Investment Rating - The report maintains an Overweight (O/W) rating for Taiwan, Neutral/Weight (N/W) for Korea, and moves Japan to Neutral/Weight from Underweight (U/W), while China is rated Underweight (U/W) from Neutral/Weight [4]. Core Insights - The smartphone industry unit Sell In forecasts have been raised to +3% YoY for 2025 and +1% YoY for 2026, with PC forecasts increased to +4% YoY for 2025 and +3% YoY for 2026, and server forecasts to +6% YoY for 2025 and +4% YoY for 2026 [1][9]. - AI demand remains robust, with expectations for Nvidia's GB200/300 NVL72 racks in 2025 at 28-29k and initial conservative estimates for 2026 at around 50-60k [1]. - The foundry outlook for 3nm and 2nm is strong, driven by AI accelerator projects, while DDR and NAND supply is tightening, with DDR potentially "sold out" until 2027 [2]. - Wafer Fab Equipment (WFE) spending is trending upwards, with forecasts for 2025 at US$109 billion (+12% YoY) and 2026 at US$118 billion (+8% YoY) [3]. Summary by Sections Smartphones - The smartphone market is expected to see unit Sell In of 1.26 billion in 2025 (+3% YoY) and 1.27 billion in 2026 (+1% YoY), with Apple’s iPhone 17 builds projected to increase [9][11]. - Component upgrades in the iPhone 17 series include significant camera enhancements, indicating ongoing technological advancements despite cost pressures [12]. PCs - Global PC unit shipments are forecasted to grow by +4.4% YoY in 2025 and +3.4% YoY in 2026, with commercial segments showing resilient momentum due to the Windows 10 EOL replacement cycle [16][19]. - The report highlights a modestly positive outlook for PC shipments, with consumer PCs expected to grow 0.5% YoY in 2025, while commercial PCs are forecasted to grow by +6.6% YoY [19]. Memory and Foundry - The report indicates a tightening supply for DDR and NAND, with long-term agreements being established by major customers, particularly US hyperscalers [2]. - The outlook for 3nm and 2nm foundries is robust, with expectations for multi-year growth driven by AI projects [2]. Wafer Fab Equipment - WFE spending is expected to increase, particularly from Korean memory makers, with forecasts for domestic China WFE at US$37 billion in 2025 (+3% YoY) [3].

Summary of Datacenter Market Insights – Part 1: Overall Servers Industry Overview - The report focuses on the **Datacenter Market** within the **Hardware Technology** sector in the **Asia Pacific** region, specifically analyzing server shipments and trends in 2Q25 [1][9]. Key Insights - **Total Server Shipments**: Global server shipments reached **4.2 million units** in 2Q25, reflecting a **16% year-over-year (y/y)** growth and a **7% quarter-over-quarter (q/q)** increase. The growth is primarily driven by cloud demand, with expectations for continued growth in AI server shipments throughout 2025 [2][16]. - **AI Server Demand**: AI server yields are improving, with significant increases in average selling prices (ASPs) for major Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Original Design Manufacturers (ODMs). High-value server shipments for Dell increased by **181% q/q**, while its overall server shipments declined by **4% q/q** [3][15]. - **Market Dynamics**: The demand for AI servers remains robust, particularly for GB200 racks, which saw shipments grow from **1.1k in 1Q** to approximately **4.9k in 2Q**. Expectations for 3Q shipments are projected to reach **8-9k** [5][6]. - **Regional Performance**: The **US** market outperformed others with a **32% y/y** increase in shipments, while regions like **Japan** and **Rest of the World (RoW)** saw declines of **12% y/y** and **13% y/y**, respectively [12][20]. - **Segment Performance**: High-end server shipments grew **399% y/y** in 2Q, mid-range servers increased by **85% y/y**, and entry-level servers saw a modest growth of **8% y/y**. This trend aligns with the ramp-up of AI server demand [13][14]. Vendor Performance - **ODM Direct Shipments**: ODM direct shipments increased by **46% y/y** and **3% q/q** in 2Q25, with ASPs rising to approximately **US$34.3k**, driven by AI server contributions [15][16]. - **Market Share Changes**: ODM direct market share decreased to **45.4%**, down **2 percentage points** from the previous quarter. Dell's market share fell to **8.2%**, while HP's share increased to **7.7%** [16]. Investment Preferences - The report suggests a preference for components over ODMs/OEMs, highlighting companies such as **Hon Hai**, **Wistron**, **Quanta**, and **Giga-Byte** as favorable investment opportunities [7]. Additional Considerations - **Tariff Impact**: The report notes that tariffs have influenced both enterprise and cloud demand, with expectations of a **5-10% y/y** decline in full-year enterprise demand [2][6]. - **Future Outlook**: Overall momentum for general servers is expected to slow in the second half of 2025, influenced by earlier pull-ins due to tariffs, although actual shipment momentum appears stronger than previously anticipated [6][16]. This summary encapsulates the critical insights and data from the conference call regarding the datacenter market and server shipments, providing a comprehensive overview of current trends and future expectations.

Core Insights - Super Micro Computer launched new servers and AI-optimized systems at the Supermicro INNOVATE! event in Madrid, aimed at enhancing operations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa [1] - The event highlighted Supermicro's Data Center Building Block Solutions, developed in collaboration with major tech companies like AMD, Intel, and Nvidia [2] - A modular design approach was emphasized, allowing rapid configuration for various workloads, including AI training and edge inference [3] - Supermicro is positioned to benefit from significant AI infrastructure investments, with reports of OpenAI and Nvidia planning substantial investments in UK data centers [4] - The company introduced new AI training servers and expanded its edge portfolio, featuring systems powered by Intel and Nvidia technologies [5] - Supermicro's stock has increased over 50% year-to-date, outperforming the S&P 500 index, which has seen returns of over 13% [5] - In September, Supermicro began global shipments of Nvidia's Blackwell Ultra-powered systems designed for large-scale AI workloads [6]

Group 1 - The liquid cooling server sector experienced a strong initial surge, with Seagull Co., Ltd. hitting the daily limit, Invec rising over 7%, and Shenling Environment increasing by over 4% [1] - Industrial Fulian achieved a new high with an increase of over 3%, while Zhongke Shuguang and Zhongding Co., Ltd. also saw gains [1]

Core Insights - Financial giants are showing a bearish sentiment towards Super Micro Computer, with 53% of traders indicating bearish tendencies and only 28% bullish [1] - The price target for Super Micro Computer has been identified in the range of $16.0 to $65.0 over the last three months, based on options activity [2] - The average open interest for Super Micro Computer options is 3,414.03, with a total volume of 59,534.00 in the last 30 days [3] Options Activity - A total of 63 unusual trades were identified, with 36 puts valued at $2,341,127 and 27 calls valued at $1,699,414 [1] - Noteworthy options activity includes several significant trades, with bearish sentiment dominating, such as a put sweep with a total trade price of $200.4K and an open interest of 20.8K [8] - The trading volume for Super Micro Computer stands at 16,775,967, with the stock price currently at $46.01, reflecting a slight increase of 0.15% [14] Company Overview - Super Micro Computer Inc specializes in high-performance server technology services for various markets, including cloud computing and data centers [9] - The company generates more than half of its revenue from the United States, with the remainder coming from Europe, Asia, and other regions [10] - Analysts have issued a consensus target price of $46.0 for Super Micro Computer, with one analyst recently downgrading the stock to Market Perform [11][12]

Market Overview - U.S. stock index futures are showing mixed performance as investors react to a recent Federal Reserve interest rate cut and anticipate upcoming economic data [1][2] - Major indexes closed at record highs on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.27%, S&P 500 rising 0.48%, and Nasdaq Composite increasing by 0.94% [3] Economic Indicators - The 10-year Treasury yield rose by 2 basis points to 4.13%, while the 2-year yield increased by 1 basis point to 3.58% [2] - Strong labor market data indicated a drop in U.S. Weekly Initial Jobless Claims to 231K for the week ending September 13, below expectations, which reassured investors about economic stability [3] Upcoming Economic Data - Key economic data releases include Flash Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) surveys and the U.S. core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index, scheduled for September 26, 2025 [5] - Other significant upcoming data includes revised GDP numbers, consumer confidence data, home sales figures, durable goods orders, and inventories [5] Corporate Earnings - Several companies are set to report earnings, including MoneyHero Limited, IperionX Limited ADR, and FedEx, which reported better-than-expected FQ1 earnings and projected 4%-6% revenue growth for fiscal year 2026 [6][11] - 22nd Century Group's shares surged 31% after announcing it is now debt-free, while 89bio's shares skyrocketed 85% following Roche's agreement to acquire the biotech firm for $14.50 per share [11] Key Corporate News - Nvidia shares advanced 3.5% after announcing a $5 billion investment in Intel, which saw its stock surge over 23% [7] - CoreWeave's shares rose 0.3% after Loop Capital initiated coverage with a "Buy" rating, highlighting its growing prominence among chip giants and AI labs [11] - FedEx's strong results positively impacted UPS, which saw its stock increase by 2% [11] Stock Movements - Red Cat Holdings' shares fell 12% after pricing an offering of 15.6 million shares at $9.60 each [11] - Nucor's shares slipped 4% after guiding its Q3 EPS to $2.05-$2.15, below the consensus estimate of $2.56 [11]

Group 1: Robotics - The robotics market is experiencing rapid growth, with 4.2816 million operational robots globally in 2023, highlighting significant penetration in industrial sectors [8] - China is the largest market for industrial robots, with a projected sales volume of 302,000 units in 2024, maintaining its position as the world's largest industrial robot market for 12 consecutive years [8][9] - The production capacity of industrial robots in China increased from 33,000 units in 2015 to 556,000 units in 2024, with service robots showing a 34.3% year-on-year growth [8][9] Group 2: Augmented Reality (AR) Glasses - The AR glasses market is growing rapidly, with projected sales of 286,000 units in China for 2024, driven by technological advancements and increased brand competition [17] - Major players in the global AR glasses market include tech giants like Microsoft and Meta, while Chinese brands like Xreal and Rokid dominate the consumer segment [18] - The integration of AI with AR technology is enhancing functionality, enabling features like real-time translation and scene recognition [19] Group 3: Foldable Screens - The foldable screen market is witnessing explosive growth, with an expected global shipment of approximately 19.83 million foldable smartphones by 2025, reflecting a 6% year-on-year increase [24] - China has become the largest market for foldable smartphones, with a market share expected to remain above 40% over the next five years [24] - Innovations in materials, such as ultra-thin flexible glass, are improving durability and user experience, with penetration rates projected to rise from 65% in 2024 to 85% in 2025 [25] Group 4: Servers - The global server market is experiencing significant growth, with a record revenue of $77.3 billion in Q4 2024, representing a 91% year-on-year increase [30] - China's server market is also expanding, with a projected shipment of approximately 4.55 million units in 2024, reflecting a 22% year-on-year growth [30] - The rise of cloud computing is reshaping server applications, leading to increased demand for server clusters and customized solutions [31]

Industry Overview - The global server market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.8% from 2024 to 2030, driven by strong adoption across various industries including healthcare, retail, BFSI, manufacturing, and education [1] Super Micro Computer (SMCI) - SMCI's growth is primarily fueled by the increasing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, with a significant rise in data centers and their capacity [3] - The company's next-generation air-cooled and liquid-cooled GPU and AI platforms are contributing over 70% to its revenue in Q4 of fiscal 2025 [4] - SMCI is currently facing challenges such as delayed purchasing decisions from customers and margin contraction due to price competition and inventory write-downs [5][6] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate indicates a decline in SMCI's EPS for the first and second quarters of fiscal 2026 by 37% and 5% respectively, with downward revisions for fiscal 2026 and 2027 EPS in the past 60 days [7] Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) - HPE's server business experienced a 16.1% growth in Q3 of fiscal 2025, reaching an all-time high, driven by large AI deals and a significant increase in AI systems revenues to $1.6 billion [8][9] - The company reported a 100% quarter-over-quarter increase in orders for its AI server business, with improved operating margins due to pricing reforms [10] - HPE's newly launched ProLiant Gen 12 server platform enhances performance, security, and cooling technology, strengthening its competitive position [11] - HPE has raised its non-GAAP net earnings per share estimates to $1.88-$1.92, reflecting upward revisions in the consensus estimates for fiscal 2025 and 2026 [12] Stock Performance and Valuation - Year-to-date, SMCI shares have increased by 47.6%, while HPE shares have risen by 15.8% [13] - SMCI is trading at a forward 12-month ratio of 0.84X, slightly above its median, while HPE is at 0.83X, also above its median [14] Conclusion - HPE is considered a more compelling investment option due to its strong server portfolio and growth prospects, while SMCI faces near-term challenges related to customer purchasing delays and margin pressures [16] - HPE currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), whereas SMCI has a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold) [17]

Core Viewpoint - The acquisition of Sun Microsystems by Oracle in 2009, initially viewed as a poor decision, ultimately provided Oracle with essential system expertise that laid the foundation for its future cloud computing success [1][3][5]. Group 1: Acquisition Context - Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems for $7.4 billion, with a net value of $5.6 billion after accounting for cash and debt [1]. - At the time of acquisition, Sun was losing $100 million per month, and its core Solaris and SPARC server business was being eroded by Linux and x86 [3][4]. - Despite initial negative perceptions, Oracle's total revenue grew by 33% in the first fiscal year post-acquisition, driven primarily by software business [3]. Group 2: Long-term Impact - The acquisition provided Oracle with critical system-level expertise, which became vital for the growth of its Exadata business and future cloud initiatives [3][5]. - Oracle's cloud infrastructure orders surged, with a reported remaining performance obligation (RPO) of $455 billion, primarily driven by AI, which is over four times the amount from the previous year [4][6]. - The integration of hardware and software capabilities allowed Oracle to differentiate its cloud services, leading to significant growth in its multi-cloud database business [6]. Group 3: Strategic Shifts - Larry Ellison's leadership allowed Oracle to pivot from skepticism about cloud computing to actively building a competitive cloud infrastructure [5][6]. - Oracle's Gen 2 cloud infrastructure was launched after a complete overhaul of its initial architecture, focusing on security and performance enhancements [6]. - The company has seen a 15-fold increase in its multi-cloud database business over the past year, showcasing the success of its strategic shifts [6]. Group 4: Future Considerations - Despite the impressive growth in RPO, Oracle's overall scale and revenue remain significantly smaller compared to competitors, necessitating higher capital expenditures [7]. - The reliance on a single client, OpenAI, raises questions about the sustainability of Oracle's current growth trajectory [7]. - The acquisition of Sun Microsystems, once seen as a liability, has transformed Oracle's business model from enterprise software to cloud infrastructure services [7].

Core Viewpoint - Super Micro Computer Inc has confirmed the commencement of high-volume shipments of its Nvidia Blackwell Ultra solutions, indicating strong demand and growth potential in the AI server market [1] Company Summary - Super Micro Computer Inc is experiencing an extension of gains in its stock price following the announcement of high-volume shipments [1] - The company specializes in AI server solutions, positioning itself favorably within the growing AI technology sector [1] Industry Summary - The AI server market is witnessing increased demand, driven by advancements in AI technologies and solutions [1] - Nvidia's Blackwell Ultra solutions are expected to play a significant role in enhancing AI computing capabilities, further propelling the industry's growth [1]