On February 12, 2026, Wasatch Advisors LP disclosed in an SEC filing that it reduced its position in Nova Ltd. (NASDAQ:NVMI) by 603,907 shares in the fourth quarter, an estimated $194.15 million trade based on quarterly average pricing. What happened According to a recent SEC filing, Wasatch Advisors sold 603,907 shares of Nova in the fourth quarter of 2025. The estimated transaction value was $194.15 million, based on the average closing price for the period. The quarter-end value of the NVMI position f ...

Company Overview - Tower Semiconductor is a leading independent semiconductor foundry focusing on analog and mixed-signal technologies, leveraging advanced process capabilities to meet specialized customer needs in high-growth markets [6] - The company generates revenue through wafer fabrication services and customizable process technologies, serving a diversified global customer base across various sectors including consumer electronics, automotive, and medical devices [9] Financial Performance - As of January 27, Tower Semiconductor's stock price was $132.62, with a market capitalization of $15.20 billion [4] - The company reported a trailing twelve months (TTM) revenue of $1.51 billion and a net income of $195.48 million [4] - In the third quarter, revenue rose to $396 million, a 6% sequential increase, with operating profit at $50.6 million and net profit reaching $54 million, or $0.48 per share [10] - Management has guided fourth-quarter revenue to approximately $440 million, indicating an 11% quarter-over-quarter increase [10] Investment Insights - Rockingstone Advisors established a new position in Tower Semiconductor, acquiring 45,100 shares valued at $5.30 million, representing 2.41% of its $219.49 million in reportable assets under management (AUM) [2][3] - Tower Semiconductor's shares have increased by 191.5% over the past year, significantly outperforming the S&P 500 by 175.40 percentage points [3] - The company's focus on analog, RF, and power management sectors suggests a business model with longer product life cycles and stronger customer relationships, making it a targeted investment rather than a momentum chase [11]

Core Viewpoint - Micron Technology is making a significant investment of $24 billion to establish a new memory chip manufacturing facility in Singapore to address the global shortage of memory chips [1] Company Summary - The investment plan by Micron Technology aims to enhance production capacity in response to the acute global shortage of memory chips [1] Industry Summary - The announcement reflects the ongoing challenges in the memory chip industry, highlighting the urgent need for increased output to meet global demand [1]

Taiwan Semiconductor and Intel are two of the biggest names in semiconductors, but if you can only buy one of them this year, Taiwan Semiconductor is looking much more attractive than Intel.The semiconductor chip industry is, perhaps more than any other, a business sector on which the modern world is built. Whatever device you happen to be reading this on, it would not be possible without the semiconductor.For a long time, Intel (INTC 2.81%) was the undisputed world leader in semiconductor production, but t ...

On Thursday, the Donald Trump administration struck a trade agreement with Taiwan aimed at pulling hundreds of billions of dollars in semiconductor investment onto U.S. soil while easing tariff pressure on key Taiwanese exports. US–Taiwan Deal Targets Domestic Chip Manufacturing The Department of Commerce said Taiwanese chip and technology companies will invest at least $250 billion to expand semiconductor production capacity in the U.S. The Taiwanese government will provide $250 billion in credit guaran ...

Core Viewpoint - The semiconductor sector is experiencing significant gains, with the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) up over 48% for the year 2025 [1] Group 1 - The performance of the semiconductor market is strong, indicating a positive trend for investors who have remained invested [1]

Core Insights - Wolfspeed, previously known as Cree, transitioned from LED manufacturing to focus on gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductors, aiming to capitalize on the electric vehicle market [2][3] - The company has faced significant challenges, including high cash burn and failure to meet growth expectations in the electric vehicle chip sector, leading to a substantial decline in stock value [3][4] - An investment of $10,000 in Wolfspeed stock made at the end of November 2022 would have decreased to approximately $2,071, reflecting a loss of 77.3% over three years, while the S&P 500 gained 73.4% during the same period [7] Company Performance - Wolfspeed's market capitalization is currently $481 million, with a current stock price of $18.56, down 6.55% on the day [4] - The stock has experienced a significant decline from its 52-week high of $36.60, with a gross margin reported at -1941.56% [4] - The company entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June 2025, completing financial restructuring three months later, which contributed to the stock's decline [7] Industry Context - The electric vehicle market, which Wolfspeed aimed to serve, has seen a slowdown, impacting the demand for GaN and SiC chips [9] - Increased competition in the semiconductor space, with more manufacturers entering the GaN and SiC markets, poses additional challenges for Wolfspeed [9]

Company Overview - Axcelis Technologies specializes in designing and manufacturing ion implantation equipment and related processing tools used in semiconductor chip fabrication, offering a product suite that includes high energy, high current, and medium current implanters, as well as aftermarket lifecycle services [5][6] - The company generates revenue primarily through direct equipment sales and ongoing aftermarket services, including spare parts, upgrades, maintenance, and training [5] Recent Developments - On October 28, 2025, REINHART PARTNERS, LLC disclosed a purchase of 91,788 shares of Axcelis Technologies, valued at approximately $7.39 million, increasing its stake to 1,610,332 shares worth $157.23 million [1][2] - This acquisition raised Axcelis Technologies' stake to 5.1% of the fund's reportable assets under management (AUM), making it the fund's largest holding [2][3] Financial Performance - As of October 27, 2025, Axcelis Technologies had a market capitalization of $2.58 billion, with a trailing twelve months (TTM) revenue of $896.09 million and a TTM net income of $158.49 million [4] Market Position and Competitive Edge - Axcelis Technologies focuses exclusively on ion implantation tools, a critical step in chip production that influences semiconductor performance, giving it a competitive edge over broader equipment peers [8][9] - The company is well-positioned to benefit from the increasing demand for power semiconductors used in electric vehicles, charging networks, and industrial equipment, supported by its broad installed base and steady service offerings [10]

Core Viewpoint - FormFactor (NASDAQ: FORM) has seen significant stock appreciation, with its market cap increasing by approximately one-third over the past six weeks, indicating strong performance in the semiconductor testing and measuring solutions sector [1]. Company Summary - FormFactor is a supplier of test and measuring solutions specifically for the semiconductor industry, highlighting its niche focus within a growing market [1].

Group 1 - Intel has secured significant investments totaling $15.9 billion from SoftBank, the U.S. government, and Nvidia, which is expected to boost its operations and partnerships in chip design [1][2][3] - Despite the influx of capital and partnerships, Intel's stock valuation is less attractive compared to its competitors, particularly TSMC, which is seen as a better investment [2][9] - Nvidia's partnership with Intel for chip design does not include manufacturing, which will continue to be handled by TSMC, highlighting a potential weakness in Intel's operational strategy [3][5] Group 2 - TSMC is investing over $7 billion annually in R&D and plans to spend close to $40 billion in capital expenditures by 2025, ensuring it maintains a technological edge over Intel [7][8] - Intel's foundry business is currently struggling, reporting a $3.2 billion loss in operating income last quarter, which has contributed to its overall profit decline [10] - Analysts project Intel's earnings to improve to $1.20 per share by 2027, but this still places its stock at a higher valuation multiple compared to TSMC's expected earnings [10][11]