Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference focused on the rapid development of China's AI and semiconductor localization efforts, particularly highlighted at the World AI Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai [1][5] - There is a strong demand for AI inference in China, with consumer-facing applications evolving beyond traditional chatbots [2] Core Company Insights - **Huawei**: - Unveiled the CloudMatrix 384 (CM384) server rack prototype, which is designed for AI large language model (LLM) training and competes with NVIDIA's offerings [3] - The CM384 integrates 384 Ascend 910C AI accelerators, delivering 215-307 PFLOPS of FP16 performance, surpassing NVIDIA's NVL72 [8][11] - Future plans include the next-generation CM384 A5, powered by Ascend 910D processors [8] - **Other Domestic AI Processors**: - Companies like MetaX, Moore Threads, and Alibaba T-Head are also making strides in AI processor development [4] - MetaX launched the C600 accelerator, fabricated using SMIC's 7nm process, supporting FP8 precision [8] - Moore Threads' AI processor enables LLM training at FP8 precision [8] Market Dynamics - The demand for AI inference is expected to grow, especially after the lifting of compute capacity restrictions [2] - Despite local advancements, Chinese AI developers still prefer NVIDIA's GPUs for training due to better software support [10] Semiconductor Equipment Trends - China's semiconductor equipment import value was $3.0 billion in June 2025, reflecting a 14% year-over-year increase [24] - The self-sufficiency ratio of China's semiconductor industry is projected to rise from 24% in 2024 to 30% by 2027, driven by advancements in local production capabilities [42][44] Stock Implications - Morgan Stanley maintains an Equal-weight rating on SMIC, noting that the launch of CM384 could enhance demand for SMIC's advanced nodes [10] - The performance of key Chinese semiconductor stocks has been strong, with SMIC and Hua Hong Semiconductor both seeing significant gains [29] Additional Insights - The CM384's architecture allows for pooled memory capacity, addressing constraints in LLM training [8] - The networking capabilities of CM384, while impressive, still lag behind NVIDIA's NVL72 in terms of speed [11] - The overall sentiment in the semiconductor market is positive, with expectations of stronger spending in the second half of the year [24] Conclusion - The conference highlighted significant advancements in China's AI and semiconductor sectors, with key players like Huawei leading the charge. The demand for AI inference is robust, and while local companies are making progress, they still face challenges in competing with established players like NVIDIA. The outlook for the semiconductor industry remains optimistic, with increasing self-sufficiency and investment opportunities.

Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Overweight" (OW) rating on Naura, AMEC, and ACMR, with revised target prices reflecting positive outlooks for these companies [6][37][55]. Core Insights - The outlook for China's wafer fab equipment (WFE) market remains strong, driven by better-than-expected demand from logic foundries and ongoing localization efforts [1][2]. - The total addressable market (TAM) forecast for China WFE has been raised from $36.6 billion (down 12% year-over-year) to $40.3 billion (down 3% year-over-year) for 2025, and from $35.1 billion (down 4% year-over-year) to $36.2 billion (down 10% year-over-year) for 2026 [3][9]. - China is expected to continue gaining market share in WFE, with approximately 25% of foundry capital expenditures allocated to domestic WFE in 2025, up from 20% in 2024 [4]. Market Demand and Supply Dynamics - Strong demand for logic foundries in China is anticipated in the second half of 2025, with expectations of increased spending related to AI applications [2][9]. - Despite concerns regarding oversupply in mature nodes, the report suggests that government initiatives may prioritize localization over economic rationale in the second half of 2025 [5]. - The report indicates that imports of semiconductor equipment into China may recover starting in July 2025, following a decline in early 2025 [21]. Company-Specific Developments - Naura has expanded its product portfolio, launching new ion implant equipment, and is expected to benefit from the increasing localization of semiconductor manufacturing in China [4][37]. - The report highlights that leading Chinese WFE players are likely to capture larger shares of the market due to their expanding product pipelines and advanced R&D capabilities [6][37]. - Naura's revenue growth is projected to be supported by increased capital expenditures from logic foundry and memory customers in 2025 [37][51]. Financial Projections - The report revises Naura's earnings estimates upward for 2025-2027, reflecting strong demand and market share gains [51][52]. - Naura's net sales are projected to increase from Rmb 41.88 billion in 2025 to Rmb 61.42 billion by 2027, with corresponding net income growth [63][66].

Core Insights - Arm Holdings (ARM) faces increasing risks of slower growth in China due to the country's shift towards RISC-V architecture, which contributed 19% of ARM's total sales in fiscal 2025, with revenues from China rising only 7.5% year over year [1][7] Group 1: Market Dynamics - China's ambition to localize its semiconductor ecosystem is driving the promotion of RISC-V as an alternative to Arm's proprietary models, offering cost advantages and design flexibility [2] - Major Chinese tech firms, including Alibaba Cloud, Huawei, Tencent, and ZTE, are backing RISC-V, which raises competitive pressure on ARM's presence in China [3][7] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - NVIDIA and AMD are closely monitoring China's shift to RISC-V, as it poses a threat to their market positions in AI hardware and server chips [4][5] - AMD's EPYC server chips directly compete with China's new Lingyu RISC-V server chip, indicating potential market share erosion for AMD if RISC-V adoption accelerates [5] Group 3: Financial Performance - ARM's stock has gained 18% year to date, outperforming the industry's 5% rally, but it trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 31.5, significantly higher than the industry's 8.1 [6][8] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ARM's earnings has been declining over the past 60 days, reflecting potential challenges ahead [10]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a positive outlook on selected Chinese semiconductor companies, particularly those focused on consumer electronics and mature semiconductor localization [1][4]. Core Insights - The US and China have announced a 90-day pause on tariffs, reducing US tariffs on Chinese imports from 145% to 30% and Chinese tariffs on US imports from 125% to 10%, which is viewed as a slight positive for the Chinese semiconductor sector [1][2]. - The tariff reprieve is expected to reduce demand uncertainties for consumer electronics in the second half of 2025, benefiting companies like Silan and CR Micro [1][3]. - China's commitment to suspend rare-earth export controls may negatively impact investor sentiment towards RF front-end vendors such as Maxscend, which were previously seen as beneficiaries due to their access to rare earth materials [3][4]. - The report emphasizes that China's mature semiconductor localization efforts will continue, with companies like SG Micro and Will Semi positioned to benefit from this trend amid supply uncertainties [4][5]. Summary by Sections - **Tariff Impact**: The 90-day tariff pause is expected to lower tariffs significantly, which could positively influence demand for consumer electronics and related semiconductor manufacturers [1][2]. - **Company Performance**: Companies with higher exposure to consumer electronics, such as Silan and CR Micro, are likely to benefit from the tariff changes, while RF front-end vendors may face challenges due to changes in rare-earth material export controls [3][4]. - **Localization Trends**: The report highlights the ongoing trend of semiconductor localization in China, with a focus on mature semiconductor technologies, indicating a robust market for companies like SG Micro and Will Semi [4][5]. - **Future Monitoring**: Upcoming events to watch include the US Section 232 investigation and potential new AI export restrictions, which could impact the semiconductor industry [5].

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for several companies including Xiaomi, Cowell, DSBJ, AAC, Lens Tech, Will Semi, SG Micro, and Chroma ATE, indicating a positive outlook on their growth potential and market positioning [13][14][16]. Core Insights - The semiconductor and hardware sectors in China are experiencing a mixed performance, with some companies benefiting from AI-related demand and localization efforts, while others face challenges due to geopolitical risks and inventory management [1][2][3]. - The report highlights a recovery in consumer electronics driven by China subsidies and AI deployment, with smartphone shipments growing by 1.5% YoY and PC shipments up by 4.9% YoY in 1Q25 [6][7]. - Inventory levels for downstream hardware are generally healthy, with certain segments like CCL, TV, and Networking & Server showing higher than average days inventory outstanding (DIO), while others like LED and Optical Fiber are at lower levels [3][6]. Summary by Sections 4Q24/1Q25 Results Wrap - Among 37 tech hardware and semiconductor stocks, 19% of results beat expectations in 4Q24, while 20% did so in 1Q25, with notable performance from U.S.-exposed AI names and China subsidy-driven companies [2][17]. - The report downgraded BYDE to Neutral due to fair valuation concerns and priced-in growth expectations for 2025 [2]. Inventory Tracker - The inventory tracker indicates that DIO for downstream hardware segments like LED and Optical Fiber is below the 5-year average, while segments like CCL and TV are above average [3]. - Upstream semiconductor DIO shows a decline in several categories, with Processor DIO reaching a 3-year high, indicating a shift in demand dynamics [3]. Sector Views and Top Picks - DSBJ is expected to achieve a 30% earnings CAGR from 2023-2026, driven by content value increases and market share gains [13]. - Xiaomi is highlighted for its long-term growth potential in EVs and smartphones, with a target price of HK$73.5 based on a sum-of-the-parts valuation [14]. - Cowell is noted for its strong earnings visibility and expected share gains in the iPhone supply chain, with a target price of HK$27.0 [14]. - Lens Tech is anticipated to benefit from iPhone upgrades and new product rollouts, with a target price of Rmb25.0 [14]. Semiconductor Sector Insights - Chinese semiconductor makers are seeing improved inventory balances, with strong demand growth in domestic AI infrastructure and computing applications [16]. - Will Semi and SG Micro are positioned to benefit from localization trends and increasing demand for automotive components [16]. - Chroma ATE is expected to capture significant market share in AI-related orders, with a positive long-term outlook despite short-term market concerns [16].

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for AccoTest and a "Hold" rating for SG Micro and Maxscend [4][8][56]. Core Insights - The latest import tariff regulations on US semiconductors are expected to create a supply shortage, price hikes, and import substitution, particularly benefiting domestic analog and RF markets [8][10]. - The localization trend in the semiconductor industry is anticipated to accelerate due to China-US tensions, enhancing the bargaining power of domestic companies [11][22]. - The report highlights that analog (over 20%) and RF (approximately 50%) segments will benefit significantly from higher tariffs on US suppliers, while memory and advanced logic categories are less affected [3][10]. Summary by Sections Company Ratings and Estimates - AccoTest is projected to have a target price of RMB 182.50, reflecting an 18% upside from its current price [5][56]. - SG Micro's target price is adjusted to RMB 100.60, indicating a 10% downside from its current price, maintaining a Hold rating due to tariff tensions [4][34]. - Maxscend's target price is revised to RMB 79.70, also maintaining a Hold rating, with a 4% downside from the current price [41][45]. Market Dynamics - The report indicates that the localization ratio for analog ICs was 24% in 2024, with expectations for further increases due to tariff impacts [11][22]. - Domestic suppliers are expected to gain market share in the RF segment, particularly in mid- to high-tier smartphone models, as tariffs incentivize localization [15][16]. - The report notes that while discrete and power semiconductors have achieved high localization rates, further upside in these areas is limited compared to analog and RF segments [22][24]. Financial Projections - SG Micro's revenue estimates for 2025 are increased by 2% to RMB 4,101 million, with net profit estimates raised by 7% to RMB 706 million [30][31]. - Maxscend's revenue estimates for 2025 are lowered by 2% to RMB 5,340 million, with net profit estimates reduced by 18% to RMB 551 million [41][44]. - AccoTest's revenue is projected to reach RMB 1,186 million in 2025, with a net profit of RMB 471 million [57].