Shengang Securities·2025-02-20 09:27Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Overweight" rating for the industry [7] Core Viewpoints - The demand for AI computing power is expected to support the prosperity of the domestic chip industry chain, with significant growth anticipated in various application areas [2][3] - SMIC's Q4 2024 gross margin exceeded guidance, and its revenue outlook for Q1 2025 is above the industry average, indicating a positive trend for the company and the sector [2][3] - The expansion of domestic AI applications is likely to drive demand for data center computing power and smart hardware, maintaining a favorable industry outlook [3][4] Summary by Sections Market Review - The Shenwan Electronics Industry Index rose by 0.27% last week, ranking 21st among 31 industries, underperforming the CSI 300 Index by 0.92% [12][18] - For the month of February (1st to 14th), the index increased by 6.43%, ranking 4th among industries, outperforming the CSI 300 Index by 3.24% [12] - Year-to-date, the index has risen by 6.15%, ranking 6th and outperforming the CSI 300 Index by 6.05% [12] Company Performance - SMIC reported Q4 2024 sales revenue of 15.917 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 31.0%, with a gross margin of 22.6% [2][27] - The company expects Q1 2025 revenue growth of 6-8% and a gross margin of 19-21%, indicating a positive outlook compared to industry averages [3][31] - The capital expenditure for 2024 is projected at $7.33 billion, with a production capacity utilization rate of 85.5% in Q4 2024, up 8.7 percentage points year-on-year [2][27] Industry Dynamics - The integration of AI capabilities into consumer applications is accelerating, with major companies like Apple and Tencent adopting AI models, which is expected to boost demand for domestic computing and storage chips [4][32] - The semiconductor industry is experiencing a shift towards domestic manufacturers for high-performance chips due to previous semiconductor bans, benefiting local foundries and equipment manufacturers [3][4] - The report suggests focusing on companies within the AI supply chain and domestic electronics sectors, including Haiguang Information, ZTE, and others [4][32]