GLOBALFOUNDRIES(GFS) - 2025 Q3 - Earnings Call Transcript

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - GlobalFoundries reported third-quarter revenue of $1.688 billion, flat compared to the prior quarter and a 3% decrease year-over-year [30] - Gross profit for the third quarter was $439 million, resulting in a gross margin of approximately 26%, which expanded sequentially and year-over-year by about 80 and 130 basis points respectively [33] - Operating profit was $260 million, with an operating margin of 15.4%, at the high end of the guidance range and 180 basis points above the prior year period [34] - Net income for the third quarter was $232 million, an increase of approximately 1% from the prior year period, translating to diluted earnings of $0.41 per share [35] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Automotive revenue decreased approximately 17% sequentially but increased 20% year-over-year, driven by share and content expansion [31] - Smart mobile devices revenue increased approximately 10% sequentially but decreased approximately 13% year-over-year, primarily due to one-time pricing adjustments [30][31] - Home and industrial IoT revenue decreased approximately 14% sequentially and 16% year-over-year, mainly due to a reduction in wafer revenue associated with aerospace and defense applications [31] - Communications infrastructure and data center revenue increased approximately 2% sequentially and 32% year-over-year, with expectations for low 20s percentage growth in 2025 [32] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Automotive represented approximately 18% of the quarter's total revenue, with strong momentum and new design wins from 12 unique customers [24] - Smart mobile devices accounted for approximately 45% of the quarter's total revenue, with significant design wins for the newly launched CIPIC platform [25] - Home and industrial IoT represented approximately 15% of the quarter's total revenue, with partnerships aimed at producing next-generation smart sensors [27] - Communications infrastructure and data center represented approximately 10% of the quarter's total revenue, with new optical networking design wins [28] Company Strategy and Development Direction - GlobalFoundries is focusing on scaling AI in data centers and expanding its optical networking capabilities, estimating a 40% CAGR for the serviceable addressable market through 2030 [8][9] - The company is committed to reshoring semiconductor supply chains to the US, with a $16 billion investment to expand US manufacturing capabilities [14][15] - The strategy includes diversifying the business towards high-margin product platforms, with automotive expected to approach $1.5 billion in annual revenue by 2025 [21][22] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to capture long-term trends driving the industry, emphasizing the importance of differentiated technologies and a resilient global footprint [17] - The ongoing geopolitical conflicts and supply chain challenges are prompting customers to seek non-China, non-Taiwan supply chains, which GlobalFoundries is well-positioned to support [13][14] - The company anticipates strong growth in silicon photonics and physical AI applications, projecting the semiconductor SAM for physical AI to exceed $18 billion by 2030 [12] Other Important Information - Cash flow from operations for the third quarter was $595 million, with CapEx at $189 million, representing roughly 11% of revenue [35] - The company maintains a strong balance sheet with approximately $4.2 billion in cash and cash equivalents and total debt of $1.2 billion [36] - Guidance for the fourth quarter includes expected revenue of $1.8 billion, with gross margin projected at approximately 28.5% [36] Q&A Session Summary Question: Long-term differentiation of silicon photonics business - Management highlighted that GlobalFoundries has been early in developing silicon photonics, focusing on best-in-class device performance and building an ecosystem for customer support [44] Question: Capital and CapEx needs for silicon photonics growth - Management indicated that while specific CapEx guidance for 2026 is not available, an increase in CapEx is expected to support the ramp in demand for silicon photonics [46][48] Question: Revenue guidance for smart mobile devices - Management noted that smart mobile devices are expected to see a low double-digit percentage decline year-over-year, influenced by previous pricing adjustments [53] Question: Onshoring demand and pipeline - Management reported a strong pipeline for US onshoring, with significant customer announcements indicating a potential $15 billion to $20 billion spend in the addressable market [61] Question: GaN strategy and competition - Management expressed excitement about GaN technology, emphasizing its critical role in data centers and infrastructure, and differentiating their strategy from competitors like TSMC [67][70]