Core Insights - Semiconductor foundries, including SMIC and Hua Hong Semiconductor, reported mixed financial results for Q2 2023, reflecting ongoing challenges in the industry due to weak demand for consumer electronics [1][2][3] Financial Performance - SMIC reported Q2 2023 revenue of $1.56 billion, a year-on-year decline of 18%, with a net profit of $403 million, down 21.7% [1] - Hua Hong Semiconductor achieved Q2 2023 revenue of $631.4 million, a year-on-year increase of 1.7%, but net profit fell by 6.4% to $78.5 million [1][3] - SMIC's gross margin was 20.3%, down 19.1 percentage points year-on-year, while Hua Hong's gross margin was 27.7%, down 5.9 percentage points [1][3] Capacity and Utilization - SMIC's revenue from 8-inch and 12-inch wafers accounted for 25.3% and 74.7% of total revenue, respectively, with 8-inch wafer revenue declining by 2.8 percentage points [2] - SMIC's capacity utilization rate was 78.3%, significantly lower than 97.1% in the same period last year but higher than 68.1% in Q1 2023 [2] Market Trends - The semiconductor industry is facing challenges due to weak demand for consumer electronics, with global PC shipments down 15% year-on-year and smartphone sales down 8% [4] - However, there are signs of potential recovery in the second half of the year, driven by new smartphone releases and a gradual recovery in the PC market [4] Future Outlook - Hua Hong Semiconductor expects Q3 2023 revenue between $560 million and $600 million, with a gross margin of 16% to 18%, indicating a decline from Q2 [3] - SMIC anticipates a revenue increase of 3% to 5% in Q3 2023, with a gross margin forecast of 18% to 20% [3] - Both companies are investing in new capacity and technology development to prepare for future growth cycles, with SMIC's capital expenditure reaching $1.732 billion in Q2, up 37.6% [5]