Core Viewpoint - CoreWeave is the first AI cloud provider to deploy NVIDIA's latest GB300 NVL72 systems, aiming for significant global scaling of these deployments [1][5] Performance Enhancements - The NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 offers a 10x boost in user responsiveness, a 5x improvement in throughput per watt compared to the previous NVIDIA Hopper architecture, and a 50x increase in output for reasoning model inference [2] Technological Collaboration - CoreWeave collaborated with Dell, Switch, and Vertiv to establish the initial deployment of the NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 systems, enhancing speed and efficiency for AI cloud services [3] Software Integration - The GB300 NVL72 deployment is integrated with CoreWeave's cloud-native software stack, including CoreWeave Kubernetes Service (CKS) and Slurm on Kubernetes (SUNK), along with hardware-level data integration through Weights & Biases' platform [4] Market Leadership - CoreWeave continues to lead in providing first-to-market access to advanced AI infrastructure, expanding its offerings with the new NVIDIA GB300 systems alongside its existing fleet [5] Benchmark Achievement - In June 2025, CoreWeave achieved a record in the MLPerf® Training v5.0 benchmark using nearly 2,500 NVIDIA GB200 Grace Blackwell Superchips, completing a complex model in just 27.3 minutes [6] Company Background - CoreWeave, recognized as one of the TIME100 most influential companies and featured in Forbes Cloud 100 ranking in 2024, has been operating data centers across the US and Europe since 2017 [7]

Core Insights - SoundHound AI experienced a remarkable stock price increase in 2024, rising from $2 to $24, a twelvefold surge, although it has since retracted by approximately 55% from its peak [2] - The company has demonstrated significant revenue growth, with a three-year average growth rate of 69% and revenues doubling from $51 million to $102 million in the past year [3] - Management projects 2025 revenues between $157 million and $177 million, indicating nearly 100% year-over-year growth, reflecting strong demand for voice AI solutions [4] Financial Performance - SoundHound's latest quarterly revenues surged by 151.2% year-over-year to $29 million, up from $12 million [3] - The company is currently priced at $11 with a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 40x based on trailing twelve-month revenue [11] - If revenues triple from $85 million in 2024 to an estimated $250 million in 2027, the P/S multiple could decline to 16x, suggesting a potential stock price increase to about $20 [11] Growth Drivers - The automotive industry represents SoundHound's largest growth opportunity, with partnerships established with major manufacturers like Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai [6] - In 2025, SoundHound expanded its automotive presence by deploying its Chat AI to additional Stellantis brands and launched "Brand Personalities" for personalized voice assistants [7] - Research indicates a potential annual opportunity of $35 billion for automakers through in-car voice commerce, positioning SoundHound to capture significant market share [8] Strategic Partnerships - SoundHound's collaboration with NVIDIA focuses on edge solutions to enhance Voice Generative AI experiences in vehicles, improving user satisfaction [9] - The acquisition of Amelia in August 2024 has diversified SoundHound's enterprise presence, contributing to immediate revenue and access to established customer service contracts [10] Future Outlook - Sustained revenue growth of 25% or more is expected in the coming years following the doubling of revenues this year [13] - The company aims to convert revenue growth into improved profitability metrics and capture significant market shares in both automotive and restaurant voice AI markets [13]

Core Insights - IREN Limited has announced the purchase of 2,400 next-generation NVIDIA Blackwell B200 and B300 GPUs for approximately $130 million, fully funded from existing cash, while also exploring financing options for AI Cloud Services growth [1][2][4] - The new GPUs will be installed at IREN's Prince George, BC campus, increasing the total fleet to around 4,300 NVIDIA GPUs, with the capacity to host over 20,000 Blackwell GPUs due to 50MW of dedicated power [2][3] - The Blackwell architecture enhances performance and efficiency, positioning IREN as a leading cloud provider in a supply-constrained market, with rising demand from AI-native enterprises and cloud operators [3][4] Company Positioning - IREN's vertically integrated platform, supported by 2,910 MW of grid-connected power, allows for flexible, end-to-end solutions across the AI infrastructure stack, including powered shells and fully managed cloud services [4][9] - The investment in Blackwell GPUs is expected to yield attractive risk-adjusted returns and support ongoing discussions in IREN's AI Data Center business [4][5] - IREN operates in renewable-rich regions and focuses on high-performance computing solutions, including AI Cloud Services and Bitcoin mining, leveraging 100% renewable energy [9][10]

Core Insights - Meta Platforms, Inc. is restructuring its AI strategy by forming a new division called Meta Superintelligence Labs, aimed at creating superintelligence that surpasses human cognitive abilities [1][5] - Alexandr Wang, the former CEO of Scale AI, has been appointed as Chief AI Officer to lead this new division, emphasizing a unified leadership approach [1][2] Strategic Investments and Talent Acquisition - Meta has made a significant investment of $14.3 billion for a 49% stake in Scale AI, securing Wang's leadership and enhancing its AI capabilities [3] - The company is actively recruiting top AI talent from industry leaders such as OpenAI, DeepMind, and Anthropic, with Zuckerberg personally involved in the recruitment process [3] Leveraging Open-Source and In-House Innovations - Meta's AI initiatives will utilize open-source Llama 3 models and proprietary MTIA chips to reduce dependence on expensive NVIDIA hardware, aiming for optimized performance and cost-efficiency [4] Vision for the Future - Zuckerberg expressed confidence in Meta's ability to deliver personal superintelligence, highlighting the company's strong business foundation and experience in reaching billions of users [5]

Investment Rating - The industry investment rating for Semiconductor Production Equipment is Attractive [2]. Core Insights - The semiconductor production equipment market is expected to experience strong growth driven by demand for advanced packaging materials and AI-related technologies [12][34]. - Major companies like Microsoft and NVIDIA are significantly increasing their capital expenditures, which will positively impact the semiconductor equipment sector [8][21]. - The demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and advanced packaging technologies is projected to rise, creating opportunities for companies like Advantest and Disco [34][12]. Summary by Sections Market Overview - The semiconductor production equipment market is anticipated to grow despite a slow recovery in the overall semiconductor market, with advanced packaging applications expected to outpace other segments [12][34]. - The WFE (Wafer Fabrication Equipment) market is projected to see low-single digit negative growth in 2025 [16]. Company Ratings - Advantest (6857.T) is rated Overweight with a target price based on a P/E of 14.0x [49]. - Disco (6146.T) is rated Overweight with a target P/E of 25.1x [46]. - SCREEN Holdings (7735.T) is rated Overweight with a target P/E of 11.9x [54]. - Tokyo Electron (8035.T) is rated Equal-weight [113]. Demand Drivers - The increasing need for AI servers and advanced packaging materials is driving demand for semiconductor production equipment [8][12]. - Companies are expected to ramp up capital expenditures directed at HBM4 and advanced packaging technologies starting from the second half of 2025 [8][12]. Geopolitical Factors - The US-China trade tensions and export restrictions are influencing the semiconductor equipment market, particularly affecting sales to China [20][22]. - Domestic production of AI chips in China is expected to increase capital intensity, benefiting companies like Advantest and Tokyo Seimitsu [21].

V i e w p o i n t | 25 Jun 2025 16:16:30 ET │ 19 pages Thematic Equity Strategy A Global Perspective on Artificial Intelligence CITI'S TAKE AI remains one of our top Growth themes in the US given its premium growth expectations at justifiable valuations. In this report we take a broader look at AI across the globe and our Enablers versus Adopters value chain delineation. We reiterate the need for value chain diversification within the theme while also stressing geographic reach. Investors solely focused on ...

Market Performance - Wall Street experienced solid gains in June, with the S&P 500 rising 4.4%, the Dow Jones up 3.66%, and the Nasdaq climbing 6% [1] - The rally was primarily driven by a tech boom, despite geopolitical tensions, particularly between Israel and Iran, which initially pushed oil prices higher [1] - The United States Oil Fund (USO) increased by 9% over the month, reflecting the surge in crude prices [1] Economic Data - U.S. economic data showed mixed results, with inflation rising slightly to 2.4% in May, below expectations of 2.5% [2] - The U.S. economy contracted at an annualized rate of 0.5% in Q1 2025, marking a sharper decline than the previously estimated 0.2% drop [2] - Retail sales fell by 0.9% in May, following a modest decline of 0.1% in April, amid ongoing economic uncertainty [2] Corporate Developments - Coinbase shares surged approximately 42% over the past month due to its entry into the stablecoin market and optimism around crypto trading volumes [4] - NVIDIA's stock rallied over 13%, driven by strong earnings and resilience despite new export bans to China [4] Global Monetary Policy - The Bank of Japan announced plans to gradually slow its bond purchases starting April 2026, aiming to reduce Japanese Government Bond (JGB) purchases to around 2 trillion yen per month by early 2027, down from 3 trillion yen [5] ETF Performance - GraniteShares Platinum Trust (PLTM) increased by 23.2%, driven by supply shortages and rising Chinese imports, with platinum surging more than 50% in 2025 [7] - PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF (KDEF) rose by 21.7%, reflecting a surge in Korean defense stocks due to major international contracts [8][9] - ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) gained 20.3%, with standout performers including Coinbase and Roblox [10] - CoinShares Valkyrie Bitcoin Miners ETF (WGMI) increased by 19%, with top holdings IREN Ltd. and Core Scientific jumping 62.8% and 55.8% respectively [11] - Global X Hydrogen ETF (HYDR) rose by 18.6%, benefiting from advancements in hydrogen technology and supportive policies for clean energy [12]

Asia Memory Equities Memory prices continue to hover higher Korea Soaring memory prices: We reiterate our positive view on the memory sector. Previously, we highlighted a faster memory turnaround from April (see: Asia Memory report, 10 March). We now see that memory prices are hovering higher throughout 2Q, with a higher level of blended ASPs of +3-8% q-o-q due to 1) earlier phase-out of DDR4 products leading to aggressive purchases on the fear of shortages while solid demand for DDR4 is supported by the le ...

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Overweight" (OW) rating on several companies in the AI ASIC supply chain, including Accton, Wiwynn, Bizlink, and King Slide in downstream systems, as well as TSMC, Broadcom, Alchip, MediaTek, Advantest, KYEC, Aspeed, and ASE in upstream semiconductors [1][11]. Core Insights - The AI ASIC market is expected to grow significantly, with NVIDIA outpacing the ASIC market in 2025, generating enthusiasm for ASIC vendors. Asian design service providers like Alchip and MediaTek are anticipated to gain market share due to their efficient operations and quality services [2][21]. - The global semiconductor market is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030, with AI semiconductors being a major growth driver, estimated to reach $480 billion, comprising $340 billion from cloud AI semiconductors and $120 billion from edge AI semiconductors [21][22]. Summary by Sections AI ASIC Market Developments - AWS Trainium: Alchip has taped out the Trainium3 design, with wafers already produced. Alchip is expected to have a strong chance of winning the 2nm Trainium4 project [3][15]. - Google TPU: Broadcom is expected to tape out a new 3nm TPU after the Ironwood (TPU v7p) enters mass production in 1H25, while MediaTek is also preparing for a 3nm TPU tape-out [4][18]. - Meta MTIA: Preliminary volume forecasts for MTIAv3 are expected in July, with considerations for larger packaging for MTIAv4 [5]. Downstream and Upstream Suppliers - Downstream suppliers for AWS Trainium2 include Gold Circuit for PCB boards, King Slide for rail kits, and Bizlink for active electrical cables. Wiwynn is expected to see 30-35% of its total revenue from Trainium2 servers in 2025 [6][11]. - Key upstream suppliers include TSMC for foundry services, Broadcom for IP and design services, and Alchip for back-end design services [11][10]. Market Size and Growth Projections - The AI semiconductor market is projected to grow to $50 billion by 2030, representing 15% of cloud AI semiconductors. This indicates a significant opportunity for AI ASIC vendors despite NVIDIA's dominance in the AI GPU market [21][24]. - The report estimates that the global AI capex total addressable market (TAM) for 2025 could reach around $199 billion, driven by major cloud service providers [26][58]. Financial Implications - Alchip's revenue from Trainium3 chips is estimated to be $1.5 billion in 2026, with expectations of continued growth in the AI ASIC market [18][21]. - MediaTek's revenue from TPU projects is projected to grow significantly, with estimates of $1 billion in 2026 and potential growth to $2-3 billion in 2027 [19][21].

June 15, 2025 10:57 PM GMT TSMC | Asia Pacific M Idea Wafer price hike in 2026 and strong AI demand may offset the FX impact; OW TSMC remains our sector Top Pick. We expect stock to further re-rate amid the margin erosion on FX impact – AI demand remains strong into 2026, while TSMC should be able to hike global wafer price by 3-5% on average Stock gradually recovers after three overhangs removed: Over the past three months, we have been navigating through three overhangs: 1) Intel JV speculation, 2) AI dem ...