Core Viewpoint - Morgan Stanley reports that SMIC's stock price significantly increased in Q3 due to its position as a leading wafer foundry in mainland China, supporting domestic AI chip production. However, the bank maintains a cautious outlook, emphasizing the need for actual profit data to sustain valuation premiums, which is unlikely to materialize in the next 6 to 12 months [1] Financial Performance - The bank has raised its earnings per share forecasts for 2026 and 2027 by 8% and 42% respectively, and increased the target price from HKD 36 to HKD 57 [1] Margin Analysis - Despite strong demand for advanced process products and near-saturation capacity utilization, the company's gross margin remains at a low 20% level. The bank anticipates that gross margins will struggle to improve significantly in the coming years due to rapidly rising depreciation costs [1] Yield and Pricing Pressure - The bank notes that the yield rates for advanced process nodes are still relatively low, and although the proportion of related products is increasing, the overall average selling price remains under pressure [1]