19 January 2026 | 11:25PM HKT Equity Research VeriSilicon (688521.SS): Chairman visit: AI projects to empower cloud and edge devices; Strong orders to support growth ahead; Buy We hosted the VeriSilicon Chairman on Jan 15 at the GS Tech AI Outlook Corp Day in Hong Kong. Management is positive on the company's strong orders on hand by the end of 4Q25E (new orders from Oct 1st to Dec 25th reached historical high at Rmb2.5bn, or +130% YoY), with AI computing projects as the main contributor. With the delivery ...

Core Insights - The "2025 Hurun China AI Companies Top 50" list was released, ranking companies based on their value, with a focus on those primarily engaged in artificial intelligence [1][4] - Among the listed companies, two from Suzhou, Megvii and Ninebot, specialize in data analysis and autonomous driving [1] Company Rankings - The top three companies are: 1. Cambricon with a value of 630 billion RMB, specializing in AI chips [4] 2. Moore Threads valued at 310 billion RMB, focusing on GPUs [4] 3. Muxi Technology valued at 250 billion RMB, also in the GPU sector [4] - Notably, seven out of the top ten companies are related to AI chips, including Horizon Robotics and Rockchip [4] Geographic Distribution - Beijing leads with 19 companies on the list, followed by Shanghai with 14, Shenzhen with 6, and Guangzhou with 4 [6][7] - The number of companies from Shanghai increased by 5 compared to the previous year, while Beijing saw a decrease of 1 [7] Emerging Trends - Nearly 40% of the Chinese population are users of generative AI, with 515 million users reported by mid-2025 [8] - The core value of AI is seen as enhancing human capabilities across various domains, including computation, data analysis, machine vision, voice recognition, content generation, and autonomous driving [9]

Core Insights - The article discusses the release of the "2025 Hurun China AI Companies Top 50" list, highlighting the significant growth in valuations and the increasing importance of AI companies in China [1]. Group 1: AI Companies Overview - The list features 50 companies focused on AI computing power or algorithms, with a minimum valuation of 9.5 billion RMB, an increase of 3.5 billion RMB from the previous year [1]. - The average value of the listed companies is 54 billion RMB, which is 2.4 times higher than last year [1]. - The top ten companies have a minimum valuation of 73 billion RMB, more than three times the previous year's threshold of 22 billion RMB [1]. Group 2: Leading Companies - Cambricon Technologies ranks first with a valuation of 630 billion RMB, focusing on AI core processor chip development, achieving a revenue of 2.88 billion RMB in the first half of 2025, a 43-fold increase year-on-year [4][6]. - Moore Threads, established in 2020, ranks second with a valuation of 310 billion RMB and reported a revenue of 780 million RMB in the first three quarters of 2025, a 182% year-on-year increase [5]. - Muxi Co., Ltd. ranks third with a valuation of 250 billion RMB, specializing in full-stack GPU development [6]. Group 3: Industry Trends - The AI chip sector shows a significant valuation advantage over other fields, with 14 AI chip companies making the list, an increase of 9 from the previous year [6]. - The concentration of AI companies is primarily in first-tier cities, with Beijing leading with 19 companies, followed by Shanghai with 14, indicating a strong urban cluster effect in the AI sector [8]. - The article notes that AI is reshaping China's wealth landscape, with notable increases in the wealth of individuals in the AI sector, such as Chen Tian Shi of Cambricon, whose wealth grew by nearly 150 billion RMB [10].

Group 1 - The A-share market showed mixed performance on January 19, with the Shanghai Composite Index rising by 0.11%, driven by gains in sectors such as electric equipment, public utilities, and automobiles, while the comprehensive and computer sectors faced declines [1] - The chip technology sector demonstrated strength, with the chip ETF (159995.SZ) increasing by 0.15%, and notable gains in constituent stocks such as Haiguang Information (+3.83%), Chipone Technology (+2.53%), and Zhaoyi Innovation (+2.33%) [1] Group 2 - TSMC held a conference on January 15, providing guidance for capital expenditures in 2026, projected to be between $52 billion and $56 billion, a significant increase of up to 36.9% from the previous year's $40.9 billion [3] - The proportion of capital expenditure allocated to advanced packaging, testing, and mask manufacturing has been revised to 10-20%, up from approximately 10% previously [3] - According to Open Source Securities, TSMC's increased capital expenditure is expected to boost expectations for advanced process capacity expansion, with high-end advanced packaging being essential for AI chips, likely leading to significant demand growth [3]

Group 1 - The core point of the article highlights the performance of the Sci-Tech ETF (588050), which opened with a gain of 0.85% at 1.548 yuan [1] - Major holdings in the Sci-Tech ETF include companies like SMIC, which rose by 2.46%, and other firms such as Haiguang Information, Cambrian, and Langqi Technology, which also saw positive gains [1] - The ETF's performance benchmark is the Shanghai Stock Exchange Sci-Tech Innovation Board 50 Index, managed by ICBC Credit Suisse Asset Management, with a return of 7.04% since its inception on September 28, 2020, and a recent one-month return of 13.25% [1]

Core Viewpoint - The integrated circuit ETF (159546) opened with a gain of 1.00%, indicating positive market sentiment towards the semiconductor sector [1] Group 1: ETF Performance - The integrated circuit ETF (159546) opened at 2.028 yuan [1] - Since its establishment on October 11, 2023, the fund has achieved a return of 101.35% [1] - The fund's one-month return stands at 14.93% [1] Group 2: Major Holdings Performance - Key holdings in the ETF include: - SMIC (中芯国际) up by 2.46% [1] - Cambricon (寒武纪) up by 0.35% [1] - Haiguang Information (海光信息) up by 1.08% [1] - Lattice Technology (澜起科技) up by 2.14% [1] - GigaDevice (兆易创新) up by 1.99% [1] - OmniVision (豪威集团) up by 0.82% [1] - Chipone (芯原股份) down by 0.25% [1] - JCET (长电科技) up by 2.30% [1] - Unisoc (紫光国微) up by 6.11% [1] - Tongfu Microelectronics (通富微电) up by 2.00% [1] Group 3: Management Information - The ETF is managed by Guotai Fund Management Co., Ltd. [1] - The fund manager is Ma Yiwen [1] - The performance benchmark for the ETF is the CSI All-Share Integrated Circuit Index [1]

Core Viewpoint - The recent pullback of the Huabao Sci-Tech AI ETF (589520) after reaching a historical high is seen as a buying opportunity by investors, reflecting strong confidence in the domestic AI industry chain [1][3]. Group 1: ETF Performance - The Huabao Sci-Tech AI ETF (589520) experienced a decline of 2.71% after hitting a record high, with a trading volume exceeding 55 million yuan within half a day [1]. - Over the past three days, the ETF attracted a total of 121 million yuan in investments, indicating positive market sentiment towards the domestic AI industry chain [1]. Group 2: Component Stocks - Among the component stocks, Yaxin Security led with a gain of over 4%, while Hehe Information rose by more than 3%. Other notable gainers included Chipone Technology, Lattice Semiconductor, and Qi Anxin, each increasing by over 1% [3]. - Conversely, XH Technology saw a decline of nearly 20%, approaching its daily limit down, while Zhongke Shuguang and Haitan Ruisheng fell by over 18% and 11%, respectively, negatively impacting the index performance [3]. Group 3: Industry Developments - The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently issued a plan for the high-quality development of industrial internet platforms from 2026 to 2028, marking a new phase in China's industrial internet development [3]. - The plan introduces the concept of "industrial intelligence," emphasizing the deep integration of AI into the entire industrial chain, which is expected to revolutionize traditional manufacturing practices [3]. Group 4: AI Industry Outlook - The AI industry is transitioning from a focus on AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content) to applications in manufacturing, with the potential for AI to become a true productivity tool [3]. - According to CITIC Securities, the synergy between self-control and AI is expected to drive strong performance in related sectors by 2025, with this trend likely to strengthen further in 2026 [3]. Group 5: ETF Composition and Strategy - The Huabao Sci-Tech AI ETF (589520) is strategically diversified across four key segments: application software, terminal applications, terminal chips, and cloud chips, reflecting the current state of the AI industry chain [4]. - The ETF emphasizes domestic alternatives, with over 70% of its top ten holdings in the semiconductor sector, indicating a high concentration and aggressive positioning [5].

Group 1 - Domestic wafer fabs are experiencing a recovery in capacity utilization and a strong willingness to expand production, driven by AI, which is expected to lead to a super cycle in storage [1] - The semiconductor equipment demand is anticipated to rise due to increased domestic production rates and the push for self-sufficiency in logic chips [1] - The market is witnessing a significant increase in trading volume, indicating a high risk appetite, although short-term volatility is expected due to the further increase in margin financing [1] Group 2 - The AI-driven global storage chip industry is entering a "super cycle," with supply-demand mismatches leading to higher-than-expected price increases [1] - Domestic and international storage expansions are ongoing, with companies like Changxin and Changcun accelerating their IPO processes, which is expected to boost upstream semiconductor equipment investment opportunities [1] - The low domestic production rate of semiconductor equipment and tightening export controls from the US, Japan, and the Netherlands are likely to accelerate the progress of domestic semiconductor equipment production [1]

Group 1: Market Dynamics - As of January 12, 2026, there were 19 new private placement projects added in the last two weeks, a decrease of 5 projects compared to the previous period[7] - The number of projects terminated increased by 1 to 6, with 2 being competitive bidding projects[7] - The approval rate for projects was 100%, with 11 projects approved by the review committee, an increase of 1[19] Group 2: Fundraising and Valuation - The total fundraising amount for the 4 projects listed in the last two weeks was 2.825 billion yuan, a decrease of 61.23%[34] - The average price discount rate for competitive bidding projects was 22.76%, an increase of 10.20 percentage points[34] - The PE and PB ratios for Dongfang Tantalum were 71.14x and 6.92x, respectively, significantly higher than the industry average[22] Group 3: Performance Metrics - The absolute return rate for newly unlocked competitive bidding projects averaged 60.55%, with an excess return rate of 26.36%, both up over 36 percentage points[4] - The average industry beta during the "issuance-unlocking" period was 43.76%, an increase of 14.97 percentage points[4] - The average individual stock alpha during the same period was 35.66%, up 29.54 percentage points[4] Group 4: Risk Factors - Potential risks include slower-than-expected approval processes, fluctuations in secondary market stock prices, and changes in the competitive bidding market environment[4]

Core Insights - The global semiconductor industry underwent significant changes in 2025, transitioning from chaos to order and from divergence to consensus, driven by macroeconomic policies and the rise of artificial intelligence [1] - The A-share semiconductor sector experienced a recovery trajectory throughout the year, culminating in a strong performance in the second half [1] - The Kexin Chip ETF (588200) emerged as the largest product in the semiconductor theme, achieving a return of 154.35% since its listing, with an annualized yield of 34.88% [1] Industry Overview - The semiconductor industry is at a critical juncture, with AI transitioning from training to inference and domestic substitution moving into deeper waters [1][28] - The Kexin Chip Index has shown a cumulative increase of 69.94% since April 8, 2025, outperforming other semiconductor indices [4] - The market sentiment shifted positively towards semiconductor stocks, with 54% of tracked A-share semiconductor companies achieving record quarterly revenues in 2025 [6][12] Market Performance - The Kexin Chip ETF (588200) has seen significant inflows, with a net inflow of 3.18 billion yuan in 2025 and an average daily trading volume of 2.6 billion yuan [2][24] - The index's constituent stocks demonstrated impressive growth, with a 39% year-on-year revenue increase and a 94% rise in net profit in the first three quarters of 2025 [22] - The semiconductor market is expected to experience double-digit growth for three consecutive years, driven by AI infrastructure and traditional chip demand recovery [14] Investment Opportunities - The Kexin Chip ETF (588200) provides a convenient way to invest in core assets of the semiconductor industry, covering the entire supply chain from design to manufacturing [18][21] - The ETF's liquidity and strong market recognition make it an attractive option for both institutional and individual investors [24][25] - The underlying assets of the ETF include leading companies in the semiconductor sector, such as SMIC and Cambrian, which are positioned to benefit from ongoing industry trends [19][30] Future Outlook - The semiconductor industry is poised for growth, with domestic companies benefiting from increased production capacity and innovation in AI applications [28][30] - The Kexin Chip Index is expected to maintain its status as one of the most growth-oriented indices in the A-share market, capitalizing on trends in AI computing and domestic substitution [30][31]