TSMC(US:TSM) 格隆汇APP·2025-10-17 09:47Core Insights - TSMC's Q3 2025 financial report showcases a significant revenue of $33.1 billion, exceeding market expectations by $1.6 billion and reflecting a year-on-year growth of 41% [2][3] - The company has revised its 2025 revenue growth forecast from 30% to nearly 35%, targeting $121.6 billion, which is $1 billion above market expectations [2][3] - TSMC's net profit reached $15.1 billion, marking a 39% year-on-year increase, equating to a daily net profit of $168 million [2][3] Revenue and Profitability - TSMC's quarterly revenue of $33.1 billion surpassed market expectations of $31.5 billion, with a quarter-on-quarter increase of 10.1% and a year-on-year increase of 41% [4] - The adjusted EPS reached $2.92, a 39% increase year-on-year, exceeding expectations by $0.33, with a net profit margin of 45.7% [4] Gross Margin - The gross margin reached 59.5%, up 1.7 percentage points year-on-year and 0.9 percentage points quarter-on-quarter, exceeding the expected 58.9% [6] - Key drivers include a surge in 3nm and 5nm process shipments and effective internal cost control [6] Process and Platform Structure - Advanced processes contributed 74% of wafer revenue, with 5nm accounting for 37% and 3nm for 23% [8] - The high-performance computing (HPC) segment, primarily driven by AI servers, accounted for 57% of revenue, indicating strong demand resilience [10] Implicit Highlights - The average selling price (ASP) of wafers reached $7,040, a 15% year-on-year increase, reflecting the value added by advanced processes [11] - Free cash flow was NT$139.38 billion (approximately $4.56 billion), a 12% year-on-year increase, providing ample resources for future expansion and R&D [11] AI Demand - TSMC's CEO stated that AI demand is stronger than three months ago, indicating an early stage of a long-term trend supported by three main drivers: cloud, enterprise, and sovereign AI [13] - The number of AI tokens is growing exponentially, necessitating stronger computing power, with TSMC's AI revenue growth forecast of nearly 35% for 2025 being lower than token growth due to technological iterations [14] Technology Roadmap - TSMC's N2 family of technologies is set to drive growth over the next decade, with N2 production starting in Q4 2025 and expected to contribute 5% of wafer revenue by 2026 [17][18] - N2P and A16 technologies are also in the pipeline, targeting high-end AI training and HPC applications, respectively [19][20] Global Expansion - TSMC is advancing its global production capabilities, with significant projects in Arizona, Japan, Germany, and Taiwan to support AI demand [21][22][24][26] - The company aims to achieve over 1 million 12-inch equivalent wafers in Arizona by 2027, leveraging government subsidies to reduce costs [22] Capital Expenditure - TSMC has narrowed its 2025 capital expenditure (CapEx) forecast to $40-42 billion, with 70% allocated to advanced processes [26] - The company expects a return of $1.5-$2 for every $1 spent on CapEx over the next 3-5 years, indicating a strong growth outlook [27] Non-AI Market and Competition - The smartphone market is recovering, with a 19% quarter-on-quarter increase, while automotive electronics are also gaining momentum [29] - TSMC's "Foundry 2.0" strategy aims to build a competitive moat by offering comprehensive solutions, including advanced packaging services [31] Future Signals - To validate TSMC's $65 billion revenue target for 2030, key indicators to monitor include Q4 2025 revenue performance, N2 process ramp-up speed, and overseas factory margin dilution [33] Conclusion - TSMC's Q3 2025 performance exemplifies the benefits of AI-driven advanced processes, solidifying its position as a cornerstone of the global semiconductor industry [35]