Cambricon(688256) 长江证券·2024-11-18 07:23Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for Cambricon-U (688256 SH) [8] Core Views - Cambricon-U reported revenue of 1 85 billion yuan in the first three quarters of 2024, a year-on-year increase of 27 09%, with a net loss attributable to the parent company of 7 24 billion yuan [2] - In Q3 2024, the company achieved revenue of 1 21 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 284 59%, and a net loss of 1 94 billion yuan, showing significant improvement in losses both year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter [2][6] - The company's inventory increased significantly, reaching 1 015 billion yuan at the end of Q3 2024, up by 780 million yuan from the mid-year report, indicating strong preparation for future growth [6] - The AI industry is in a rapid growth phase, with increasing demand for domestic AI chips, which is expected to drive Cambricon-U's future performance [2][6][7] Financial Performance - Cambricon-U's gross margin in Q3 2024 was 51 20%, a decrease of 14 88 percentage points quarter-on-quarter, likely due to changes in product structure [7] - The company's R&D expenses were effectively controlled, with some low-margin R&D projects being paused [7] - The company's cash flow showed active preparation in the supply chain, with cash used for purchasing goods and receiving services reaching 1 128 billion yuan in Q3 2024, an increase of 514 million yuan quarter-on-quarter [7] Industry Outlook - The AI hardware demand is expanding, and the demand for domestic AI chips in China is continuously increasing, providing long-term growth momentum for the industry [6][7] - Cambricon-U, as a leading domestic AI chip company, is expected to benefit from the industry's growth and the increasing demand for domestic AI chips [6][7]