QCi's secret sauce is its proprietary photonics technology. Photonics is the science of using light particles -- photons -- to transmit information. Photonic devices offer technical advantages in advanced computing and data-processing applications. While traditional quantum processors require temperatures near absolute zero to operate, QCi says its machines can function at room temperature. This removes the need for complicated and costly cooling systems, which could make quantum computers more accessible, ...

Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) announced on Tuesday that it will partner with GlobalFoundries (NASDAQ:GFS) to build a state-of-the-art waveguide fabrication facility at GlobalFoundries’ Singapore site, to accelerate the photonics revolution driven by artificial intelligence. The collaboration represents a milestone in positioning photonics as a cornerstone for next-generation AI applications, such as augmented reality (AR) and human-centered digital experiences. Applied Materials will design and develop ...

Core Insights - Applied Materials, Inc. has announced a strategic collaboration with GlobalFoundries to establish a waveguide fabrication facility in Singapore, aimed at accelerating the development of photonics technology driven by AI [1][2]. Company Overview - Applied Materials is a leader in materials engineering solutions essential for semiconductor and advanced display technologies, playing a crucial role in advancing AI and the commercialization of next-generation chips [4]. Industry Context - The collaboration signifies a pivotal moment in the evolution of photonics as a foundational technology for next-generation AI applications, including augmented reality and human-centric digital experiences that demand high-performance optical systems [2][3]. - The partnership aims to leverage the existing photonics ecosystem in Singapore, which includes materials, sensors, integration, assembly, testing, and applications, to foster innovation in photonics technology [3].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Full year revenue for fiscal 2025 increased by approximately 23% year over year to a record $5,810,000,000, driven by strong growth in data center and communications business [6][27] - Q4 revenue was a record $1,530,000,000, up 2% sequentially and 16% year over year [27] - Non-GAAP EPS for Q4 approximately doubled year over year to $1 per share, while full year non-GAAP EPS was $3.53, representing a 191% year over year growth [6][30] - Non-GAAP gross margin for Q4 was 30%, down 43 basis points sequentially but up 220 basis points year over year; full year gross margin was 37.9%, up 358 basis points from 2024 [27][28] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Data center and communications revenue grew by 51% in fiscal 2025, with Q4 revenue increasing 39% year over year [9] - Communications revenue increased 23% for fiscal 2025, with Q4 growth of 42% year over year [15] - Industrial related markets saw a revenue decrease of 2% for the year, with Q4 revenue down 8% year over year [17] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Strong growth in AI data centers and communications was noted, with full year data center revenue increasing by 61% [9] - Initial revenue shipments of new 1.6T transceivers began in Q4, with expectations for ramping volumes throughout the calendar year [10] - The company expects revenue from a new multiyear agreement with Apple for VCSEL products to begin in 2026 [13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on photonics technology, which is critical for applications in AI data centers, communications, and industrial applications [8] - A strategic decision was made to sell the Aerospace and Defense business for $400,000,000 to streamline the portfolio and concentrate investments in high-growth areas [19][32] - The company plans to use proceeds from the sale to pay down debt, which is expected to be accretive to EPS [30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the strong demand signals for data center and communications, expecting sequential growth in the upcoming quarter [40] - The company views its U.S. manufacturing footprint as a competitive advantage, particularly in light of recent tariff policies [21][22] - Management remains optimistic about achieving long-term financial targets and gross margin improvements, aiming for greater than 42% gross margin in the future [90] Other Important Information - The company has tripled its indium phosphide capacity year over year and is ramping production at its new six-inch indium phosphide line in Sherman, Texas [12] - The company is experiencing strong bookings and demand forecasts across data center customers, particularly for transceivers [10] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the growth outlook for the data center business in fiscal 2026? - Management noted strong demand signals and expects data center and communications to be up sequentially, driven by 800 gig and 1.6T transceivers [40][41] Question: Can you provide an update on the six-inch indium phosphide platform? - Production began in August, with expectations for increased capacity and lower costs as the ramp progresses [46][47] Question: What product categories might be down sequentially in the guidance? - Industrial markets are expected to be flat to down sequentially, with a cautious view due to macroeconomic factors [58] Question: How much incremental revenue is expected from the Apple relationship? - Revenue from the expanded partnership is expected to kick in during the second half of the next calendar year [51][66] Question: What are the competitive advantages of the OCS technology? - The OCS technology is based on digital liquid crystal, offering higher reliability and performance compared to traditional mechanical solutions [74][76] Question: What is the outlook for gross margins? - Management expects gross margins to benefit from the Apple arrangement and ongoing gross margin expansion initiatives [90]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For fiscal year 2024, the company reported a 13% increase in bookings and achieved 10% organic revenue growth compared to fiscal year 2023 [7] - Q2 revenue was $12,050,000, which was within guidance, but down 19% year over year [33] - Non-GAAP operating loss for Q2 was $5,700,000, compared to a non-GAAP operating income of $1,700,000 in Q2 2024 [34] - Non-GAAP net loss for the quarter was $4,600,000, compared to a non-GAAP net income of $1,800,000 in the same period last year [35] - The company maintains its fiscal year 2025 revenue guidance in the range of $64,000,000 to $70,000,000, representing a year-over-year growth of 7% to 17% [9][12] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - 14% of Q2 revenue came from 10 new customer purchases, totaling $4,180,000 in bookings [10] - 40% of revenue was from expansion in existing customers, while 40% was from renewals [11] - TCAD bookings were down 55% year over year, while EDA bookings were down slightly by 7% year over year [36] - SiP product bookings increased by approximately $1,500,000, representing a growth of 87% year over year [36] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from the Americas was down 44% year over year, primarily due to lower TCAD product sales [38] - Asia Pacific revenue was up 11% year over year, driven by higher EDA sales [38] - EMEA revenue was down 22% year over year due to lower TCAD sales in the region [38] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on strategic acquisitions to expand its serviceable addressable market (SAM), targeting high-growth sectors such as AI, photonics, and high-performance computing [7][8] - Recent acquisitions have added an estimated $600,000,000 in incremental SAM, with the latest acquisition of Mixel adding another $110,000,000 [8][18] - The company aims to deepen engagement with R&D customers and broaden its semiconductor IP portfolio [28][29] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth trajectory, supported by strong market demand for organic growth and strategic expansion [10] - The company is taking a conservative approach to guidance due to the current macroeconomic environment [9] - Management expects to close delayed customer orders in Q3 and Q4, with no cancellations reported [65] Other Important Information - The company has added three new executives to strengthen its leadership team [21] - The total addressable market (TAM) has expanded from $3,800,000,000 in 2024 to $4,500,000,000 in 2025 [23] - Non-GAAP gross margin for Q2 was 76%, down from 86% in Q2 2024, primarily due to lower revenue [39] Q&A Session Summary Question: What was the organic growth of ACV? - The organic component of the ACV growth was in the 1% to 2% range of the 5% increase [51] Question: How is the integration of the Cadence division progressing? - Integration is mostly complete, with ongoing work on financial and operational synergies [52][53] Question: What is the current macro environment affecting bookings? - There has been no impact on the China market, and delays in orders are expected to close in Q3 and Q4 [55] Question: What revenue contribution is expected from the Mixel acquisition? - Expected revenue contribution from Mixel for Q3 and Q4 is between $3,000,000 to $5,000,000 [61] Question: How does the company view its annual guidance amidst lower results? - The company remains confident that delayed sales will close in Q3 and Q4, supporting the annual guidance [64] Question: What is the cash balance after the Mixel payment? - The expected cash balance after the Mixel payment is around $30,000,000 to $35,000,000 [80] Question: How will the acquisitions impact Q3 guidance? - The guidance includes expected contributions from PPC and TechX, with a portion of revenue recognized in Q3 [84]

Core Insights - IPG Photonics reported Q2 2025 earnings with revenue of $250.7 million, exceeding analyst estimates of $229.6 million, and non-GAAP EPS of $0.30, tripling expectations of $0.10, despite a 3% year-over-year revenue decline [1][2] Financial Performance - Revenue (GAAP) for Q2 2025 was $250.7 million, a 3% decrease from $257.6 million in Q2 2024 [2] - Non-GAAP EPS was $0.30, down 42% from $0.52 in Q2 2024 [2] - GAAP net income fell 67% to $6.6 million from $20.2 million in the prior year [2] - Adjusted EBITDA decreased by 20% to $31.5 million compared to $39.4 million in Q2 2024 [2] - Gross margin remained steady at 37.3% year-over-year [2] Business Overview - IPG Photonics specializes in high-performance fiber lasers and photonics systems for industrial, medical, and advanced technology markets [3] - The company focuses on materials processing applications, including cutting, welding, and micromachining, as well as medical procedures and emerging sectors like battery production [3] Strategic Focus - The company relies on four pillars: technological leadership, vertical integration, significant manufacturing scale, and diversification across end-markets [4] - Recent strategies include expanding into medical and advanced applications, which have higher growth rates [4] - Key success factors include rapid new product development and global manufacturing agility [4] Revenue Breakdown - Materials processing accounted for 85% of total sales but declined by 6% year-over-year [6] - Medical and advanced systems revenue rose by 21% year-over-year, driven by strategic wins and new product launches [6] - Emerging growth products constituted 54% of total sales in Q2 2025, up from 51% in Q1 2025 [5] Regional Sales Trends - Asia saw a 14% increase in sales, while North America declined by 4% and Europe dropped by 24% year-over-year [7] Profitability Metrics - Operating income fell to $0.1 million from $12.0 million, with operating margin at 0% [9] - The company faced tariff-driven costs impacting margins by 150 to 200 basis points [11] Strategic Milestones - Continued growth in emerging product lines and increased R&D investment of $58.3 million in the first half of 2025 [10] - Successful product launches in battery welding and micromachining contributed to market share gains [10] Future Guidance - For Q3 2025, revenue is projected between $225 million and $255 million, with adjusted gross margin of 36% to 38% [13] - Management plans to mitigate tariff impacts through supply chain adjustments and selective pricing changes [11]

Core Points - Coherent Corp. will release its financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2025, on August 13, 2025, after the NYSE closes [1] - A live audio webcast will follow the release at 5:00 p.m. ET to discuss the results [1] - Investors can access the live audio webcast at coherent.com and a replay will be available within 24 hours [2] Company Overview - Coherent is recognized as a global leader in photonics, providing technology solutions for datacenter, communications, and industrial markets [3] - The company was founded in 1971 and operates in over 20 countries, offering a comprehensive technology stack and strong supply chain resilience [4] - Coherent aims to assist customers in overcoming significant technology challenges through its global scale and innovation [4]

Core Insights - RIBER has signed a three-year partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme (NQCP) to advance the ROSIE platform, aimed at enhancing silicon fab production lines [1][2][6] - The partnership includes the sale of the first ROSIE unit to NQCP, scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2025, which will be integrated into a pilot line for photonic technologies [3][6] - ROSIE is designed for oxide growth on 300 mm wafers and is compliant with SEMI standards, targeting strategic markets such as ultra-fast optical communications, optical computing, and photonic quantum technologies [2][8] Company and Industry Developments - The ROSIE platform, developed since 2021, represents RIBER's commitment to innovation in the semiconductor industry, supported by the Île-de-France Region and Bpifrance under the France 2030 investment plan [4] - The collaboration with NQCP is seen as a strategic move to accelerate the development of innovative processes in integrated silicon photonics, addressing market demands for performance, miniaturization, and energy efficiency [6][7] - RIBER aims to position itself as a key player in the European ecosystem for applied photonics research, showcasing the potential of French technology in the global market [6][7]

Market and Growth - The AI photonics market is experiencing rapid growth, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) exceeding 25%[22] - The AI photonics market is expected to grow from $10 billion in 2024 to over $30 billion in 2029[22] - Lumentum aims to achieve over $3 billion in annual revenue, driven by AI photonics leadership, with an operating margin exceeding 20%[31] Technology and Innovation - InP (Indium Phosphide) is becoming increasingly important for higher data rate lane speeds, improving power-per-bit efficiency[40] - Lumentum's InP solutions are projected to constitute 61% of lanes in 2029, compared to 81% in 2024, while VCSEL solutions will constitute 39% of lanes in 2029, compared to 19% in 2024[40] - Differential-drive EML (Electro-absorption Modulated Laser) technology can reduce power consumption by 10-15% at 200G lane speeds compared to CW-SiPho solutions[51] - Advanced InP laser roadmap offers multiple pathways to reduce power consumption, with potential power reductions of approximately 40% for LPO transceivers and 45% for CPO pluggable solutions[56] Optical Switching (OCS) - Optical switching can achieve over 65% power reduction in 100K-scale GPU deployments[73] - The market opportunity for optical circuit switching (OCS) is projected to exceed $1.5 billion by 2029[73] Financial Targets - Lumentum is targeting an operating margin exceeding 20% at >$3 billion annual revenue[111] - Lumentum's FY25 consensus operating margin is 8.4%, with a target to expand this by over 1,100 bps (basis points) primarily driven by Cloud & AI[105]

Financial Performance & Targets - FY25 revenue is projected to reach $5781 million, a 22.8% increase from FY24's $4708 million[75] - FY25 Earnings Per Share (EPS) is expected to be $345, a 28X increase from FY24's $121[75] - Gross margin is targeted to expand from 34% in FY24 to over 42% in the next 3-4 years[83] - Operating margin is targeted to expand from 13% in FY24 to over 24% in the next 3-4 years[83] - The company aims for a debt leverage ratio of less than 20x[264] Market Growth & Strategy - The Datacenter and Communications market SAM is projected to reach $44 billion by 2030, while the Industrial market SAM is projected to reach $23 billion[35] - The company is focusing investments on core product lines and reducing distractions by divesting or exiting non-core product lines and streamlining the asset base[40, 43] - The company is accelerating the transceiver and optical switching roadmap in Datacenter and Communications and expanding software and services capabilities in Industrial[43] Key Growth Drivers - Datacenter bandwidth growth is expected to drive a 10X SAM expansion[51] - The Datacenter Interconnect (DCI) transceiver market is projected to grow to $4 billion[51] - Optical Circuit Switch (OCS) SAM is projected to reach $2 billion by 2030[51, 133]