24 February 2026 | 6:37PM EST Portfolio Strategy Research US EQUITY VIEWS The broadening and narrowing of the AI trade AI capex surprises and spreading fears of disruption risk have injected new volatility into the AI trade in recent weeks. Memory stocks have rallied by an average of 55% YTD while software stocks have plunged by 24%. We expect modest further upside to consensus hyperscaler capex estimates but continue to expect a peak in the capex growth rate later this year. Consensus estimates show hypers ...

Vi e w p o i n t | 20 Feb 2026 11:21:44 ET │ 17 pages US Semiconductor Equipment SPIE 2026 Investor Packet CITI'S TAKE We will be attending the SPIE Advanced Lithography conference from Feb 22-26 in San Jose, California, and hosting meetings with Lam Research, KLA and Applied Materials management teams. The conference features keynotes by a) SK Hynix on HBM technology evolution b) high-NA EUV/process control updates by ASML/IBM/TSMC, and c) Advanced packaging solutions presentations by Rapidus/Micron. Moreo ...

21 February 2026 | 12:05PM EST Equity Research GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY: SEMICONDUCTOR CAPITAL EQUIPMENT Raising 2026/27 WFE estimates, driven by memory and foundry strength Bottom Line: Positive semiconductor CapEx datapoints during 4Q earnings season drive our WFE estimates meaningfully higher. We raise our 2026/27/28 WFE estimates to $132/$160/$174 bn (+20%/+21%/+9%) from $124/$132/$144 bn (+11%/+6%/+9%) previously, reflecting recent CapEx revisions and a more constructive outlook from SPE suppliers. We see mem ...

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly provide an investment rating for the industry but emphasizes the positive impacts of the SCFI Trust Fund on financial sector resilience and innovation-led growth in the East Asia and Pacific region [26][28]. Core Insights - The SCFI Trust Fund Phase 3, operational from July 2020 to December 2023, allocated US$10.9 million to support financial and private sector development in seven countries, leveraging US$4.6 billion in World Bank lending [34][35]. - The report highlights the implementation of 51 reforms across various sectors, focusing on financial stability, inclusion, resilience, and innovation [45]. - Key achievements include significant reforms in Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, contributing to enhanced financial sector stability and private sector growth [36][40][42]. Summary by Sections Section 1: Overview - The East Asia and Pacific region faced multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to economic slowdowns and increased poverty levels [56][62]. - Despite these challenges, the region has shown resilience, with a recovery in economic activity driven by exports and private consumption [57][60]. Section 2: SCFI Trust Fund - The SCFI Trust Fund, established in partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Korea, aims to enhance financial sector stability and promote private sector-led growth [72][74]. - The fund has supported various initiatives, including technical assistance and capacity building, to foster innovation and sustainable development [80]. Section 3: Impacts - The SCFI Trust Fund has facilitated 51 reforms, focusing on financial stability, financial inclusion, and private sector development across seven countries [45]. - Notable outcomes include Cambodia's first local currency government bond issuance and Indonesia's Financial Sector Omnibus Law [40][41]. Section 4: Spotlight Countries - The report provides in-depth insights into Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, showcasing their significant achievements and reforms supported by the SCFI Trust Fund [36][42]. - Other countries like Lao PDR, Mongolia, and the Pacific Islands also benefited from SCFI initiatives, enhancing their financial systems and regulatory frameworks [43]. Section 5: Lessons Learned and Recommendations - Key lessons include the importance of leveraging Korean development experience and enhancing coordination among client countries [30][44]. - Recommendations for future phases emphasize the need for long-term engagement and stakeholder dialogue to ensure the sustainability of reforms [44][55].

Adeia (NasdaqGS:ADEA) Q4 2025 Earnings call February 23, 2026 05:00 PM ET Speaker5Good day, everyone. Thank you for standing by. Welcome to Adeia's fourth quarter 2025 earnings conference call. During today's presentation, all parties will be in a listen-only mode. Following the presentation, the call will be open for questions. I would now like to turn the call over to Chris Chaney, Vice President of Investor Relations for Adeia. Chris, please go ahead.Speaker0Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joinin ...

Is ASML About to Unleash a 50% AI Chip Output Explosion by 2030? - 24/7 Wall St.[S&P 5006,840.90 -1.06%][Dow Jones48,889.20 -1.50%][Nasdaq 10024,710.70 -1.27%][Russell 20002,607.65 -2.18%][FTSE 10010,678.40 -0.53%][Nikkei 22556,690.50 -0.75%][Stock Market Live February 23, 2026: S&P 500 (SPY) Tried to Shrug Off Tariff Uncertainty][Investing]# Is ASML About to Unleash a 50% AI Chip Output Explosion by 2030?### Quick ReadASML (ASML) achieved 1,000 watts of EUV light output compared to 600 watts in current pro ...

Core Viewpoint - South Korea has partially won its challenge against an arbitration ruling related to the 2015 merger of two Samsung affiliates, with the court overturning part of the award that required the government to pay approximately $100 million to Elliott [1][2]. Group 1: Arbitration Case Details - The arbitration award was issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2023, ordering South Korea to pay Elliott around $100 million [1]. - Elliott's lawsuit focused on the involvement of South Korea's National Pension Service in approving the $8 billion merger between Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries, where Elliott was a minority stakeholder [2]. - The High Court initially rejected South Korea's challenge regarding the tribunal's jurisdiction under a free trade agreement with the U.S., but the Court of Appeal later allowed South Korea's appeal [2]. Group 2: Court Rulings and Implications - Judge David Foxton overturned part of the arbitration award concerning the National Pension Service's vote in favor of the merger [2]. - The judge stated that Elliott's claims related to the actions of the administration of former President Park Geun-hye should be sent back to the arbitration tribunal for further consideration [2]. - The South Korean government described the ruling as a "valuable victory" [2].

Core Insights - The European smartphone market experienced a 1% decline in 2025, totaling 134.2 million units, attributed to subdued demand and new eco-design regulations [1] - Samsung maintained its position as the largest smartphone vendor in Europe, with shipments slightly increasing to 46.6 million units [1] - A slow first half of 2025 was noted due to the absence of the Galaxy A0x series, but Samsung rebounded in the second half of the year [1]

Core Viewpoint - The global AI build-out is causing a significant memory shortage, impacting various tech sectors, but Samsung is benefiting from this situation by raising prices on its next-generation HBM4 chips by up to 30% [1]. Group 1: Samsung's Position - Samsung's stock has reached an all-time high due to its ability to leverage the chip shortage for price increases [1]. - The company may face increased costs for its flagship smartphones, potentially raising prices by $70 to $140 to cover silicon costs [2]. Group 2: Impact on Apple - Apple relies on Samsung for approximately 60% of its memory components and is expected to face margin pressures due to the memory shortage [3]. - While Apple may initially try to maintain prices to gain market share, it is likely to implement its own price increases to protect margins [3]. Group 3: Industry Sentiment - The rise in memory pricing is negatively impacting sentiment across the IT hardware sector, with some industry participants referring to the situation as "RAMageddon" [4]. - Companies like Dell have already raised PC prices by up to 20% due to increased costs from the memory shortage [6]. Group 4: Broader Industry Effects - The demand for memory chips is affecting the availability of chips for smartphones, PCs, and gaming consoles, leading to potential delays in product releases, such as the PlayStation 6 [6]. - The AI boom is expected to impose a lasting "hardware tax" on future smartphone upgrades if current market trends persist [7].

But I don't remember anybody forecasting that all of a sudden AI data centers will be buying up so much of the world's RAM that the rest of us would be scrging for leftovers. >> Can I actually ask about that. So I heard there's a data center RAM crunch and I thought oh it's because Nvidia is selling a lot of GPUs today centers.Don't the GPUs use a different RAM. Don't they use VRAM. They have their video RAM.It's on a slightly different standard, but fundamentally all the memory is coming from just a few co ...