智通财经网·2025-11-25 02:52Core Viewpoint - The report from Zhongyuan Securities indicates that a series of AI industry catalytic events will occur in 2026, strengthening the leading position of top optical module manufacturers due to their technological, customer, and scale advantages. The current valuation of the communication industry index is below the ten-year average, and the industry maintains a "stronger than the market" investment rating based on performance growth expectations and valuation levels [1][2]. Summary by Sections Review of 2025 - In early 2025, the DeepSeek large model boosted market sentiment, and the three major operators completed the deployment of DeepSeek computing power private networks, enhancing their cloud service capabilities. Domestic cloud manufacturers provided positive capital expenditure guidance, leading to an increase in industry valuations. However, from February to April, the industry index experienced significant fluctuations due to concerns over U.S. tariff policies and future demand for optical modules. By mid-April, the easing of tariff policies and validation of AI computing power demand led to a gradual recovery in the industry index and valuations. In late July, North American cloud manufacturers raised their capital expenditure guidance, further catalyzing the industry. Since September, leading manufacturers faced short-term performance fatigue due to product iterations and customer structure adjustments, raising concerns about unclear downstream business models [2]. Outlook for 2026 - A series of AI industry catalytic events are expected, including the mass production of NVIDIA's next-generation Rubin GPU, the release of Google's new large model Gemini, and clear capital expenditure guidance from cloud manufacturers. AI smartphones equipped with large models are anticipated to become personalized smart assistants, potentially driving the next wave of smartphone upgrades. The development of key 6G technologies by telecom operators is expected to accelerate revenue growth from AI computing power. The report is optimistic about the high industry prosperity and strong growth potential of optical modules, optical devices, optical chips, and the increasing penetration of AI smartphones, as well as the stable operations of quality dividend assets in telecom operators [3][4]. Capital Expenditure Outlook for Leading Cloud Manufacturers - The demand for 800G is increasing, and the industry is transitioning from 800G to 1.6T technology. Leading optical module manufacturers are expected to further highlight their advantages due to technological leadership, stable customer relationships, and scalable delivery capabilities. The development of AI is driving the construction of large data centers, benefiting optical device manufacturers. The long R&D and expansion cycles for optical chips create high barriers in technology, talent, customer validation, and capital, leading to a persistent supply-demand gap for certain optical chips. The increasing demand for domestic controllable solutions is expected to translate into performance for domestic computing power. Recommended companies to watch include: NewEase, Huagong Technology, Guangxun Technology, Yuanjie Technology, Shijia Photon, and Taicheng Light [4]. AI Smartphones and Market Trends - Generative AI smartphones are set to provide users with new interactive experiences, multimodal content generation capabilities, personalized services, and innovative application ecosystems. The continuous improvement of edge AI computing power and large model capabilities is expected to further increase the market penetration of AI smartphones. Innovations and upgrades in AI smartphones are likely to lead to higher average selling prices and improved profit margins. The growth in edge AI shipments will drive sustained growth in core product lines of consumer electronics components [5]. Telecom Operators' Performance - The three major telecom operators are considered quality dividend assets with high dividend yield potential, offering cash dividends twice a year. The quality of traditional business revenue is improving, and a decrease in capital expenditure is expected to lower future depreciation and amortization costs, maintaining stable operations. Additionally, telecom operators are likely to leverage their advantages in data centers, big data, and network infrastructure to reconstruct business models with the help of AI. Investment recommendations include focusing on the optical module, optical device, and optical chip sectors, as well as AI smartphone and telecom operator sectors [6].