October 20, 2025 08:00 PM GMT Asia-Pacific Technology | Asia Pacific AI Supply Chain: TSMC outlook, ASIC updates, OCP implication for AI Semis 2026 looks like being another strong year for AI semis, but a bottleneck could come from niche memory and/or server racks, not TSMC's capacity. TSMC commented "AI demand is stronger than we thought 3 months ago": At its recent earnings call, TSMC said it continues to work hard to "narrow the gap" between demand and supply (both CoWoS and wafer front-end capacity). On ...

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry Focus**: The conference call primarily discusses the **AI Semiconductor** industry within the **Asia Pacific** region, particularly focusing on the **Taiwan/China AI supply chain** [1][4]. Core Insights and Arguments - **Demand Drivers**: The demand for AI semiconductors is significantly driven by **Generative AI** applications [5]. - **Growth Limitations**: Key limitations affecting growth include: - **Budget constraints** - **Energy availability**, particularly in the US - **Chip capacity issues** in China - **Regulatory challenges** [5]. - **Semiconductor Solutions**: Various technological advancements are highlighted, including: - **Moore's Law** for chip scaling - **CoWoS/SoIC** (Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate) - **High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)** - **Chiplet Packaging Options (CPO)** - **Custom chips** and **GaN HVDC 800V** technology [5][16]. - **Market Growth Projections**: The global semiconductor market is projected to reach **US$1 trillion**, with AI semiconductors being the primary growth driver, expected to account for approximately **34% of TSMC's revenue by 2027** [26][30]. - **Capital Expenditure (Capex)**: The top six companies in the AI semiconductor space are forecasted to increase their capex by **62% year-over-year**, reaching **Rmb373 billion** [40][41]. Additional Important Insights - **AI Tokens and Cloud Capex**: Monthly tokens processed are expected to justify an additional **US$3-4 trillion** in AI capital expenditures over the remainder of the decade [23][25]. - **Competitive Landscape**: The competition among major players like **TSMC**, **Intel**, and **Samsung** is highlighted, with a focus on logic density comparisons and foundry process roadmaps [44][46]. - **AI Infrastructure in China**: The call discusses the development of AI infrastructure in China, emphasizing the growth of **hyperscaler capex spending** and the demand for data centers [56][58]. - **AI Applications**: The call outlines various **2C and 2B AI applications** in China, detailing the major players and their unique features [61][73]. Conclusion The conference call provides a comprehensive overview of the AI semiconductor industry, highlighting growth drivers, technological advancements, and competitive dynamics. The insights presented indicate a robust growth trajectory for AI semiconductors, driven by increasing demand and significant capital investments.

Summary of Broadcom Inc (AVGO.O) Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Broadcom Inc (AVGO) - **Industry**: Semiconductor solutions for wired infrastructure and wireless communications - **Headquarters**: San Jose, CA, and Singapore - **Employees**: Approximately 15,000 Key Points Financial Performance - **F3Q25 Revenue**: $16.0 billion, up 6% QoQ, exceeding consensus estimate of $15.8 billion, primarily driven by AI business which constituted 33% of sales [2][12] - **Gross Margin**: Decreased by 125 basis points QoQ to 76.8%, below consensus of 77.1%, attributed to higher stock-based compensation (SBC) expenses [2][12] - **EPS**: Reported at $1.22, below consensus of $1.32 due to increased SBC; without the options expense, EPS would have been $1.69, 2% above consensus [2][12][14] Guidance and Estimates - **F4Q25 Revenue Guidance**: Expected to be $17.4 billion, up 9% QoQ, above consensus of $17.0 billion [3][15] - **Revenue Estimates Raised**: - F25 revenue estimate increased from $62.7 billion to $63.4 billion - F26 revenue estimate raised from $72.0 billion to $88.5 billion due to higher AI revenue [4][20] - **EPS Estimates**: F25 EPS estimate lowered from $5.37 to $5.25 due to higher SBC; F26 EPS raised from $6.46 to $7.89 [4][20] AI Business Development - **New AI Customer**: Announced fourth AI customer, believed to be OpenAI, with an expected incremental revenue of $10 billion in 3Q26 [1][3][18] - **AI Semiconductor Sales**: F3Q25 AI semiconductor sales reached $5.2 billion, up 18% QoQ, exceeding guidance of $5.1 billion [13][14] Market Position and Valuation - **Price Target**: Raised from $315 to $350, reflecting a 41X F27 EPS valuation, towards the high end of its recent trading range [4][11] - **Market Capitalization**: Approximately $1.44 trillion [7][10] Risks and Considerations - **Customer Dependency**: Approximately 20% of sales derived from Apple, indicating potential volatility based on Apple's product demand [31] - **SG&A Target**: Long-term SG&A target is less than 3% of revenue; failure to meet this could impact estimates [32] - **Competition**: Market share fluctuations could affect estimates [33] - **M&A Activity**: Future acquisitions could lead to margin or EPS changes [34] Additional Insights - **Dividend Yield**: Expected at 0.8%, with a total expected return of 15.1% [7] - **Cash Flow**: Operating cash flow projected to increase significantly in the coming years [10] This summary encapsulates the essential financial metrics, guidance, and strategic insights from Broadcom's recent conference call, highlighting the company's strong position in the AI semiconductor market and the associated risks.

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The focus is on the Greater China Semiconductors industry, particularly in the context of AI supply chain updates and investment opportunities in the semiconductor sector [1][3]. Core Insights - The industry view has been upgraded to "Attractive" for the second half of 2025, with a strong preference for AI-related semiconductors over non-AI counterparts [1][3]. - Concerns regarding semiconductor tariffs and foreign exchange impacts are diminishing, leading to expectations of further sector re-rating [1][3]. - Key investment themes for 2026 are being previewed, indicating a proactive approach to future opportunities [1][3]. Investment Recommendations - Top picks in the AI semiconductor space include TSMC, Winbond, Alchip, Aspeed, MediaTek, KYEC, ASE, FOCI, Himax, and ASMPT [5]. - Non-AI recommendations include Novatek, OmniVision, Realtek, NAURA Tech, AMEC, ACMR, Silergy, SG Micro, SICC, and Yangjie [5]. - Companies like UMC, ASMedia, Nanya Tech, Vanguard, WIN Semi, and Macronix are rated as equal weight or underweight [5]. Market Dynamics - AI cannibalization may affect the recovery in the second half of 2025 due to tariff costs, but a decline in semiconductor inventory days historically signals positive stock price appreciation [5]. - The introduction of DeepSeek technology is expected to drive demand for AI inference, although there are concerns about the sufficiency of domestic GPU supply [5]. - The ramp-up of China’s fab supply is contributing to a prolonged downcycle in mature node foundry and niche memory sectors [5]. Long-term Demand Drivers - The demand for AI semiconductors is expected to accelerate due to generative AI applications spreading across various verticals [5]. - Price elasticity in technology products is anticipated to stimulate demand, indicating a potential for growth in the sector [5]. Valuation Insights - A detailed valuation comparison across various semiconductor segments, including foundry, back-end, memory, and integrated device manufacturers (IDM), is provided, highlighting key metrics such as P/E ratios, EPS growth, and return on equity [6][7]. - TSMC is projected to have AI semiconductors account for approximately 34% of its revenue by 2027 [26]. Foreign Exchange Impact - The appreciation of the TWD against the USD could negatively impact gross margins and operating profit margins for companies like TSMC, with a 1% appreciation translating to a 40 basis points downside in gross margin [34]. - Despite these concerns, the overall structural profitability of TSMC is not expected to be significantly affected [34]. Additional Considerations - The conference highlighted the importance of memory stock prices as leading indicators for logic semiconductors, reinforcing the attractive industry view on Greater China semiconductors [22]. - The forecast for the top six companies' capital expenditures is expected to grow by 62% year-over-year, reaching RMB 373 billion [39]. This summary encapsulates the key points discussed in the conference call, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future outlook of the Greater China semiconductor industry.

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - **Industry**: Semiconductors, specifically focusing on AI semiconductor companies in North America - **Overall Industry View**: Attractive for semiconductors, in-line for semiconductor capital equipment [4][5] Company-Specific Insights NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA.O) - **Price Target Change**: Increased from $170.00 to $200.00 [1][6] - **Growth Drivers**: Anticipated strong growth in the data center business driven by generative AI enthusiasm [17] - **Market Position**: Expected to benefit significantly from increased cloud capex, particularly from large language models [14] - **Revenue Projections**: GAAP revenue expected to reach $130.5 billion in 2025, with a gross margin of 75.4% [24] - **Risks**: Supply bottlenecks may continue to impact growth, particularly in the second half of the year [12][9] Broadcom Inc. (AVGO.O) - **Price Target Change**: Increased from $270.00 to $338.00 [1][6] - **Growth Outlook**: Strong prospects in AI and recovery in core semiconductor business; expected to maintain premium multiples [38] - **Revenue Projections**: GAAP revenue expected to reach $51.6 billion in 2024, with a gross margin of 75.2% [44] - **Risks**: Potential loss of networking share to NVIDIA and execution risks related to the VMware acquisition [49] Astera Labs Inc. (ALAB.O) - **Price Target Change**: Increased from $99.00 to $125.00 [1][6] - **Market Position**: Positioned as an AI connectivity leader with significant growth potential [50] - **Revenue Projections**: Expected revenue of $939 million in 2026, with a gross margin of 71.2% [60] - **Risks**: Concerns over GB200 content and competition in the networking space [10] Marvell Technology Group Ltd (MRVL.O) - **Price Target Change**: Increased from $73.00 to $80.00 [1][6] - **Growth Outlook**: Attractive growth potential, particularly in optical technologies [73] - **Revenue Projections**: Expected revenue of $9.3 billion in 2026, with a gross margin of 57.9% [77] - **Risks**: High stock compensation expenses and potential underperformance in networking [73] Advanced Micro Devices (AMD.O) - **Price Target Change**: Increased from $121.00 to $185.00 [1][6] - **Market Position**: Expected to gain market share at the expense of Intel, particularly in the data center segment [87] - **Revenue Projections**: Expected revenue of $38.6 billion in 2026, with a gross margin of 55.8% [92] - **Risks**: High expectations in AI may limit upside potential; competition from Intel remains a concern [87] Core Insights and Trends - **AI Demand**: Exceptional strength in both supply and demand for AI semiconductors, with significant upside expected in the second half of the year [3] - **Customer Insights**: Major cloud customers are increasing their capex, indicating strong demand for AI-related products [3] - **Product Cycles**: Anticipation of new product cycles, particularly with NVIDIA's Blackwell, is expected to drive growth [3][12] - **Market Dynamics**: The semiconductor industry is experiencing a shift towards AI, with companies like NVIDIA and Broadcom positioned to benefit significantly [10][19] Additional Considerations - **Geopolitical Risks**: Uncertainty regarding China’s licensing for semiconductor products may temper near-term expectations [9] - **Investment Sentiment**: Overall positive sentiment towards AI semiconductors, with a consensus rating distribution showing a majority overweight outlook [18][41]