With the beginning of this calendar month, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE: TSM ), aka TSMC, saw its price surge for seven consecutive trade days, in a rally that took it from $225 to recentI specialize in analyzing individual stocks. With a strong educational background in both finance and economics, I’ve developed a deep fascination with the stock market and the potential it offers to investors at all levels. I keep a close watch on market trends, particularly in the tech sect ...

Mike, the call just ended with the press right now. Three main points that I'm seeing. So, the first one was uh they said that they were working on this partnership very quietly.There was no collaboration with the White House, President Trump. They were just really announced it to them very very recently. I know there was concerns given that uh the White House did invest in Intel about a month ago.So, according to uh both leaders in the White House had nothing to do with this deal. The second part is that y ...

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Silicon Creations, a leading provider of precision IP for advanced SoC design, today announced its 1000th production FinFET tapeout at TSMC, alongside the immediate availability of a comprehensive library of IP on TSMC's advanced N2P process node. The N2P offering includes a full suite of PLLs and clocking IP, such as free-running oscillators, crystal oscillators, low- jitter LVDS and CML buffers, and temperature sensors—ready for deployment today across a br. ...

Core Viewpoint - Nvidia's $5 billion investment in Intel is a significant move aimed at strengthening collaboration in AI chip development, marking a pivotal moment for Intel in the competitive AI landscape [1][3][8] Group 1: Investment Details - Nvidia announced it will invest $5 billion in Intel's common stock, pending regulatory approval [1] - This investment follows the US government's acquisition of an $8.9 billion stake in Intel, representing 10% of the company [4] Group 2: Strategic Collaboration - Intel and Nvidia will jointly develop multiple generations of custom data center and PC products, with Intel creating custom CPUs for Nvidia's AI servers [2] - The partnership is seen as a strategic shift for Intel, allowing it to leverage its CPU business while collaborating with AI chipmakers instead of competing directly [6] Group 3: Market Impact - Intel's stock surged approximately 25% at market open following the announcement of Nvidia's investment [1] - Analysts view this collaboration as a game changer for Intel, positioning the company prominently in the AI sector [7]

Market Trends - Global markets are experiencing an "everything rally," driving the S&P 500 and Asian stock benchmarks to record highs [1] - This rally is fueled by expectations of continued interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, leading to a weaker dollar, lower US tariff risks, and AI optimism [1][2] - Asian stocks have outperformed their US peers, with China leading the surge [2] Regional Performance - Technology shares listed in Hong Kong have reached their highest level in almost four years due to Beijing's policy support and push for homegrown technology [3] - South Korea's KOSPI index is up more than 40% this year, driven by investor optimism regarding corporate reform under the newly elected president, Lee Jae Myung [3] - Taiwan's stocks, along with chipmaker TSMC, have also extended records as the AI race drives demand for advanced chips [4] Potential Risks - Political uncertainty, concerns of an economic slowdown, and future Federal Reserve moves could potentially end the widespread rally [4]

Core Insights - Nvidia predicts a fivefold increase in AI infrastructure spending over the next several years, indicating significant growth potential in the AI sector [1] Company Summaries - **Broadcom**: - Broadcom is becoming a key player in AI, with hyperscalers seeking alternatives to Nvidia for cost reduction and supply chain diversification [3] - The company has secured design wins with major clients like Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and ByteDance, representing a potential $60 billion to $90 billion opportunity by fiscal 2027 [4] - A recent $10 billion order from a fourth customer, believed to be OpenAI, highlights Broadcom's rapid development capabilities and the potential for significant growth, especially with OpenAI and Oracle's $300 billion data center investment over the next five years [5] - **AMD**: - AMD is positioned to benefit from the AI market, particularly in inference, as building custom AI chips is costly and time-consuming [6] - The latest version of AMD's software platform, ROCm 7, is designed for inference and is gaining traction among major AI operators, with seven of the top ten AI players utilizing its hardware [7]

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM ) remains one of the top picks in the SA Quant rating, and the way developments are unfolding, it is difficult to argue with Quant's optimism. TSM is stillWith a decade at a Big 4 audit firm specializing in the banking, mining, and energy sectors, I bring a strong foundation in finance and strategy. Currently, I serve as the Head of Finance for a leading owner and operator of retail real estate, where I oversee complex financial operations and strategy. ...

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM ) remains one of the top picks in the SA Quant rating, and the way developments are unfolding, it is difficult to argue with Quant's optimism. TSM is stillWith a decade at a Big 4 audit firm specializing in the banking, mining, and energy sectors, I bring a strong foundation in finance and strategy. Currently, I serve as the Head of Finance for a leading owner and operator of retail real estate, where I oversee complex financial operations and strategy. ...

Summary of the Investor Presentation: Greater China Semiconductors Outlook Industry Overview - **Industry Focus**: Semiconductors in Greater China - **Overall Industry View**: Attractive [2][4] Key Insights - **Top Investment Picks**: - **AI Segment**: TSMC (Top Pick), Winbond (Top Pick), Alchip, Aspeed, MediaTek, KYEC, ASE, FOCI, Himax, ASMPT [4] - **Non-AI Segment**: Novatek, OmniVision, Realtek [4] - **China Wafer Fabrication Equipment (WFE)**: NAURA Tech, AMEC, ACMR [4] - **Specialty Semiconductors**: Silergy, SG Micro, SICC, Yangjie [4] - **Market Dynamics**: - AI cannibalization may impact recovery in the second half of 2025 due to tariff costs [4] - A decline in semiconductor inventory days historically signals positive stock price appreciation [4] - The demand for AI semiconductors is expected to accelerate due to generative AI, influencing various verticals beyond the semiconductor industry [4] - Tech deflation is anticipated to stimulate demand for technology products [4] Financial Metrics and Valuation - **Valuation Comparison**: - TSMC's current price is 1,255.0 TWD with a target of 1,388.0 TWD, indicating an 11% upside [5] - UMC's current price is 41.1 TWD with a target of 48.0 TWD, indicating a 17% upside [5] - SMIC's current price is 63.0 HKD with a target of 40.0 HKD, indicating a -37% downside [5] - **P/E Ratios**: - TSMC: 27.7 (2024), 21.4 (2025e), 18.4 (2026e) [5] - UMC: 10.9 (2024), 15.6 (2025e), 11.5 (2026e) [5] - **EPS Growth**: - TSMC: 40% (2024), 29% (2025e), 17% (2026e) [5] - UMC: -23% (2024), -30% (2025e), 35% (2026e) [5] Supply Chain and Production Insights - **China's GPU Supply**: - The self-sufficiency ratio for domestic GPUs was 34% in 2024, expected to reach 82% by 2027 [26] - Local GPU revenue could grow to RMB 287 billion by 2027, driven by SMIC's leading node capacity [31] - **Capex Forecast**: - The top six companies' capital expenditures are forecasted to grow 62% YoY to RMB 373 billion [24] Additional Considerations - **AI Demand**: The DeepSeek technology is expected to drive inference AI demand, raising questions about the sufficiency of domestic GPU supply [4][21] - **Market Trends**: The semiconductor stock index has shown an upward trend, with non-AI semiconductor growth at only 10% YoY in 2024 [9][14] This summary encapsulates the critical insights and financial metrics from the investor presentation, highlighting the semiconductor industry's current landscape and future outlook in Greater China.

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference focused on the semiconductor industry, particularly advancements in AI chips, heterogeneous integration, advanced packaging, and optical interconnect technologies, reflecting the growing importance of these areas in the market [2][3][20]. Core Findings 1. **TSMC's Capacity Expansion**: TSMC is expected to expand its CoWoS capacity to 100kwpm by the end of 2026, up from 70kwpm at the end of 2025, driven by robust demand for Cloud AI GPUs and ASICs [3]. 2. **AI Computing Demand**: AI computing requirements have surged by 10x in the past year, necessitating advancements in chip scaling, memory, and interconnect technologies [3]. 3. **3.5D Advanced Packaging**: The event highlighted significant discussions around 3.5D advanced packaging, which is anticipated to become mainstream for high-performance computing, improving cost structures and product design speeds [3]. 4. **Heterogeneous Integration**: The trend towards co-packaged optics (CPO) is gaining traction, with expectations for power consumption to be optimized by 2028, allowing for the replacement of copper in AI server integrations [3]. 5. **Testing Innovations**: The complexity of die and package designs is increasing the need for more rigorous testing at the wafer/die level to identify yield issues early [3]. Stock Recommendations - Top stock picks in the Greater China semiconductor sector include TSMC, ASE, MediaTek, Alchip, and Aspeed, all rated as "Buy" due to their structural AI opportunities [4]. Additional Insights - **Optical Interconnects**: Nvidia's advancements in networking infrastructure, particularly with its Spectrum-X CPO solution, promise significant power savings and improved signal integrity [12]. - **AI Data Center Power Consumption**: The power consumption of AI data centers is projected to rise dramatically, with examples like Meta's Hyperion data center expected to consume 2GW by 2030 [16]. - **Challenges in Advanced Packaging**: The industry faces challenges in transitioning to panel-level packaging and CoWoP technologies, which require overcoming technical hurdles related to system design and materials [30][39]. Emerging Technologies - **Silicon Photonics**: TSMC's COUPE platform aims to enhance integration of optics and electrical signaling, addressing bandwidth bottlenecks in computing performance [12]. - **GaN Technology**: GaN is highlighted for its efficiency and potential in powering AI applications, with Texas Instruments and Infineon leading developments in this area [36][38]. Conclusion - The semiconductor industry is at a pivotal point, driven by AI advancements and the need for innovative packaging and integration solutions. Companies like TSMC, Nvidia, and MediaTek are positioned to capitalize on these trends, while challenges in testing and power consumption remain critical areas for development [3][4][16][20].