Cambricon(SH:688256) 经济观察报·2025-09-19 12:08Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the contrasting dynamics between the soaring stock price of Cambricon (寒武纪) and the management's reluctance to provide clear timelines on product iterations, raising concerns among investors about the company's future competitiveness [1][3]. Financial Performance - Cambricon reported a significant revenue increase of 4,347.82% year-on-year, achieving 2.881 billion yuan in the first half of 2025, and a net profit of 1.038 billion yuan, marking a turnaround from a loss of 530 million yuan in the same period last year [5]. - The company reached a quarterly profitability milestone in Q4 2024, with net profits of 355 million yuan and 683 million yuan in Q1 and Q2 of 2025, respectively [5]. - The substantial growth in "contract liabilities" from 142,000 yuan to 54.3 million yuan indicates strong pre-sales and customer confidence in future product offerings [6]. Market Environment - The demand for AI computing power in China is expected to grow from approximately 19 billion USD in 2024 to 55.2 billion USD by 2028, creating a favorable market environment for AI chip manufacturers [6]. - The tightening of U.S. export controls on high-end AI chips has prompted Chinese companies to seek domestic suppliers, enhancing the market opportunities for Cambricon [7][8]. Competitive Landscape - Cambricon's main competitors in the AI chip market include Huawei and Baidu, with Huawei's Ascend series and Baidu's Kunlun chips leading in market share [8]. - As of 2024, Cambricon holds only 1% of the AI accelerator market share, compared to Huawei's 23% [13]. Product Development and Innovation - Cambricon has not released a new generation of cloud training chips since the launch of the Siyuan 370 series in 2022, raising concerns about its product iteration pace compared to competitors like Huawei [11][12]. - The company plans to invest approximately 20.5 billion yuan in a new chip platform and 14.5 billion yuan in a software platform aimed at enhancing its competitive edge in AI chip technology [22]. Customer Dependency and Revenue Composition - The company's revenue is heavily reliant on a single customer, with the largest client contributing 79.15% of total revenue in 2024, increasing to 96.48% in Q1 2025 [20]. - Cambricon has strategically shifted focus from edge computing and smart computing cluster systems to cloud products due to external pressures and internal considerations [19][20]. Communication and Investor Relations - During the earnings call, management provided vague responses to critical questions regarding product timelines and market strategies, opting to reiterate previously disclosed information [23][26]. - The lack of specific details on product launches and market strategies contrasts sharply with competitors like Huawei, which provided a detailed roadmap for future products [26].