Key Points - The report highlights that Huahong Semiconductor's 3Q25 gross margin exceeded expectations at 13.5%, compared to the forecast of 11.6% and previous guidance of 12% [1] - Revenue for 3Q25 was reported at $635 million, aligning with market expectations, while the management provided guidance for 4Q25 revenue between $650 million and $660 million [1] - The management anticipates that the 9A plant will reach a monthly capacity of 60,000 to 65,000 wafers by mid-2026 [1] - The average selling price (ASP) increased by over 5% quarter-on-quarter, attributed to price hikes across various platforms starting from 2Q25 [2] - The management noted strong downstream demand in the overall memory market, particularly for embedded NVM and independent NVM platforms [2] - Revenue forecasts for 2025, 2026, and 2027 have been adjusted to $2.4 billion, $2.84 billion, and $3.26 billion respectively, with gross margin estimates revised to 11.9%, 14.3%, and 16.8% [2] - The target price for Huahong Semiconductor has been slightly adjusted to HKD 91, corresponding to a 3.1x price-to-book ratio for 2026 [2]

Core Viewpoint - The report from交银国际 predicts a slight decrease in revenue and an increase in gross margin for华虹半导体 in Q4 2025, with adjustments made to the revenue forecasts for 2025, 2026, and 2027, while maintaining a buy rating with a target price of 91 HKD [1] Group 1: Financial Performance - Q3 2025 revenue was reported at 6.35 billion USD, meeting expectations, while gross margin was 13.5%, exceeding both the bank's forecast of 11.6% and the previous guidance of 12% [2] - The management indicated that the increase in gross margin is attributed to improved capacity utilization, cost reduction, and price increases [2] - For Q4 2025, the management guided revenue between 6.5 billion and 6.6 billion USD, with a gross margin forecast of 12% to 14% [2] Group 2: Capacity and Capital Expenditure - The estimated capacity for the 9A plant is approximately 34,000 wafers per month, with an expected increase of nearly 9,000 wafers per month [2] - Management anticipates that the 9A plant will reach a capacity of 60,000 to 65,000 wafers per month by mid-2026, with total investment for the plant amounting to 6.7 billion USD [2] - The company is expected to spend over 5 billion USD on the 9A plant construction by the end of 2025, with remaining expenditures of 1.3 to 1.5 billion USD in 2026 [2] Group 3: Pricing and Market Demand - The average selling price (ASP) increased by over 5% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2025, reflecting price hikes implemented since Q2 2025 [3] - Demand across various platforms has shown improvement, with significant growth in revenue from PMIC products, driven by AI server demand, increasing over 32% year-on-year [3] - The management is considering further price adjustments, although specific increases have not been quantified, and the strategy may focus on allocating capacity to high-demand platforms [3]

Core Viewpoint - The report from CMB International predicts a revenue of $656 million and a gross margin of 13.6% for Huahong Semiconductor in Q4 2025, slightly down from previous estimates of $679 million and 12.1% [1] - Revenue forecasts for 2025, 2026, and 2027 have been adjusted to $2.4 billion, $2.84 billion, and $3.26 billion respectively, with gross margins revised to 11.9%, 14.3%, and 16.8% [1] Group 1 - Q3 2025 revenue met expectations at $635 million, while gross margin exceeded expectations at 13.5% [2] - The management indicated that the increase in gross margin is attributed to improved capacity utilization, cost reduction, and price increases [2] - The guidance for Q4 2025 revenue is set between $650 million and $660 million, with a gross margin forecast of 12% to 14% [2] Group 2 - The capacity of the 9A plant is estimated at approximately 34,000 wafers per month, with plans to increase to 60,000 to 65,000 wafers per month by mid-2026 [2] - Total investment for the 9A plant is projected at $6.7 billion, with over $5 billion expected to be spent by the end of 2025 [2] - The company is expected to continue aggressive expansion, although no new investment plans for additional capacity beyond the 9A plant were disclosed [2] Group 3 - Average Selling Price (ASP) increased by over 5% quarter-on-quarter, reflecting price adjustments made since Q2 2025 [3] - Demand for various platforms has shown improvement year-on-year, particularly in embedded NVM and independent NVM products [3] - The company is likely to continue seeking price adjustments, with a focus on platforms experiencing strong demand, which may further support gross margin growth [3]