Summary of SICC (688234.SS) 3Q25 Earnings Call Company Overview - **Company**: SICC (688234.SS) - **Industry**: Silicon Carbide (SiC) Substrate Manufacturing Key Financial Metrics - **3Q25 Revenues**: Rmb 318 million, down 18% QoQ and 14% YoY, significantly below expectations by 37% compared to Goldman Sachs and Bloomberg consensus [2][3] - **Gross Margin (GM)**: Improved to 20.6% in 3Q25 from 12.6% in 2Q25, reflecting a product mix upgrade towards 8-inch SiC substrates [1][2] - **Operating Income (OP)**: Reported a loss of Rmb 42 million in 3Q25, compared to a loss of Rmb 28 million in 2Q25 [3] - **Net Income**: Loss of Rmb 10 million in 3Q25, down from a profit of Rmb 2 million in 2Q25 [3] Core Insights - **Product Mix Upgrade**: The shift towards 8-inch and 12-inch SiC substrates is expected to drive future growth [1][5] - **Market Competition**: Intense pricing competition, particularly in the 6-inch SiC substrate market in mainland China, is impacting revenue and margins [2][5] - **R&D Investments**: Increased R&D and selling expenses due to new product developments have contributed to the operating loss [2][5] - **Future Growth Drivers**: Anticipated growth in SiC adoption in electric vehicles (EVs) for fast charging capabilities and expansion into AI applications such as AI glasses and servers [1][5] Earnings Revision - **EPS Forecast**: 2025-2027 EPS estimates reduced by 86%, 9%, and 7% respectively due to lower revenues and higher expenses [5][10] - **Revenue Growth Projection**: Despite the cuts, a strong revenue growth of 65% CAGR is expected from 2025 to 2027, driven by product mix upgrades and market expansion [5][10] - **Long-term Margin Recovery**: Blended GM is projected to recover to 37.6% by 2027, with an operating margin (OPM) of 24.9% expected as revenue scales normalize [5][10] Valuation and Price Target - **Target Price**: Rmb 101, reflecting a 36.7% upside from the current price of Rmb 73.86 [17] - **Valuation Methodology**: Based on a discounted P/E approach, with a target P/E multiple of 35.8x applied to 2029E EPS [10][15] Risks and Considerations - **Downside Risks**: Include slower-than-expected capacity expansion, intense competition, and potential supply chain issues [16] - **Market Volatility**: The company's relatively short trading history and the volatile nature of the SiC substrate market may affect valuation [16] Conclusion - Despite a challenging 3Q25 performance, SICC is positioned for long-term growth driven by product upgrades and market expansion in the EV and AI sectors. The current valuation presents a potential investment opportunity, albeit with associated risks from market competition and operational challenges.

Zuckerberg says people without AI glasses will be at a disadvantage in the future | TechCrunch https://t.co/ykDbhERyTq ...

Investment Rating - The report assigns an "In-Line" rating for the Greater China Semiconductors industry, indicating expected performance in line with the broader market benchmark [6]. Core Insights - The report highlights a positive outlook for AI glasses, driven by successful product launches such as Ray-Ban Meta and the new Oakley Meta HSTN and Xiaomi AI glasses, which are expected to increase demand for semiconductors [2][3]. - Key beneficiaries in the semiconductor sector include OmniVision, Himax, MediaTek, and Universal Scientific Industries, which are positioned to gain from the growing AI glasses market [2][23]. Summary by Sections AI Glasses Market Developments - The report notes that the features of AI glasses, particularly AI LLM interaction, are likely to contribute to their success [2]. - The Oakley Meta HSTN is designed for sports use and features Qualcomm's AR1 SoC, a 12MP camera, and an improved battery life of eight hours compared to four hours for Ray-Ban Meta [3][13]. - Xiaomi's AI glasses, priced from Rmb1,999 (~US$277), utilize a dual-chip design for enhanced performance and have a battery life of 8.6 hours, supporting 2K video recording [4][12]. Semiconductor Supply Chain - Qualcomm remains a leader in the AI glasses market, with SoCs accounting for approximately 40% of the bill of materials (BoM), which could lead to more affordable AI glasses [5][20]. - The report anticipates an 80% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the SoC total addressable market (TAM) for AI glasses from 2024 to 2028 [33]. - The total addressable market for camera image sensors (CIS) in AI glasses is projected to grow to US$273 million by 2028 [27]. Stock Implications - The report maintains an "Overweight" rating on MediaTek due to its advanced designs for headset SoCs, while OmniVision and Himax are also expected to benefit from the AI glasses trend [23]. - System-in-package technology is anticipated to enhance semiconductor component density in smart glasses, potentially benefiting Universal Scientific Industries [23].