Core Viewpoint - The investment amount in China's optoelectronic display industry for the first half of 2025 is approximately 103.5 billion RMB, reflecting a year-on-year decline of 26.7%, with funds primarily directed towards display panels and MLED-related materials [1][2]. Investment Breakdown - The investment in the display panel sector reached 45.1 billion RMB, accounting for 43.6% of the total, but this represents an 18.3% decrease compared to the same period last year, indicating an adjustment in traditional panel capacity [4]. - The Mini/Micro LED (MLED) sector received 23.0% of the total investment, amounting to 23.8 billion RMB, despite a significant year-on-year decline of 48.5%, maintaining its position as the second-largest investment area [4]. - Investment in optoelectronic module projects totaled 17.4 billion RMB, representing 16.8% of the total, with a year-on-year decrease of 37.8% [4]. - Notably, the optoelectronic materials sector experienced a 34.6% growth, with an investment amount of 16 billion RMB, increasing its share to 15.5%, highlighting the rising strategic value of upstream components in the industry [4]. Regional Investment Distribution - The investment in China's optoelectronic display industry shows a clear regional concentration, with the top five investment areas accounting for 78.8% of the total funds. Sichuan leads with 28.4 billion RMB, representing 27.5% of the total, followed by Hunan with 22.5 billion RMB, or 21.8% [5]. - Domestic capital dominates the investment landscape, making up 87.4% of the total, while investments from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea are on the decline, indicating a trend towards localization in the optoelectronic display industry [5]. Key Projects - A significant investment project in the first half of 2025 is the Huike full-color M-LED new display chip base project, with a total investment of 10 billion RMB located in Nanchong, Sichuan, and a planned monthly production capacity of 100,000 units [7]. Material Sector Trends - In the optoelectronic materials sector, optical films received 7.6 billion RMB, leading the investment but showing a 15.7% decline year-on-year, indicating a more rational investment approach [7]. - The photomask segment saw a remarkable increase, with investments reaching 3.8 billion RMB, a staggering year-on-year growth of 415.0%, making it the fastest-growing category [7]. - The electronic chemicals sector attracted 1.8 billion RMB in investment, reflecting a shift in investment structure as the industry undergoes a critical transformation driven by technological upgrades and product iterations [7]. Market Outlook - The global optoelectronic display panel industry is poised for a new round of development opportunities in 2025, driven by advancements in 5G communication and artificial intelligence, with continuous upgrades in smart terminal devices and increasing demand for automotive displays contributing to steady industry expansion [8]. - The market is experiencing a dual-track development approach, with traditional LCD technology maintaining stable growth due to its established supply chain, while OLED technology is gaining traction for its flexible display features, leading to increased market penetration [8].

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved second quarter sales of $211 million, which was in the middle of the guidance range, representing a 3% year-over-year decline [7][17] - Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.40, while diluted GAAP EPS attributable to shareholders was $0.15 [7][22] - Gross margin was reported at 37%, in line with the quarterly average over the past three years, and operating margin improved to 26%, above guidance [21][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Integrated Circuit (IC) revenue was $156 million, down 3% year-over-year, with high-end revenue increasing 2% year-over-year, representing 38% of IC revenue [17][18] - Flat Panel Display (FPD) revenue was $55 million, declining 2% year-over-year, with strength noted in mobile applications and advanced mass technologies [20][21] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from IC joint ventures in China and Taiwan remained healthy, while revenue from the U.S. declined sequentially due to lower-end design node weakness [21] - The company noted a continuation of favorable design node migration trends, particularly benefiting from the growing AI ecosystem [8][17] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on capacity expansion in the U.S. to support the migration to higher-end nodes and is strategically positioned to benefit from the reshoring of semiconductor production [8][12] - The geographic footprint is viewed as a strategic asset, with 11 cleanroom production facilities globally to support customer collaboration and rapid response [10][11] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed caution regarding near-term demand due to macroeconomic uncertainties and tariff dynamics, expecting third quarter revenue to be in the range of $200 million to $208 million [25][50] - The company remains focused on balancing capital allocation between organic growth, strategic investments, and returning cash to shareholders [24][50] Other Important Information - The company repurchased $72 million worth of shares during the quarter, reflecting confidence in long-term health [7][24] - A succession plan was announced with the retirement of the CEO, Frank Lee, and the appointment of George Macricostas as the new CEO [13][15] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on mainstream business and supply-demand dynamics - The mainstream market remains weak due to low wafer fab utilization among aged fab customers, particularly in power, industrial, and consumer segments [27][28] - There is a muted demand balance, but it is not expected to be a long-term issue [29] Question: Weakness in Asia and its impact - Weakness in mainstream is broad-based, not confined to Asia, with Europe showing significant weakness due to automotive and industrial microcontrollers [31] Question: Year-over-year earnings impact - Pricing pressure exists, but the company is focusing on product mix to mitigate this, particularly in higher-end mainstream and node migration [34][35] Question: Priorities for the new CEO - The new CEO will focus on cost structure, driving revenue, and market share growth, emphasizing an orderly transition [40][41] Question: Customer order delays due to macroeconomic concerns - Customers are indeed delaying orders due to uncertainty in the current tariff environment, which is reflected in the cautious outlook [49]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company achieved second quarter sales of $211 million, which was in the middle of the guidance range, representing a 3% year-over-year decline [7][16] - Non-GAAP diluted EPS was reported at $0.40, while diluted GAAP EPS attributable to shareholders was $0.15 [20] - Gross margin was 37%, in line with the quarterly average over the past three years, and operating margin improved to 26%, above guidance [19][20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Integrated Circuit (IC) revenue was $156 million, down 3% year-over-year, with high-end revenue increasing 2% year-over-year, representing 38% of IC revenue [16][19] - Flat Panel Display (FPD) revenue was $55 million, declining 2% year-over-year, with seasonal demand expected to uplift later in the quarter [18][19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from IC joint ventures in China and Taiwan remained healthy, while revenue from the U.S. declined sequentially due to lower-end design node weakness [19] - The company noted a broad-based weakness in mainstream markets, particularly in Europe, which is heavily reliant on automotive and industrial microcontrollers [30] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on capacity expansion in the U.S. to support reshoring semiconductor production and is strategically positioned to benefit from the transition to higher-end nodes [8][11] - The management emphasized the importance of geographic footprint as a strategic asset to mitigate tariff costs and support global customers [12][19] Management Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed caution regarding near-term demand due to macroeconomic uncertainties and tariff dynamics, expecting third quarter revenue to be in the range of $200 million to $208 million [23][47] - The company remains optimistic about the long-term health and growth potential, as indicated by the $72 million spent on share repurchases [22][48] Other Important Information - The CEO announced retirement after three years, with George Makrokastas appointed as the new CEO, focusing on operational execution and profitable growth [12][14] - The company plans to spend $200 million in CapEx for fiscal 2025, with a focus on capacity, capability, and end-of-life tool initiatives [21] Q&A Session Summary Question: Insights on mainstream business and supply-demand dynamics - Management noted that the mainstream market remains weak due to low wafer fab utilization among aged fab customers, particularly in power, industrial, and consumer sectors [25][26] Question: Weakness in Asia and its impact - The weakness is not confined to Asia; it is broad-based, with Europe showing significant weakness due to its reliance on automotive and industrial applications [30] Question: Year-over-year earnings impact - The largest impact on earnings year-over-year is attributed to pricing pressures in the mainstream market, although product mix strategies are being employed to mitigate this [32][33] Question: Priorities for the new CEO - The new CEO indicated a focus on cost structure, driving revenue, and gaining market share, emphasizing an orderly transition rather than a wholesale change [39][40] Question: Capacity expansion versus regionalization - The company will evaluate opportunities in the U.S. while balancing growth in Asia, particularly in response to geopolitical issues and reshoring efforts [46] Question: Share repurchase strategy - The company will remain opportunistic with the existing share repurchase authorization and will consider future expansions based on investment opportunities [48]