Core Viewpoint - BofA Securities analyst Wamsi Mohan initiated coverage on SanDisk with a Buy rating and a price target of $61, highlighting the company's strong position in the NAND flash technology market [1] Group 1: Market Dynamics - The near-term supply-demand balance is improving, with supply curtailment observed in the first quarter, leading to a more positive pricing environment for NAND in the upcoming quarters [1] - The NAND flash industry remains fragmented with over six players, but there is potential for consolidation in the long term [2] - SanDisk aims to implement more disciplined pricing strategies in a capital expenditure-heavy industry characterized by historically low returns [2] Group 2: Financial Projections - Mohan projects fiscal 2025 revenue for SanDisk at $7.29 billion and earnings per share (EPS) at $2.75 [5] - SanDisk's stock price increased by 6.04% to $46.76 at the time of publication [5] Group 3: Competitive Positioning - SanDisk's operating margin has shown resilience during downturns due to effective capacity management and a favorable customer mix [4] - The company is expanding its product mix towards embedded solid-state drives (eSSDs), which represented only 15% of sales in the second half of 2024 [4] - SanDisk's joint venture with Kioxia allows for shared capital expenditure costs, which have surged to as high as $30 billion in recent years [3] Group 4: Future Outlook - There is potential for significant valuation rerating if pricing trends improve structurally in the NAND industry, although competition in China poses a concern [3] - The company is expected to outperform other NAND flash competitors in terms of through-cycle operating profit in the coming years [4]