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SMIC(00981) - 2024 Q1 - Earnings Call Transcript
2024-05-10 01:30

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue for Q1 2024 was $1,715 million, up 4.3% sequentially [5] - Gross margin decreased to 13.7%, down 2.7 percentage points sequentially [5] - Profit attributable to the company was RMB 72 million [5] - Total assets at the end of Q1 were RMB 48.2 billion, with total cash on hand of RMB 15.4 billion [6] - Total liabilities were RMB 17.3 billion, with total debt at RMB 10.3 billion [6] - EBITDA was RMB 887 million, with an EBITDA margin of 50.7% [5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - 8-inch equivalent wafer shipments increased by 7% sequentially to 17.95 thousand pieces [12] - Wafer revenue accounted for 93% of total revenue, while other revenue accounted for 7% [13] - Wafer revenue by application: smartphones (31%), computers and tablets (18%), consumer electronics (31%), connectivity and IoT (13%), industrial and automotive (7%) [14] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Revenue from China accounted for 82%, while revenue from America and Eurasia accounted for 15% and 3%, respectively [13] - Utilization rate increased by 4 percentage points sequentially to 80.8% [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on capacity construction and R&D to enhance core competitiveness and corporate value [8] - Plans not to pay dividends for 2023 to align with long-term development needs [9] - The company is accelerating the development of technology platforms for mainstream applications, including automotive and IoT [15] - The company aims to maintain its leading position in the market through strategic partnerships and technology leadership [19] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The company observed improved IC inventory levels and increased willingness from global customers to build inventory [11] - Revenue and gross margin both exceeded guidance in Q1 [12] - For Q2 2024, revenue is expected to grow by 5% to 7%, with gross margin projected to be between 9% and 11% [7][16] - The company is cautiously optimistic about the second half of the year, with a revenue growth target exceeding the industry average [18][20] Other Important Information - The company is in a continuous high investment phase to expand 12-inch high-quality capacity [20] - The company has achieved laboratory accreditation for its Automotive Reliability Testing Center, supporting its automotive process platform development [15] Q&A Session Summary Question: Inventory levels and customer demand - Management noted that global customers are more willing to build inventory due to market uncertainties [11] Question: Revenue guidance and market conditions - Management provided guidance for Q2, expecting revenue growth and a cautious outlook for the second half of the year [18][20] Question: Dividend policy and long-term strategy - Management explained the decision not to pay dividends for 2023 aligns with long-term development needs [9]