market; Precarious Multiples: Underperform

By Vincent Fernando, CFA, Zero One

• ChipMOS Revenue Growth for the 2024, but a Weak Fourth Quarter; Gross Margin Hammered
• ChipMOS Sees Relative Weakness in Displays, Smartphones / Areas of Strength: Automotive and OLED
• Underperform Rating — Falling Utilization and Conservative Capex Signal OSAT Industry Challenges

9. What Do Detailed 2024 Semi Stats Tell Us?

By Jim Handy, Objective Analysis

• Despite the chip market’s 19% overall 2024 Y/Y increase, the only real growth was in semiconductors for AI applications.  A turn in the AI business could cause a collapse.
• Outside of AI, growth was significantly more modest at 4.8%, which is good compared to the industry’s historical growth rate of 3.9%, but is nowhere near the 19% overall number.
• The US’ trade sanctions appear to be having some impact on chip shipments to China vs. the Americas, but this may be an illusion.

10. Vanguard (5347.TT): In 1Q25, Both Sales and GM Will Increase. The Current Inventory Is Healthy.

By Patrick Liao

• 1Q25 Shipment estimates are up 8-10%. The ASP is expected to decrease by 4-6% QoQ and the gross margin. GM is projected to be 29-31%, showing a 1.3% increase QoQ. 
• The worldwide inventory level is currently healthy. Automotive inventory levels are improving, and Vanguard anticipates moderate growth in the semiconductor industry for 2025.
• VSMC’s construction will proceed according to the current plan. The project is currently slightly ahead of schedule. Sampling is planned for 2026, with mass production expected to begin in 2027.