Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for several companies in the Japan Industrial Electronics sector, including Anritsu, Panasonic HD, Hitachi, Sumitomo Electric, Fujikura, SWCC, Mitsubishi Electric, and Daihen. Furukawa Electric and Fuji Electric are rated as "Neutral" [7]. Core Insights - The Japan Industrial Electronics sector is poised for growth driven by technological advancements in AI server power and optics, with companies like Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, and Panasonic actively developing new business models to leverage AI's importance [1][12]. - The report anticipates that the implementation of physical AI in social infrastructure will gain momentum, with conglomerates expected to progress in their business portfolio strategies by 2026 [1]. - The sector is experiencing a shift towards higher voltage systems in data centers, which presents opportunities for electrical equipment manufacturers skilled in high voltage applications [22][24]. Earnings Estimates and Target Prices - The report revises FY3/26E-FY3/28E operating profit estimates for the sector by an average of 0%/-1%/-1%, while raising 12-month target prices by an average of 4% [3][7]. - Specific target price adjustments include Anritsu from 2,400 million JPY to 2,600 million JPY, Panasonic HD from 2,100 million JPY to 2,300 million JPY, and Hitachi from 5,900 million JPY to 6,000 million JPY [7][3]. Technological Changes in AI Server Power - Companies like Hitachi and Mitsubishi Electric are increasing their presence in AI server power solutions, focusing on high-voltage DC systems to reduce conversion losses and improve efficiency [12][13]. - The report highlights the importance of battery backup units (BBUs) and hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) in managing power fluctuations in generative AI data centers, with Panasonic having a strong position in BBUs [16][12]. Technological Changes in AI Server Optics - The report notes a significant shift towards higher communication speeds in data centers, moving from 200-400 Gbps to 800-1.6 Tbps, and the transition to Co-packaged Optics (CPO) [28][29]. - Companies such as Mitsubishi Electric, Sumitomo Electric, and Furukawa Electric are increasing production of optical devices and connectors to meet rising demand [30][31]. Implementation of Physical AI - Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, and Panasonic are focusing on integrating AI into industrial applications, with expectations of increased competition as software companies also enter the physical AI space [47][49]. - The report categorizes companies in the sector based on their involvement in AI infrastructure, AI-enabled revenues, and productivity gains, with Hitachi identified as a key beneficiary across all categories [48][49].

Core Viewpoint - Broadcom is in discussions with Microsoft to co-design custom AI chips, aiming to enhance its AI chip portfolio amid increasing market demand for AI operations [1] Company Overview - Broadcom is a leading global technology firm specializing in semiconductors and infrastructure software for various sectors, including data centers, networking, and wireless [2][3] - The company has a market capitalization of $1.89 trillion [3] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, Broadcom's stock has increased by 125.99%, significantly outperforming the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund, which gained 23.62% [4] - The stock reached a 52-week high of $407.29 on December 8, influenced by news of talks with Microsoft, but has since declined by 1.5% from that peak [5] Financial Results - In Q3 fiscal 2025, Broadcom reported record revenue of $15.95 billion, a 22% year-over-year increase, surpassing analyst expectations of $15.83 billion [8] - The company's AI revenue surged by 63% year-over-year to $5.20 billion, driven by strong demand for custom AI accelerators and networking solutions [8] Valuation Metrics - Broadcom's current trailing price-to-earnings ratio stands at 103.03x, which is significantly higher than the industry average of 31.52x, indicating an elevated valuation [6]

Investment Rating - The report upgrades Sumitomo Electric Industries (SEI) to Buy from Neutral and Furukawa Electric to Neutral from Sell [1] Core Insights - The industrial electronics sector is experiencing increased demand for optical products driven by generative AI and data centers, leading to significant capacity expansion investments [2] - The report highlights the shift towards medium-distance data center interconnections (DCI) due to land and power constraints, creating additional demand for optical fiber products [17] - SEI is expected to see a substantial increase in profit contribution from its infocommunications business, which is projected to grow from 6% of total profits in FY3/25 to approximately 20% by FY3/28 [41][43] Summary by Sections Industry Trends - Demand for optical products is significantly exceeding supply, prompting companies to invest in capacity expansion [2] - The emergence of projects like Stargate and increasing domestic data center demand from a national security perspective are expected to sustain high levels of investment in data center construction [2] Company Performance - SEI's operating profit estimates for FY3/26 to FY3/28 have been raised by 11%/11%/12% due to increased demand for optical products [51] - Furukawa Electric is also expected to benefit from marginal profit growth due to rising demand [1] Financial Estimates - The report provides updated sales and operating profit estimates for key companies in the sector, indicating a general upward trend in financial performance [11] - For SEI, the new target price is set at ¥4,300, reflecting a significant increase from the previous target of ¥2,800 [54][55] Technological Developments - The report discusses advancements in optical device technology, particularly the shift towards higher communication speeds and the potential for co-packaged optics (CPO) to become a key area of growth [22][23] - SEI has been selected as a technology partner by NVIDIA, indicating its strong position in the optical devices market [50]

Investment Rating - The report upgrades Sumitomo Electric Industries (SEI) to Buy from Neutral, and Furukawa Electric to Neutral from Sell [1][39] Core Insights - The industrial electronics sector is experiencing increased demand for optical products driven by generative AI and data centers, leading to significant capacity expansion investments [2] - The report highlights the shift towards medium-distance data center interconnections (DCI) due to land and power constraints, creating additional demand for optical fiber products [17] - SEI is expected to see a substantial increase in profit contribution from its infocommunications business, which is projected to rise from 6% in FY3/25 to approximately 20% in FY3/28 [41][43] Summary by Sections Market Trends - Demand for optical products is significantly exceeding supply, prompting companies to invest in capacity expansion [2] - The emergence of projects like Stargate in the US, Japan, and UAE is expected to sustain high levels of investment in data center construction [2] Company Performance - SEI's operating profit estimates for FY3/26-FY3/28 have been raised by 11%/11%/12% due to increased demand for optical products [51] - Furukawa Electric is expected to benefit from marginal profit growth due to rising demand for its products [1] Financial Estimates - New sales and operating profit estimates for SEI show a 4% increase in sales for FY3/26, FY3/27, and FY3/28 [11] - The target price for SEI has been raised to ¥4,300 from ¥2,800, reflecting the expected growth in the infocommunications segment [54][55] Competitive Landscape - SEI holds a significant market share in ultra-high density optical fiber cables, estimated at around 50% globally [48] - The report notes that Fujikura and SEI are leading in ultra-multi-core optical fiber cables and optical connectors, while Furukawa Electric is attempting to catch up through acquisitions [9]