Xin Lang Cai Jing·2025-11-17 14:25Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the impact of the storage "super cycle" on end-user demand and the outlook for domestic chip production trends in China, particularly focusing on the performance and projections of SMIC. Group 1: Financial Performance - SMIC reported a 7.8% quarter-on-quarter revenue growth in Q3 2025, with a gross margin of 22.0%, exceeding company guidance [1] - The company anticipates Q4 revenue to remain flat or grow by 2%, with a gross margin forecast of 18-20%, which is below Bloomberg consensus expectations [1] Group 2: Market Trends - The rapid growth in storage demand for AI applications, such as HBM and eSSD, has led to significant price increases in consumer-grade DRAM and NAND over the past few months [1] - Due to concerns over adequate storage supply, downstream customers in sectors like mobile and automotive are adopting a cautious approach in their 2026 production planning, which may impact the capacity utilization of SMIC's mobile-related process platforms [1] Group 3: Domestic Production Outlook - In Q3, revenue from the Chinese market grew by 11% quarter-on-quarter, increasing its share by 2.1 percentage points to 86%, indicating an accelerated trend towards domestic production in the supply chain [2] - The company is optimistic about the continued strong demand for domestic chip production in sectors such as home appliances and networking in 2026 [2] Group 4: Revenue Forecast Adjustments - The company has lowered its revenue forecasts for 2026 and 2027 by 4.8% and 3.1%, respectively, and reduced net profit forecasts for the same years by 3.0% and 3.6% [3] - After adjustments, the company expects total revenue of $10.81 billion in 2026, representing a 17% year-on-year growth [3] - SMIC is viewed as the only company in mainland China capable of large-scale production of advanced process technologies, which gives it strategic scarcity, and it is assigned a valuation of 4.7x 2026 EPB [3]