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Group 1 - The thesis posits that TSMC and related markets are relatively safe from the risk of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan [1] - Oliver Rodzianko is identified as an investor and capital allocator with a focus on high-alpha portfolio strategies [1] - The Invictus Hydra portfolio managed by Oliver Rodzianko significantly outperforms the Nasdaq-100 while maintaining around 20% in cash reserves for market dislocations [1] Group 2 - Oliver Rodzianko conducts in-depth research for Social Capital, a venture capital firm founded by Chamath Palihapitiya in 2011 [1] - His research has reached millions of readers across various platforms including Seeking Alpha, TipRanks, and GuruFocus [1]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry**: Asia Pacific Thematic Investing - **Focus**: Competitive Reinvention in Asia, capital market reforms, and thematic investment opportunities across various sectors Core Themes and Arguments 1. **Competitive Reinvention**: Asia is undergoing significant changes in corporate strategies and capital markets to adapt to global themes, which are still in progress but transformative [3][19] 2. **Thematic Opportunities**: Key themes include AI and Tech Diffusion, Multipolar World dynamics, Future of Energy, and Longevity, each driving unique investment opportunities [4][23] 3. **AI and Tech Diffusion**: National strategies like China's 'AI-plus' and India's digital initiatives are pivotal for tech adoption and supply chain competition [4][22] 4. **Multipolar World**: Increased defense spending is projected to reach US$1 trillion by 2030, reflecting economic security initiatives across Asia [4][40] 5. **Future of Energy**: A shift towards renewable energy, nuclear power, and natural gas is essential for energy security and meeting rising electricity demand, with a forecasted 5% CAGR in power consumption through 2030 [46][47] 6. **Longevity**: The demographic shift towards "super-aged" societies in China, Korea, and Japan is driving demand for innovative healthcare solutions and nutrition [51][53] Investment Framework 1. **Thematic Investment Growth**: Thematic funds in Asia total US$113 billion, indicating a growing trend in institutional investment processes [5] 2. **Focus List**: A 25-stock Asia Thematic Focus List has been launched, with a median stock offering a 3-year EPS CAGR of 17.6% for 2025-27, outperforming the MSCI AC Asia Pacific [6] 3. **Sector Opportunities**: Capital Goods, particularly in heavy industrials and robotics, are highlighted as standout sectors for investment [6] Important Insights 1. **Capital Market Reforms**: Reforms are crucial for enhancing market liquidity and competitiveness, particularly in the context of AI and tech diffusion [55] 2. **Regional Dynamics**: Countries like India and Singapore are implementing innovative strategies to enhance their capital markets and economic positioning [28][29] 3. **Demographic Challenges**: The aging population in Asia necessitates reforms in healthcare and pension systems to address the needs of "super-aged" societies [52][54] 4. **Valuation Metrics**: The median stock in the thematic focus list trades at 21.6x 12-month forward P/E, indicating a premium compared to benchmarks [6] Conclusion - The Asia Pacific region is at a pivotal moment of transformation, driven by competitive reinvention and thematic investment opportunities across various sectors. The focus on AI, energy, and demographic changes presents significant potential for investors, while ongoing capital market reforms will further enhance the investment landscape.

J P M O R G A N Asia Pacific Equity Research 03 September 2025 This material is neither intended to be distributed to Mainland China investors nor to provide securities investment consultancy services within the territory of Mainland China. This material or any portion hereof may not be reprinted, sold or redistributed without the written consent of J.P. Morgan. Silicon Carbide Sector Technology Jimmy Huang AC (886-2) 2725-9865 jimmy.huang@jpmorgan.com J.P. Morgan Securities (Taiwan) Limited Gokul Hariharan ...

Core Insights - TSMC is a crucial player in the AI boom, providing manufacturing capabilities for chip designs that power AI infrastructure, despite not being a chip designer itself [1][2] - The company has established itself as the dominant foundry globally, outperforming competitors like Intel and Samsung in production efficiency and yield [5][6] - TSMC's strong market position allows it to maintain pricing power, with a forecasted price increase of 10% next year and a gross margin of 56.1% in the previous year [9][10] Industry Opportunities - The demand for AI chips is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 40% through 2028, with the AI infrastructure market expected to reach $3 trillion to $4 trillion in the next five years [11] - TSMC is also well-positioned to benefit from the autonomous driving market, which will require significant computing power for advanced chips [12] - Beyond AI and autonomous vehicles, TSMC stands to gain from advancements in robotics and quantum computing, indicating a broad spectrum of growth opportunities [13] Financial Performance - TSMC reported a 44% year-over-year revenue increase last quarter, while trading at a forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 21 times 2026 analyst estimates, suggesting potential for future appreciation [14]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The focus of the conference call is on the **China AI and Domestic GPU Supply** industry, particularly the localization efforts in China regarding AI technology and semiconductor manufacturing [4][19]. Core Insights and Arguments - **Capex Growth**: The top six companies in the sector are forecasted to increase their capital expenditures (capex) by **62% year-over-year** to **Rmb 373 billion** [7]. - **Inference Demand**: The demand for inference capabilities is identified as a key driver for future capital expenditures in the AI sector [5]. - **Local GPU Performance**: A performance comparison indicates that local GPUs are improving, with various companies passing qualification tests for AI chip usage [15]. - **Self-Sufficiency Ratio**: By **2027**, it is expected that local GPUs will only meet **39%** of China's AI demand, highlighting a significant gap in self-sufficiency [36]. - **Revenue Projections**: Local GPU revenue is projected to grow to **Rmb 136 billion** by **2027**, driven by advancements in manufacturing capabilities at SMIC [36]. Important Data and Comparisons - **GPU Specifications**: A detailed comparison of various GPUs from companies like NVIDIA and Huawei shows significant differences in performance metrics such as FP16 and FP8 processing capabilities [13][25]. - **Market Dynamics**: The conference highlighted the competitive landscape, with local companies like Huawei and Cambricon making strides in GPU technology, but still facing challenges from established players like NVIDIA [25][36]. - **Chip Production Capacity**: SMIC's production capacity for local GPUs is expected to increase significantly, with projections of **18 kwpm** by **2027** [36]. Additional Noteworthy Points - **AI Demand Drivers**: The call emphasized that the demand for AI semiconductors is expected to accelerate due to generative AI technologies proliferating across various sectors [72]. - **Market Sentiment**: Analysts expressed a cautious optimism regarding the recovery of the semiconductor market, influenced by inventory levels and pricing strategies [72]. - **Investment Recommendations**: Key stocks identified for investment include TSMC and Winbond, with a focus on companies that are well-positioned to benefit from the AI and semiconductor trends [72]. This summary encapsulates the critical insights and data points discussed during the conference call, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future outlook of the China AI and GPU supply industry.

Cristiano, last night the the president hosted a number of technology leaders at the White House. I believe you're invited but but unable to attend and his message was very simple. Tariffs are coming specific to chips, but those that invest in America will be spared.How is Qualcomm thinking about that. You know, a lot of emphasis gets put on TSMC in Arizona, but is that like big enough to serve all of you. Yes, it's unfortunate that we couldn't attend.Uh we we send a representative, but we had the big party ...

Core Insights - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and ASML Holding N.V. are pivotal players in the global semiconductor ecosystem, with TSMC being the largest contract chipmaker and ASML specializing in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems [1][2] TSMC Overview - TSMC continues to lead the semiconductor foundry market, advancing to 3nm production and preparing for 2nm, which positions it well to meet rising AI chip demand [3][4] - In Q2 2025, TSMC reported a 44% year-over-year revenue increase to $30.07 billion and a 61% jump in EPS to $2.47, showcasing its dominance [4] - AI-related revenues for TSMC tripled in 2024 and are projected to double again in 2025, prompting the company to invest between $38 billion and $42 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, significantly higher than the $29.8 billion in 2024 [5] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate predicts TSMC's revenues will grow by 35.9% in 2025 and 14.5% in 2026, indicating strong future growth potential [6] ASML Overview - ASML is crucial in the semiconductor value chain due to its monopoly in EUV lithography, essential for manufacturing advanced chips used in AI and high-performance computing [7] - In Q2 2025, ASML reported a 23% revenue growth and a 47% increase in EPS, but management expressed uncertainty about growth in 2026 due to customer hesitation and market conditions [8][9] - The ongoing U.S.-China tariff discussions are impacting customer capital spending timelines, which may delay ASML's orders and revenue recognition into late 2025 and 2026 [10][11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ASML indicates a 23.8% revenue increase in 2025 but a slight decline of 0.9% in 2026 [11][12] Comparative Analysis - TSMC is expected to see faster earnings growth, with EPS projected to rise by 39.6% in 2025 and 11.6% in 2026, compared to ASML's projected EPS growth of 35.3% in 2025 and 0.7% in 2026 [12][14] - Year-to-date, TSMC shares have risen by 19.1%, while ASML shares have increased by 8.7% [15] - ASML trades at a forward earnings multiple of 26.52, higher than TSMC's 22.18, suggesting TSMC is more attractively priced despite its strong performance [16] Conclusion - TSMC holds an advantage over ASML in terms of near-term earnings stability and valuation, while ASML remains a long-term player due to its lithography technology [18]

Summary of Nova (NVMI) Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Nova (NVMI) - **Event**: Citi Global TMT Conference - **Date**: September 04, 2025 Industry Insights - **Market Outlook**: Nova expects to outpace the market in wafer fabrication equipment (WFE) growth in 2025, with a mid-guidance of $221 million in Q3 [2][3] - **Memory Market**: Anticipated growth in memory, particularly DRAM, with double-digit growth in advanced packaging [2][3] - **Logic Market**: Overall logic market may see a slight decline, but leading-edge nodes are expected to grow [2][3] Key Points - **Growth Projections**: Nova is on track to outperform WFE growth, which is projected to be mid-single digits, slightly lower than earlier expectations [2][3] - **Advanced Packaging**: Significant growth opportunities in advanced packaging due to increasing complexity and demand for process control [5][6] - **Technology Differentiation**: Nova's unique X-ray technology for material characterization positions it as a leader in the market, with capabilities that few competitors possess [9][10] - **Gate-All-Around (GAA) Technology**: Nova has secured a strong position with four leading-edge customers, projecting $500 million in revenues from GAA between 2024 and 2026 [16][18] - **China Market**: Nova anticipates a flat to slight decline in business from China, contrasting with peers expecting a 20% drop. Nova's revenue from China is projected to be slightly up [19][20] - **Market Share Growth**: Nova's market share increased from 20% in 2023 to 24.8% in 2024, making it the second-largest player after KLA [23][24] - **Service Business Growth**: Nova expects double-digit growth in its service business, supported by an installed base of over 6,400 tools [34] Financial Strategies - **Convertible Note Offering**: Nova issued a $650 million convertible note to fund corporate development, infrastructure, and potential acquisitions, aiming for $150 to $200 million in inorganic growth by 2027 [35][36][37] Additional Insights - **Acquisition of Syntronics**: The integration of Syntronics is progressing well, with a focus on direct sales and service, enhancing Nova's capabilities in the market [31][32] - **Chemical Metrology**: Nova is leveraging its frontend technology to capture market share in the backend, particularly in advanced packaging [25][26][27] - **Future Opportunities**: Nova is actively pursuing growth opportunities in both mature and leading-edge logic markets, with a focus on global infrastructure to support new fabs [40][41]

Core Insights - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has experienced a 25.6% increase in share price over the past six months, outperforming the Zacks Computer and Technology sector's 16.7% gain [1][4] - TSMC's stock has outperformed peers such as KLA Corporation, ON Semiconductor, and Applied Materials, which saw share price increases of 17.8%, 2.8%, and 0.6%, respectively [2] Financial Performance - In Q2 2025, TSMC's revenues surged 44% year-over-year to $30.07 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) increasing by 61% [8] - AI-related chip sales tripled in 2024, contributing significantly to revenue growth, with management projecting a doubling of AI revenues in 2025 and a 40% annual growth rate over the next five years [6][8] - TSMC raised its revenue growth guidance for full-year 2025 to 30%, up from mid-20% previously, driven by strong demand for its advanced 3nm and 5nm chips [10] Investment and Growth Strategy - TSMC plans to invest between $38 billion and $42 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, significantly higher than the $29.8 billion investment in 2024, with 70% of this spending focused on advanced manufacturing processes [7] - The company is positioned as a key player in the AI supply chain, with major clients like NVIDIA, Marvell, and Broadcom relying on TSMC for advanced GPUs and AI accelerators [5][6] Valuation and Market Position - TSMC's stock is trading at a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 21.83, which is lower than the sector average of 27.25, making it appealing for long-term investors [11] - Compared to peers, TSMC has a lower P/E ratio than KLA Corporation but higher than ON Semiconductor and Applied Materials [14] Challenges and Risks - TSMC faces near-term challenges due to softness in key markets like PCs and smartphones, which are expected to see only low single-digit growth in 2025 [15] - The company's global expansion strategy, including new fabs in the U.S., Japan, and Germany, may lead to higher costs and a projected 2-3 percentage point decline in gross margins annually over the next three to five years [16] - Geopolitical tensions, particularly U.S.-China relations, pose strategic risks, as TSMC has significant revenue exposure to China [17] Conclusion - TSMC remains a cornerstone of the semiconductor industry, with strong capabilities in advanced chip manufacturing and significant exposure to AI demand [19] - Given the current valuation and growth prospects, holding TSMC stock is recommended despite short-term headwinds [19][20]