Core Viewpoint - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) is the world's largest contract manufacturer of chips and is expected to report strong earnings for Q4 2025, with significant growth in both EPS and revenue compared to the previous year [1][2]. Financial Performance - TSMC is set to report Q4 2025 earnings on January 15, with analysts expecting an EPS of $2.73, up from $2.24 in the prior-year period [2]. - Quarterly revenue is anticipated to reach $32.60 billion, an increase from $26.88 billion a year earlier [2]. - For Q3 2025, TSMC reported an EPS of $2.92, exceeding the consensus estimate of $2.59, and revenues of $33.09 billion, surpassing the consensus of $31.50 billion [6]. Historical Investment Performance - If an investor had purchased TSMC stock 10 years ago at approximately $22.35 per share, a $10,000 investment would have grown to $126,264 based on stock price appreciation alone [3]. - Over the same period, TSMC paid about $19.79 in dividends per share, resulting in an additional $8,855 from dividends, bringing the total investment value to $135,119, equating to a total return of 1,251.19% [4]. Analyst Ratings and Price Target - TSMC has a consensus rating of "Positive" with a price target of $328.75, indicating a potential upside of over 16% from the current stock price [5]. Future Outlook - For Q4 2025, TSMC expects revenue to be between $32.2 billion and $33.4 billion, indicating continued strong demand for its leading-edge process technologies [7].

Summary of SMIC Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) - **Ticker**: 0981.HK - **Industry**: Semiconductor Foundry Key Points Demand and Market Outlook - **Near-term Demand**: No material change expected in near-term demand, with full loadings anticipated in a seasonally slower 4Q25E due to supply chain localization and domestic customer share gains [1][2] - **Memory Prices**: Memory prices are a critical factor influencing the end-demand outlook for 2026E, with management expressing concerns about memory shortages impacting handset and consumer electronics production [1][2] - **Customer Planning**: Customers are cautious in their 2026 business planning due to uncertainties regarding adequate memory supply [1][2] Financial Performance and Projections - **Revenue Forecasts**: Revenue projections for FY25F, FY26F, and FY27F are largely unchanged, with slight adjustments made to gross margin (GM) and operating profit margin (OPM) reflecting efficiency gains [1][3] - **Earnings Per Share (EPS)**: Revised EPS for 2026F and 2027F increased by 20% and 29% respectively, reflecting the anticipated 100% net profit consolidation of SMNC starting from 2Q26F [1][3] - **Target Price (TP)**: The target price has been raised to HKD75.0, based on a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 3.5x for 2026F [1][4] Financial Metrics - **Revenue Growth**: Projected revenue growth rates are 15.2% for FY25F, 18.1% for FY26F, and 12.0% for FY27F [3][9] - **Profitability Ratios**: - Gross margin expected to improve to 21.1% in FY25F and 21.7% in FY26F [3][16] - Operating margin projected at 10.9% for FY25F and 9.4% for FY26F [3][16] - **Net Profit**: Expected net profit for FY25F is USD590 million, increasing to USD734 million in FY26F [3][9] Capital Expenditure and Capacity - **Capex Plans**: SMIC plans to maintain a capex budget of USD7.5 billion for 2025E, similar to 2024 levels, with capacity additions expected to be uneven quarter to quarter [2][3] - **Supply and Competition**: SMIC will add more supply into 2026E, driven by domestic semiconductor localization demand, but will not engage in aggressive pricing unless necessary [2][3] Risks and Challenges - **Upside Risks**: Include better-than-expected end-demand, slower-than-expected technology migration by competitors, successful mergers and acquisitions, and increased policy support from the Chinese government [12][24] - **Downside Risks**: Include weak end-demand and intensifying geopolitical issues [24] Additional Insights - **Market Capitalization**: As of November 14, 2025, SMIC's market cap is approximately USD56.76 billion [4][8] - **Stock Performance**: The stock has shown significant growth over the past year, with a 12-month absolute return of 176.8% [8] This summary encapsulates the key insights from the SMIC conference call, highlighting the company's outlook, financial performance, and market dynamics.

Core Viewpoint - Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) is projected to achieve record full-year revenue exceeding US$9 billion due to tight foundry capacity and supply-chain localization efforts [1][2]. Financial Performance - SMIC reported third-quarter revenue of US$2.38 billion, with a gross margin of 22%, reflecting a strong performance driven by clients shifting to local supply chains amid geopolitical tensions [3]. - Quarterly revenue increased by 7.8% quarter on quarter, surpassing the management's forecast of 5 to 7%, while gross margin also exceeded guidance [4]. - Gross profit for the quarter rose 17.7% year on year to US$522.8 million, and profits attributed to SMIC increased 28.9% year on year to US$191.75 million [6]. Capacity and Utilization - SMIC's monthly capacity expanded to 1,022,750 standard 8-inch-equivalent wafers in the third quarter, up from 991,250 in the previous quarter, with capacity utilization rising to 95.8%, an increase of 3.3 percentage points from the prior quarter [4]. Market Position and Demand - As the only fab in mainland China capable of processing 7-nanometre-grade chips, SMIC plays a crucial role in China's strategy to overcome US technology restrictions, benefiting from increased demand for advanced chip foundry services from local fabless chip developers [5]. - Co-CEO Zhao Haijun noted that the ongoing supply squeeze and the localization rush by Chinese chip designers have eliminated the typical seasonal lull, keeping SMIC's factories operating at near full capacity [2].

Economic Overview - The U.S. inflation rate has reached 3% in September, the highest level since January, with consumer prices rising by 0.3% in that month, up from an annual rate of 2.9% [1][9]. Investment Opportunities - Amid rising inflation, dividend growth stocks present a favorable investment option as their increasing payouts can help maintain purchasing power [2][9]. - Companies with a strong history of dividend growth tend to have robust financial health, providing a defensive hedge against economic uncertainty [4][5]. Selected Dividend Growth Stocks - Five dividend growth stocks identified as solid investment choices include: - **Vertiv (VRT)**: Expected revenue growth of 27.5% for 2025, long-term earnings growth rate of 30%, and an annual dividend yield of 0.08% [10][11]. - **Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM)**: Projected revenue growth of 33.8% for 2025, long-term earnings growth rate of 29.2%, and an annual dividend yield of 0.88% [11]. - **Oracle (ORCL)**: Anticipated revenue growth of 16.5% for fiscal 2026, long-term earnings growth rate of 17.2%, and an annual dividend yield of 0.71% [12]. - **Lam Research (LRCX)**: Expected revenue growth of 11.9% for fiscal 2026, long-term earnings growth rate of 19.6%, and an annual dividend yield of 0.69% [13]. - **Elbit Systems (ESLT)**: Projected revenue growth of 16.4% for 2025, long-term earnings growth rate of 23.3%, and an annual dividend yield of 0.51% [14]. Investment Criteria - Stocks selected for their strong fundamentals include criteria such as: - Positive 5-Year Historical Dividend Growth, Sales Growth, and EPS Growth [6][7]. - Price/Cash Flow ratio less than the industry average, indicating undervaluation [8]. - 52-Week Price Change greater than the S&P 500, ensuring better performance over the past year [8].

Core Viewpoint - United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC) has launched its 55nm Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) platform, which enhances performance and power efficiency for various applications including mobile devices, consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial sectors [1] Group 1: Product Launch - The new 55nm BCD platform is designed to meet the increasing complexity of power management in electronic devices [1] - This platform aims to deliver smaller and more efficient solutions for next-generation applications [1]

Summary of Hua Hong Semiconductor Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Hua Hong Semiconductor - **Sector**: Semiconductors - **Focus**: Pure foundry primarily engaged in 200mm and 300mm wafer processing, specializing in semiconductors for specialty applications such as embedded non-volatile memory (eNVM) and power discrete [12][13] Key Points and Arguments Downgrade and Price Objective - **Rating Change**: Downgraded from Buy to Underperform due to cautious outlook on wafer ASP and margin recovery in 2026 [1][3] - **New Price Objective**: HK$59, based on a 2x P/B (2026E), reflecting a more conservative valuation compared to the previous HK$44.5 [3][44] Inventory and Demand Dynamics - **Inventory Pressure**: Rising inventory levels among China's semiconductor chipmakers are expected to limit ASP increases in 2026, with a revised assumption of 5% ASP growth (down from 10%) [2][16] - **Demand Growth**: Chip shipment growth in China has slowed significantly, with 0%/11%/6% YoY growth in June/July/August 2025, compared to 16-40% YoY in the previous periods [2][15] Financial Forecasts - **Profitability Outlook**: Estimated operating profit margin (OPM) of 4% in 2026, improving from -4% in 2025 but below the 10-year average of 10% [2][31] - **Net Income Projections**: Adjusted net income forecast for 2026 is US$216 million, with a gradual recovery expected in subsequent years [4][42] Capacity Expansion and Acquisitions - **Acquisition of Huali Micro**: Plans to acquire Huali Micro (Fab5) announced, but details are pending. This acquisition is expected to enhance long-term competitiveness by increasing revenue and capacity [1][3] - **Capacity Growth**: Completion of Fab9 in 2026 could increase total 12" wafer capacity by 38%, with total wafer shipment expected to grow by 26% in 2026 [31][37] Market Position and Valuation - **Market Share Risks**: Aggressive capacity expansion by competitors like SMIC poses downside risks to Hua Hong's market share and profitability [3][13] - **Valuation Comparison**: Hua Hong's current P/B of 2.6x (2026E) is higher than the average of 3.2x for China foundry/OSATs, indicating a rich valuation [60] Cash Flow and Capital Expenditure - **Free Cash Flow**: Negative free cash flow expected due to high capital expenditures for Fab9 construction, projected at US$2-3 billion per year [45][46] - **Operating Cash Flow**: Operating cash inflow is expected to remain below US$1.5 billion, leading to negative free cash flow in the near term [45][46] Additional Important Insights - **Sales Mix**: Sales exposure to overseas markets has decreased from over 40% in 2017-2019 to less than 20% by 2024, indicating a shift towards domestic markets [42] - **ASP and Margin Trends**: Wafer ASP stabilization is anticipated in 1H25, but overall margins are expected to remain below 20% by the end of 2026 due to inventory pressures [39][40] This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the conference call regarding Hua Hong Semiconductor's current position, challenges, and future outlook in the semiconductor industry.

Summary of TSMC Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) - **Industry**: Semiconductor Foundry - **Market Cap**: NT$38,512 billion / US$1,257 billion [7] Key Points Financial Performance and Guidance - TSMC raised full-year sales growth guidance to mid-30% and capex to US$40-42 billion for 2026 [2][3] - Q4 sales guidance indicates a 1% QoQ decline, aligning with expectations of flat QoQ [2] - Q3 gross margin (GM) was reported at 59.5%, exceeding expectations of 57.5%, attributed to cost reductions and improved utilization [2] - Q4 GM is expected to remain resilient at 60.0% [2] - 2025E EPS was raised by 5% to NT$64.39, and 2026-27E EPS increased by 8-10% due to a stronger outlook for Cloud AI and non-AI segments [5][8] Capital Expenditure and Growth Drivers - Capex for 2025E is projected to reach US$42 billion, with 2026/27E capex raised to US$46 billion/50 billion [3] - Key growth drivers include: 1. Expansion of N3 capacity to support AI accelerator migration [3] 2. Accelerated N2 ramp for smartphones and PCs [3] 3. Faster expansion in the US, with plans for earlier mass production in Arizona [3] Gross Margin and Overseas Expansion - Management revised overseas expansion GM dilution expectations from 2-3% to 1-2% for 2025, indicating a more favorable product mix and price adjustments [4] - Forecast for 2026 GM is 58.1%, slightly below the 59.4% estimate for 2025 due to N2 dilution and overseas expansion impacts [4] Revenue and Profitability Projections - Revenue projections for 2025E, 2026E, and 2027E are NT$3,781.8 billion, NT$4,537.8 billion, and NT$5,604.6 billion respectively, reflecting YoY growth rates of 31%, 20%, and 24% [14] - Net profit for 2025E is projected at NT$1,669.5 billion, with a net margin of 44.1% [14] Revenue Mix and Technology Adoption - Revenue mix by platform for Q325 shows: - HPC: 57% - Smartphone: 30% - IoT: 5% - Auto: 5% [12][29] - Wafer revenue by technology indicates a strong focus on advanced nodes: - 3nm: 23% - 5nm: 37% [13][31] Valuation and Market Position - Price target raised to NT$1,700 from NT$1,570, maintaining a Buy rating [5][7] - TSMC's valuation metrics include a P/E ratio of 23x for 2026E, with a long-term earnings CAGR of 20% [5] Industry Outlook - The semiconductor foundry industry is expected to continue outperforming the broader semiconductor market, driven by growth in HPC-related applications, including CPUs, networking, and AI accelerators [27] Additional Insights - TSMC's overseas expansion is expected to have a manageable impact on gross margins, with a focus on maintaining competitive pricing and product mix [4] - The company is optimistic about the demand for Cloud AI, anticipating further upside in sales, margins, and capex outlook from 2026E [2][3] This summary encapsulates the key insights from TSMC's conference call, highlighting the company's robust financial performance, strategic growth initiatives, and positive industry outlook.

Group 1 - TSMC will release its Q3 2025 earnings on Oct. 16, and it is a leading producer of advanced semiconductors crucial for AI advancements, suggesting long-term stock performance potential [1] - TSMC's market share has increased to over 70% as of Q2 2025, up from 67% in the previous quarter, reinforcing its position as the world's largest semiconductor foundry [2] - The company has experienced a 40% revenue increase in the first half of 2025, reaching $56 billion, and expects Q3 revenue between $31.8 billion and $33 billion, indicating a 38% rise at the midpoint [4] Group 2 - Grand View Research projects a 32% CAGR for AI through 2033, which aligns with TSMC's growth trajectory [3] - TSMC has consistently beaten revenue estimates in the past four quarters, suggesting the potential for continued strong performance in Q3 [5] - The company is focusing on advanced chip sales in the 2nm to 5nm range, where it competes primarily with Samsung [6] Group 3 - TSMC allocated nearly $20 billion to capital expenditures in the first half of the year, with plans for $165 billion investment in advanced manufacturing facilities in Arizona to meet demand [7] - Despite a 40% revenue growth in the first half of the year, TSMC's P/E ratio stands at 33, which may not deter investors [8]

Group 1 - Gold miners are currently viewed as an offensive investment due to strong free cash yields, contrasting with their previous defensive perception [1] - There is a discussion about pharmaceuticals, specifically mentioning a shared custody situation with Pfizer, indicating potential volatility or issues with the company [2] - The mention of Global Foundries suggests a positive outlook for companies involved in foundry services, particularly in relation to Intel's foundry initiatives [2]

Core Viewpoint - The company, Jinghe Integrated Circuit Co., Ltd., has shown significant growth in revenue and net profit, indicating a strong performance in the semiconductor industry, particularly in the 12-inch wafer foundry business [2][3]. Financial Performance - As of June 30, 2025, Jinghe Integrated Circuit achieved a revenue of 5.198 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 18.21% [2]. - The net profit attributable to shareholders for the same period was 332 million yuan, reflecting a substantial increase of 77.61% year-on-year [2]. Shareholder and Market Activity - As of September 23, 2023, the company had a total financing balance of 1.030 billion yuan, which accounts for 3.61% of its market capitalization, indicating a high level of financing activity [1]. - The number of shareholders decreased by 3.90% to 62,800, while the average number of circulating shares per person increased by 4.95% to 18,907 shares [2]. Institutional Holdings - As of June 30, 2025, major institutional shareholders include: - Huaxia SSE Sci-Tech Innovation Board 50 ETF, holding 44.4063 million shares, decreased by 739,200 shares [3]. - E Fund SSE Sci-Tech Innovation Board 50 ETF, holding 33.2288 million shares, increased by 697,000 shares [3]. - Other notable shareholders include the Hong Kong Central Clearing Limited and Huaxia National Index Semiconductor Chip ETF, with significant changes in their holdings [3]. Dividend Distribution - Since its A-share listing, Jinghe Integrated Circuit has distributed a total of 194 million yuan in dividends [3].