Core Viewpoint - Skyworks Solutions announced the acquisition of Qorvo, creating a combined entity valued at $22 billion, aimed at supplying RF chips to Apple and other smartphone manufacturers [1][3]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The transaction will be a combination of cash and stock, with Qorvo shareholders receiving $32.50 in cash and 0.960 shares of Skyworks stock, valuing Qorvo at approximately $10.53 per share, a 14.3% premium over its previous closing price [3][4]. - The deal is expected to close in early 2027, with Skyworks CEO Phil Brace taking the helm of the merged company [4]. Group 2: Market Context - The merger aims to capitalize on the recovery of smartphone demand post-pandemic, despite Apple's increasing focus on in-house chip development, which may impact the long-term sales outlook for both companies [3][4]. - Following the announcement, both companies' stock prices rose by approximately 12% in pre-market trading [3]. Group 3: Corporate Governance - The merger will result in Skyworks shareholders owning about 63% of the new company, while Qorvo shareholders will hold the remaining 37% [4]. - Qorvo's recent board appointments were influenced by activist investor Starboard Value, which had increased its stake to approximately 8.9% [5].

Core Viewpoint - Goldman Sachs has issued a bullish outlook on the Chinese semiconductor industry, raising target prices for SMIC and Hua Hong Semiconductor for the fourth time in a month, citing long-term benefits from AI-driven chip demand growth [1][4]. Group 1: Target Price Adjustments - Goldman Sachs raised the 12-month target price for SMIC's H-shares to HKD 117.0 and A-shares to CNY 211.0 [1][5]. - Hua Hong Semiconductor's target price was increased by 34% to HKD 117.0, maintaining a "buy" rating for both companies [1][4]. Group 2: AI Model Cost Revolution - The report highlights a significant breakthrough in AI models with DeepSeek's new experimental model, DeepSeek V3.2-Exp, which reduces API costs by over 50% [2]. - The input cost for the model has decreased to CNY 0.2-2 per million tokens, while the output cost is CNY 3 per million tokens [2]. Group 3: Chip Demand Growth - The explosion of AI applications in China is expected to create massive demand for various chips, including PMICs, Bluetooth/WiFi, CIS, RF, and MCUs [1][4]. - The collaboration between chip suppliers and model developers is forming a rapid iteration development loop, optimizing chip performance [3]. Group 4: Capacity Expansion - Both SMIC and Hua Hong Semiconductor are expanding their production capacity and upgrading technology to meet the growing demand [4]. - SMIC is increasing its 7nm/14nm capacity, while Hua Hong plans to migrate to 28nm in its next fab [4]. Group 5: Valuation Reassessment - Goldman Sachs believes that the market is reassessing the valuations of Chinese semiconductor companies, leading to updated valuation models [4]. - The target price for Hua Hong Semiconductor is based on a new expected P/E ratio of 68.8 for 2028, reflecting a significant increase from the previous 51.5 [4]. - For SMIC, the target price is based on a new expected P/E ratio of 62.9 for 2028, with an A-H share premium of 196% [5].