Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2025-08-22 08:25Core Viewpoint - Recent rumors regarding Intel's (INTC.US) foundry revival have negatively impacted TSMC (TSM.US), raising investor concerns about increased competition. However, JPMorgan believes that the "competitive illusion" created by Intel's foundry efforts is actually more beneficial for TSMC [1] Group 1: Intel's Developments - Intel has made significant progress recently, with reports of potential government investment and a $2 billion investment from SoftBank. Key customers may also participate in the revival of Intel's wafer fabrication facilities [1] - U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo stated that the U.S. cannot rely solely on TSMC for advanced chip supply and aims to shift more capacity back to the U.S. [1] Group 2: TSMC's Market Position - JPMorgan asserts that the illusion of having a weaker competitor is more advantageous for TSMC, as it alleviates ongoing regulatory pressures and the push to return business to the U.S. [2] - Despite potential negative perceptions from market participants regarding major TSMC clients like Apple or Nvidia supporting Intel's revival, JPMorgan believes that this will not resolve the inherent conflicts of interest between products and foundries [2] - TSMC is expected to maintain over 90% market share in advanced nodes for the foreseeable future, as the costs associated with a 100% market share may outweigh the benefits [2] Group 3: Geopolitical and Regulatory Factors - Reports suggest that the U.S. government may convert part of the CHIPS Act funding into equity stakes in participating companies, which could require TSMC to sell a small portion of its equity, likely not exceeding 1% [3] - JPMorgan believes that this potential equity sale is unlikely to significantly alter TSMC's strategic direction and that TSMC will probably not operate Intel's factories or share intellectual property or technology with Intel [3] Group 4: Overall Market Outlook - JPMorgan concludes that while geopolitical factors may cause short-term volatility, TSMC's fundamentals remain strong, indicating potential for upward movement [4]