Financial Highlights - In Q3 2025, revenue increased by 6% sequentially in NT and by 10.1% in USD to $33.1 billion, slightly exceeding guidance [5][6] - Gross margin rose by 0.9 percentage points sequentially to 59.5%, driven by cost improvements and higher capacity utilization [6][12] - Operating margin increased by 1.0 percentage point sequentially to 50.6% [6] - EPS was up 39% year over year, and ROE was 37.8% [6] Business Line Performance - Three nanometer process technology contributed 23% of wafer revenue, while five nanometer and seven nanometer accounted for 37% and 14% respectively [7] - Advanced technologies (seven nanometer and below) made up 74% of wafer revenue [7] - Revenue contribution by platform: HPC remained flat at 57%, smartphone increased by 19% to 30%, IoT grew by 20% to 5%, automotive rose by 18% to 5%, while DCE decreased by 20% to 1% [7][8] Market Data - Cash and marketable securities at the end of Q3 were NT2.8 trillion (approximately $90 billion) [8] - Current liabilities decreased by NT101 billion quarter over quarter, mainly due to a reduction in accrued liabilities [8] Company Strategy and Industry Competition - TSMC is narrowing its 2025 CapEx guidance to between $40 billion and $42 billion, with 70% allocated for advanced process technologies [14] - The company aims to leverage its manufacturing technology leadership and large-scale production to remain the most efficient and cost-effective manufacturer [13] - TSMC is expanding its global manufacturing footprint, with significant investments in Arizona, Japan, and Europe to meet strong AI-related demand [22][24] Management Commentary on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expects continued strong demand for leading-edge process technologies, particularly in AI, with full-year 2025 revenue projected to increase by close to mid-thirties percent year over year in USD terms [16][17] - There are uncertainties regarding tariff policies that could impact consumer-related markets, but TSMC remains focused on technology leadership and customer trust [17][20] - The company is preparing for a structural increase in long-term market demand, particularly in AI applications, and is employing a disciplined capacity planning process [20][21] Other Important Information - TSMC's two nanometer technology is on track for volume production later this quarter, with expectations for a faster ramp in 2026 [25][26] - The company is also introducing N2P as an extension of its N2 family, with volume production scheduled for the second half of 2026 [26] Q&A Session Summary Question: AI Demand Growth - Management confirmed that AI demand continues to be strong, with expectations for growth rates potentially exceeding previous mid-forties CAGR guidance [34][35] Question: CapEx Outlook - Management indicated that CapEx will correlate with growth opportunities, and while it is unlikely to drop significantly, it may increase in response to strong demand [38][40] Question: AI Infrastructure and Token Growth - Management acknowledged that token growth is expected to be exponential, and TSMC's technology will enable customers to handle increased demand effectively [78][84] Question: Competition and Strategic Initiatives - TSMC is focusing on Foundry 2.0 to enhance system performance and is working closely with customers to maintain competitive advantages [112][113] Question: Smartphone Demand and Prebuild Concerns - Management expressed no concerns about prebuild inventory levels, indicating that they are currently healthy and at seasonal levels [117]

TSMC (2330.TW) Conference Call Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) - **Ticker**: 2330.TW - **Event**: Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference 2025 - **Date**: September 8-11, 2025 - **Presenters**: Wendell Huang (CFO), Jeff Su (Head of Investor Relations) Key Industry Insights 1. **Advanced Node Capacity**: - TSMC's advanced node peak capacity is expected to be higher than previous nodes due to increased demand from smartphone and high-performance computing (HPC) sectors [2][3] - N2 technology is projected to contribute 11.5% of wafer revenue in 2026, significantly higher than N3's 5.1% in its first year [3] 2. **N3/N5 Capacity Growth**: - TSMC maintains over 90% tool commonality between adjacent advanced nodes, allowing for flexible capacity adjustments to meet AI demand [2][7] - The company plans to convert capacity from N7 to N5 and N5 to N3 to support strong AI demand, leading to tight capacity in advanced nodes [7] 3. **Advanced Packaging Expansion**: - TSMC is allocating 10-20% of capital expenditures to advanced packaging, which is expected to grow faster than the corporate average [2][8] - Advanced packaging is projected to account for over 10% of revenue in 2025, up from 8% in 2024, with increasing adoption in non-AI applications [8] 4. **Long-term Gross Margin (GM) Target**: - Despite overseas expansion plans, TSMC's long-term GM target of 53%+ remains achievable [2][9][11] - The company plans to mitigate GM pressure through geographical diversification, cost efficiency, and leveraging government support [11] 5. **Revenue Growth Forecast**: - TSMC reaffirms a close to 20% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the 2024-2029 period, with potential upside driven by strong N2 demand and tightness in N3 and N5 nodes [12] Financial Metrics - **Market Capitalization**: NT$32.2 trillion / $1.1 trillion - **Revenue Projections**: - 2024: NT$2,894.3 billion - 2025E: NT$3,667.9 billion - 2026E: NT$4,211.2 billion - 2027E: NT$4,873.4 billion - **EPS Projections**: - 2024: NT$45.25 - 2025E: NT$60.36 - 2026E: NT$68.49 - 2027E: NT$77.56 - **Price Target**: NT$1,370.00 (upside of 10.5%) [18] Investment Thesis - TSMC is positioned as a leading global foundry with over 60% market share, benefiting from its technology leadership in AI, 5G, HPC, and EV sectors [13][15] - The stock is rated as a "Buy" due to its attractive valuation and long-term growth prospects [14][15] Key Risks 1. Deterioration in end-demand recovery affecting capacity utilization [16] 2. Slower customer node migrations impacting revenue [16] 3. Delays in 5G penetration affecting semiconductor growth [16] 4. Poor yields or execution leading to profitability issues [16] 5. Increased competition affecting pricing and margins [16] 6. Unfavorable foreign exchange trends or cost increases impacting margins [16] Conclusion TSMC's strong positioning in advanced technology nodes and packaging, along with a robust growth forecast, supports a positive investment outlook despite potential risks associated with market dynamics and competition.