23 December 2025 | 12:45AM JST Equity Research Japan Technology: Semiconductor Capital Equipment: Semicon Japan 2025: A promising year ahead for equipment manufacturers in 2026 We visited several companies' booths at Semicon Japan 2025, which was held on December 17-19. Equipment demand is strong, mainly for memory and advanced logic applications, and some customers are requesting shipments of their equipment to be expedited. Our impression is that business conditions for equipment manufacturers look genera ...

Summary of Hwatsing (688120.SS) Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Hwatsing (688120.SS) - **Industry**: Semiconductor Equipment Manufacturing Key Financial Results - **3Q25 Revenue**: Rmb1.244 billion, representing a 20% QoQ and 30% YoY growth, aligning with estimates [1][3] - **Gross Margin (GM)**: Declined to 41% from 45.8% in 2Q25, below the expected 46.6% [1][3] - **Net Income**: Rmb286 million, a decrease of 1% YoY and an increase of 5% QoQ, which was 22% lower than estimates [1][3][4] - **Operating Income (OP)**: Rmb249 million, down 3% YoY [4] Growth Drivers - **Semiconductor Capex Expansion**: Positive outlook on revenue growth due to increasing semiconductor capital expenditures in China [1] - **Product Matrix**: Comprehensive offerings in CMP, thinning, dicing, and polishing equipment expected to benefit from rising demand for advanced AI chips and chiplet packaging [1][2] Earnings Revisions - **2025E Net Income**: Revised down by 7% due to lower GM and higher operating expenses [8] - **2026E-27E Net Income**: Revised up by 1% each, driven by higher revenue estimates [8] - **Revenue Estimates**: Increased by 2% for 2026E and 2027E, reflecting anticipated growth from AI demand and capital expenditure expansion [8] Valuation and Rating - **Current P/E Ratio**: 29.4x for 2026E, with a target multiple of 35.0x based on peer comparisons [1][16] - **12-Month Price Target**: Raised by 10% to Rmb163.4, indicating a 19% upside from the current price of Rmb137.34 [18][16] - **Rating**: Maintained at Neutral [1][16] Product Development - **New Equipment Deliveries**: Successful volume deliveries of self-developed 12" high-current ion implanter and wafer edge grinding equipment [2] - **Product Matrix Expansion**: Introduction of low-temperature ion implanter iPUMA-LT, enhancing the product portfolio [2] Risks and Considerations - **Market Risks**: Potential volatility in semiconductor capital expenditure and order gains from clients [16] - **Operational Risks**: Challenges in new product expansion timelines could impact revenue growth [16] Conclusion - Hwatsing shows promising long-term growth potential driven by semiconductor capex expansion and a diversified product matrix, despite recent earnings misses and margin pressures. The company is positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for advanced semiconductor technologies, particularly in AI applications.