TSMC(US:TSM) Hu Xiu·2026-01-15 15:11Market Observation - The three major indices showed mixed performance on January 15, with the Shanghai Composite Index briefly falling below 4100 points, while the ChiNext Index rebounded in the afternoon [1] - The total trading volume in the Shanghai and Shenzhen markets was 2.91 trillion yuan, a decrease of 1.04 trillion yuan compared to the previous trading day [1] - By the end of the trading day, the Shanghai Composite Index fell by 0.33%, while the Shenzhen Component Index rose by 0.41% and the ChiNext Index increased by 0.56% [1] - All three indices remained above the 10-day moving average, indicating strong support and no significant signs of weakness [1] TSMC Q4 2025 Performance - TSMC reported record-high quarterly revenue and profit for Q4 2025, with a gross margin exceeding 62% [3][4] - The company raised its 2026 capital expenditure guidance to between $52 billion and $56 billion, reflecting confidence in long-term AI demand and current capacity constraints [3][9] - Revenue for Q4 2025 was $33.204 billion, a quarter-over-quarter increase of 5.7%, exceeding previous guidance [4] - Net profit reached $16.053 billion, up 11.8% quarter-over-quarter and 35% year-over-year, marking a record high for a single quarter [5] - The gross margin was reported at 62.3%, significantly above the guidance of 57%-59%, driven by high capacity utilization and contributions from 3nm technology [6] - Operating margin stood at 54.0%, indicating strong profitability [7] Revenue Structure and Growth Drivers - Revenue from advanced processes (3nm and 5nm) accounted for over 68% of total revenue, with 3nm contributing 28% [7] - High-performance computing (HPC/AI) platforms represented 55% of revenue, surpassing the smartphone business at 32% [7] - Demand for AI accelerators continued to grow, offsetting seasonal declines in consumer electronics [7] 2026 Guidance - TSMC expects Q1 2026 revenue to be between $34.6 billion and $35.8 billion, a quarter-over-quarter increase of 4% and a year-over-year increase of 38% [8] - The gross margin for Q1 2026 is projected to be between 63% and 65%, indicating solid pricing power and excellent cost control [8] - For the full year 2026, revenue growth is expected to approach 30% in dollar terms, significantly higher than the industry average [8] Capital Expenditure Plans - The capital expenditure budget for 2026 is set at $52 billion to $56 billion, a 32% increase compared to the actual spending of $40.9 billion in 2025 [9] - Approximately 70% of the capital expenditure will be allocated to expanding capacity for advanced processes (2nm and 3nm), with the remainder for advanced packaging and special processes [10] - This capital expenditure plan aims to alleviate current capacity shortages and seize market opportunities [11] Industry Impact - The significant capital expenditure will benefit leading semiconductor equipment companies and advanced materials suppliers [16] - AI customers may experience mixed outcomes; while long-term capacity constraints may ease, short-term competition for capacity could remain intense [16] - Competitors like Intel and Samsung face increased pressure due to TSMC's aggressive investment strategy, which sets a high bar for industry competition [16] 聚和材料 Acquisition - 聚和材料 is acquiring the blank mask business from SK Enpulse, marking its entry into the high-barrier semiconductor materials sector [33] - The acquisition is expected to enhance the company's capabilities in producing critical materials for semiconductor manufacturing, addressing domestic demand [33][39] - The blank mask market is currently dominated by Japanese firms, with domestic production rates being very low, indicating significant growth potential for 聚和材料 [35] 蘅东光 Business Overview - 蘅东光 focuses on passive optical devices in the optical communication field, providing essential components for data center interconnectivity [40][51] - The company serves major global clients, including AFL and Coherent, with a significant portion of its revenue derived from these partnerships [45][49] - 蘅东光's products are integral to AI data centers, having passed stringent certifications required by leading tech companies [49] 领湃科技 Status - 领湃科技 has previously planned a solid-state battery technology development framework but has since clarified that it currently has no active projects in this area [55] - The company is primarily focused on surface engineering chemicals and new energy batteries, with its investment strategy centered on the new energy technology sector [55]