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

MediaTek Inc. is a fabless semiconductor company for wireless communications and digital multimedia solutions. The company provides SOC system solutions for wireless communications, high-definition TV, optical storage, DVD and Blu-ray products.

<ul>
<li>Qualcomm's latest earnings came in at the high end of guidance with automotive revenue surging and mobile steady. We analyze QCOM results' key implications for Mediatek.</li>
<li>Qualcomm's 2024E global handset market volume guidance remained unchanged vs. last quarter; however we believe Mediatek may have taken some market share in CY1Q24.</li>
<li>Qualcomm confirmed Mediatek's view regarding high-end phone demand strength right now, with AI capabilities the likely driver. Combining QCOM + Mediatek color suggests an AI-driven handset upgrade cycle ahead.</li>
</ul>


Qualcomm's latest earnings came in at the high end of guidance with automotive revenue surging and mobile steady. We analyze QCOM results' key implications for Mediatek.
Qualcomm's 2024E global handset market volume guidance remained unchanged vs. last quarter; however we believe Mediatek may have taken some market share in CY1Q24.
Qualcomm confirmed Mediatek's view regarding high-end phone demand strength right now, with AI capabilities the likely driver. Combining QCOM + Mediatek color suggests an AI-driven handset upgrade cycle ahead.


Key Insights from Qualcomm's Latest Data; Mediatek Taking Market Share?

Asustek Computer Inc. manufactures and markets computer motherboards, interface cards, notebook computers, and other related products.

<ul>
<li>Branded PC makers' shares have been mostly lower in April, however Intel and Microsoft developments are providing strong signals for a future PC upgrade cycle into AI PCs.</li>
<li>Over 60% of Fortune 500 companies are now using Microsoft's CoPilot AI assistant; Intel expects the industry to exceed its prior forecast for AI PC shipments in 2024E.</li>
<li>CoPilot is the killer app that will trigger a global enterprise PC upgrade cycle; The next generation of CoPilot will be an edge AI app that will require powerful hardware.</li>
</ul>


Branded PC makers' shares have been mostly lower in April, however Intel and Microsoft developments are providing strong signals for a future PC upgrade cycle into AI PCs.
Over 60% of Fortune 500 companies are now using Microsoft's CoPilot AI assistant; Intel expects the industry to exceed its prior forecast for AI PC shipments in 2024E.
CoPilot is the killer app that will trigger a global enterprise PC upgrade cycle; The next generation of CoPilot will be an edge AI app that will require powerful hardware.


PC Monitor: The Next Version of MSFT CoPilot Will Be the Killer App for a Global AI PC Upgrade Cycle

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

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. manufactures integrated circuits based on its proprietary designs.  The Company offers a comprehensive set of integrated circuit fabrication processes to manufacture CMOS logic, mixed-mode, volatile and non-volatile memory and BiCMOS chips.  Taiwan Semiconductor is an affiliate of Philips Electronics N.V.

Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) - ADR (TSM US)

<ul>
<li>Samsung 1Q24 results beat consensus by a wide margin and the company gave strong guidance for its Memory segment, guiding for further strength driven by servers, PCs, &amp; phones needs.</li>
<li>Guided strong demand for PC/Mobile Memory in 2H24E driven by on-device AI, which supports the case of edge AI hardware beginning to drive demand in addition to cloud/server-based AI hardware.</li>
<li>Foundry segment's losses reduced, but still loss-making? Samsung's order backlog is at an all-time high but Samsung Foundry results suggest manufacturing yield performance likely well behind TSMC.</li>
</ul>


Samsung 1Q24 results beat consensus by a wide margin and the company gave strong guidance for its Memory segment, guiding for further strength driven by servers, PCs, &amp; phones needs.
Guided strong demand for PC/Mobile Memory in 2H24E driven by on-device AI, which supports the case of edge AI hardware beginning to drive demand in addition to cloud/server-based AI hardware.
Foundry segment's losses reduced, but still loss-making? Samsung's order backlog is at an all-time high but Samsung Foundry results suggest manufacturing yield performance likely well behind TSMC.


Deep Dive Into Samsung's Memory & Foundry Results: TSMC, AI PC, Server, AI Phone Implications

<ul>
<li>Taiwan Tech Rebounds Sharply Alongside Major Nvidia/U.S. Tech Rebound Last Week. Wave of Major Earnings Releases This Week -- See Our Key Events Section.</li>
<li>Apple's Latest Supplier List Released Last Week -- Nanya Tech, Lotes, and Novatek Dropped. New List Shows Apple Struggling to Diversify from China.</li>
<li>Apple iOS 18 Will Heavily Feature Edge AI Running Locally on the iPhone for User' Privacy and Security -- We Believe This Could Be a Major Driver of Phone Upgrades</li>
</ul>


Taiwan Tech Rebounds Sharply Alongside Major Nvidia/U.S. Tech Rebound Last Week. Wave of Major Earnings Releases This Week -- See Our Key Events Section.
Apple's Latest Supplier List Released Last Week -- Nanya Tech, Lotes, and Novatek Dropped. New List Shows Apple Struggling to Diversify from China.
Apple iOS 18 Will Heavily Feature Edge AI Running Locally on the iPhone for User' Privacy and Security -- We Believe This Could Be a Major Driver of Phone Upgrades


Taiwan Tech Weekly: Major Week of Earnings; Apple's Edge AI Could Make Your Current IPhone Obsolete

<ul>
<li>TSMC: Premium Soars to +15.2%, Good Level to Consider Shorting the Spread</li>
<li>UMC: Spread Bounces from Lows to Relatively Extreme High of +1.9%; Good Level to Short</li>
<li>ASE: Spread Soars to Near All-Time High of +15.5%; Consider Shorting the Spread</li>
</ul>


TSMC: Premium Soars to +15.2%, Good Level to Consider Shorting the Spread
UMC: Spread Bounces from Lows to Relatively Extreme High of +1.9%; Good Level to Short
ASE: Spread Soars to Near All-Time High of +15.5%; Consider Shorting the Spread


Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC & ASE Spreads Surge to Extremes; CHT Shorts Massing Pre-Earnings

20 years of experience researching capital markets in Asia and the USA.

Vincent Fernando, CFA
Managing Director, Zero One
• Zero One

PC Monitor: The Next Version of MSFT CoPilot Will Be the Killer App for a Global AI PC Upgrade Cycle

CoPilot, as an edge AI app, will drive a global PC upgrade cycle with its next-gen version requiring advanced hardware.

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Deep Dive Into Samsung's Memory & Foundry Results: TSMC, AI PC, Server, AI Phone Implications

Foundry segment's losses reduced, but still loss-making. Samsung's order backlog is at an all-time high but Samsung Foundry results suggest...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Taiwan Tech Weekly: Major Week of Earnings; Apple's Edge AI Could Make Your Current IPhone Obsolete

Taiwan rebounded strongly last week alongside Nvidia and U.S. tech. This week will be another major earnings week. Apple's edge AI for user privacy...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC & ASE Spreads Surge to Extremes; CHT Shorts Massing Pre-Earnings

ADR spreads have surged to historically extreme levels for TSMC, ASE, and UMC. For CHT, we note a surge in short interest for its Taiwan shares...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Key Insights from Qualcomm's Latest Data; Mediatek Taking Market Share?

We deep dive into Qualcomm's latest results and the key take-aways relative to Mediatek. Overall, we find the latest QCOM results as positive for...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

PC Monitor: The Next Version of MSFT CoPilot Will Be the Killer App for a Global AI PC Upgrade Cycle

​CoPilot, as an edge AI app, will drive a global PC upgrade cycle with its next-gen version requiring advanced hardware.

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Deep Dive Into Samsung's Memory & Foundry Results: TSMC, AI PC, Server, AI Phone Implications

Foundry segment's losses reduced, but still loss-making. Samsung's order backlog is at an all-time high but Samsung Foundry results suggest...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Taiwan Tech Weekly: Major Week of Earnings; Apple's Edge AI Could Make Your Current IPhone Obsolete

Taiwan rebounded strongly last week alongside Nvidia and U.S. tech. This week will be another major earnings week. Apple's edge AI for user privacy...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC & ASE Spreads Surge to Extremes; CHT Shorts Massing Pre-Earnings

ADR spreads have surged to historically extreme levels for TSMC, ASE, and UMC. For CHT, we note a surge in short interest for its Taiwan shares...

Vincent Fernando, CFA

CoPilot, as an edge AI app, will drive a global PC upgrade cycle with its next-gen version requiring advanced hardware.