J P M O R G A N Asia Pacific Equity Research 30 January 2026 Electronic Components Sector Component Data Deposition: Storage production trends in December 2025; solid expansion in capacity for data centers We analyze December HDD and SSD shipment data from Techno System Research (TSR). HDD production volume continues to rise gradually MoM. In December 2025, nearline HDD production capacity for data centers was flat MoM but maintained strong YoY growth. Enterprise SSD production capacity continued to increas ...

While volumes for DC-use NL HDDs and enterprise SSDs continue to grow, non-NL HDDs and non-enterprise SSDs remain weak. Key Takeaways Volumes for DC-use NL HDDs and enterprise SSDs continue to grow, but non-NL HDDs and non-enterprise HDDs remain weak: Techno Systems Research (TSR) forecasts total HDD shipment capacity to continue to grow from 1,649EB in 2025 (+31.2% YoY) to 1,869EB in 2026 (+13.3%) and total SSD capacity from 498.1EB in 2025 (+ 38.1%) to 548.8EB in 2026 (+10.2%). Although precise forecasts ...

Core Insights - The infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a significant investment theme, particularly in data storage, as it is essential for efficient data management and access [1] - Companies like Sandisk and Western Digital have performed well, driven by increased demand for high-capacity storage solutions, while investors are now looking towards companies that provide the foundational technologies for AI [2] Company Focus: Pure Storage - Pure Storage is positioned as a key player in the modern data center landscape, offering software-driven, all-flash storage solutions that enhance speed, scalability, and cloud flexibility [4] - The company’s core products, FlashArray and FlashBlade, utilize the Purity operating environment and are complemented by cloud-based management tools, indicating a comprehensive approach to data storage [5] - Analysts predict a double-digit upside potential for Pure Storage's stock, suggesting it could be a significant player in the evolving data center storage market as it heads into 2026 [3] Stock Performance - Pure Storage's stock experienced a notable increase of 10.4% in 2025, reaching a peak of $100.59 in November, but has since corrected, dropping approximately 50% from its highs [6] - Despite the recent decline, the stock has shown resilience, with a 16.38% increase over the past six months, indicating a potentially strong recovery trajectory [6]

Summary of U.S. Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Outlook Industry Overview - **Industry**: U.S. Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) - **Forecast**: U.S. BESS deployments expected to grow from 54 GWh in 2025 to 88 GWh in 2030, representing a 10% CAGR [1][9][14] Key Insights Growth Drivers - **Utility-Scale Visibility**: Strong project pipeline with 19 GW of planned inventory for 2025 and 32 GW through Q3 2027, with over 80% of next four quarters' additions already under construction [1][14][20] - **Interconnection Queue**: 356 GW of BESS interconnection requests expected to support growth from 2028 to 2030, even after applying a 70-80% reduction for historical operational rates [1][35] Data Center Demand - **Emerging Demand**: Data centers are increasingly integrating BESS for load flexibility and diesel replacement, with Wood Mackenzie tracking 34 GW across 12 U.S. sites, representing a potential one-third of the utility-scale forecast for 2026-30 [2][10][46][49] Supply Chain Dynamics - **Bifurcation Risks**: FEOC restrictions starting in 2026 complicate supply chains linked to China, with Korean suppliers emerging as credible alternatives. LG Energy Solution (LGES) is scaling up ESS capacity significantly [3][62][76] - **Tariff Impacts**: Tariffs on Chinese cells have fluctuated, impacting project economics, but the threat of re-escalation remains a concern [62][63] Economic Competitiveness - **Cost Analysis**: Utility-scale solar LCOE averages $50/MWh, and adding 4-hour storage raises it to ~$101/MWh, competitive with gas turbine costs [4][62] - **Domestic Content Incentives**: The 45X manufacturing tax credit and domestic content requirements are critical for maintaining project economics, with increasing thresholds from 2026 onward [79][81] Alternative Chemistries - **Emerging Technologies**: While LFP remains dominant, alternative chemistries like zinc-hybrid and sodium-ion are gaining traction for specific applications, particularly where duration and compliance with FEOC rules are critical [5][87][88] Additional Considerations - **Residential Market**: A forecasted decline in residential storage in 2026 due to the phaseout of the 25D residential solar tax credit, followed by a recovery driven by higher attachment rates [55][56] - **C&I Market**: The commercial and industrial (C&I) storage market is expected to grow at a 17% CAGR, albeit from a small base, with California being the primary market [61] Conclusion The U.S. BESS market is poised for significant growth driven by utility-scale projects, data center demand, and evolving supply chains. However, challenges such as regulatory changes, tariff impacts, and competition from alternative technologies will shape the landscape moving forward.

Summary of the Conference Call on HDD & SSD Shipment Volumes Industry Overview - The conference focused on the electronic components industry in Japan, specifically the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and SSD (Solid State Drive) markets for data centers (DCs) [1][2] Key Points Shipment Volumes - Shipment volumes of NL HDDs and Enterprise SSDs for data centers have shown a recovery after bottoming out in Q3 2023, with NL HDDs at 8.95 million units and Enterprise SSDs at 9.0 million units [3] - Projections indicate a rise to 16.53 million units for NL HDDs and 14.2 million for Enterprise SSDs in Q4 2024, followed by a slight decline in Q1 2025 [3] - For 2025, NL HDD shipments are expected to reach 66.58 million units (+13.7% YoY) and Enterprise SSDs to 54.20 million units (+8.4% YoY) [4] Production and Capacity - The total shipment volume for NL HDDs is projected at 1,349 Exabytes (EB) in 2025 (+28.9% YoY) and 195 EB for Enterprise SSDs (+17.8% YoY) [4] - The average capacity per NL HDD is expected to increase by 15.6% to 20.70TB in 2025, driven by advancements in recording density technologies [4] Market Dynamics - The GB cost for Enterprise SSDs is projected to be 7.9 times higher than NL HDDs in 2025, indicating a continued segmentation in usage based on cost and access speeds [12] - WDC (Western Digital Corporation) is expected to gain market share in NL HDDs, with projections of 46.3% market share in 2025, up from 39.2% in 2023 [13] Bottlenecks and Challenges - The bottleneck in increasing NL HDD output is attributed to testing capacity limitations and shortages in media and head supplies [14] - The transition to higher capacity HDDs (24-26TB) is pushing the limits of existing testing tools, complicating production ramp-up [14] SSD Shipments by Application - SSD shipments for various applications are showing growth, with Enterprise SSDs expected to grow by 11.3% YoY and PC SSDs by 8.1% YoY [15] - The total SSD shipment volume is projected to reach 32.61 million units, reflecting a 10.2% YoY increase [15] Additional Insights - The production volume of HDD heads has not kept pace with the demand, with a significant drop from the peak in 2021 [14] - The market is expected to see a mild growth in average unit prices for NL HDDs due to balanced supply and demand conditions [14] This summary encapsulates the key insights from the conference call regarding the HDD and SSD markets, highlighting trends in shipment volumes, production capacity, market dynamics, and challenges faced by the industry.