2025-12-29 01:04Summary of Fiber Optic Cable Industry Conference Call Industry Overview - The global fiber optic cable market has a profit distribution heavily skewed towards the upstream preform segment, accounting for approximately 70% of profits, while the midstream fiber segment accounts for about 20%, and the downstream cable segment only 10% [1][2] - The industry is highly concentrated, with the top 10-11 companies holding over 90% of the global market share. Key players in China include Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable, Hengtong, Zhongtian Technology, and FiberHome [1][3] Core Insights and Arguments - The acceleration of AI construction in North America has led to a surge in demand for fiber optic cables, tightening upstream supply and driving prices up. The price of G652D fiber increased by 10%-20% quarter-over-quarter in Q3 [1][4] - Although domestic manufacturers do not directly serve the North American market, the supply-demand imbalance has indirectly affected non-North American markets, resulting in increasing export volumes and prices for domestic manufacturers [1][4][6] - AI development is reshaping the demand structure for fiber optic cables, with increased demand for both single-mode and multi-mode cables within data centers. Despite the higher cost of multi-mode cables, their lower overall system costs make them widely used in short-distance applications [1][5] - The Data Center Interconnect (DCI) market is expected to grow from $1 billion in 2023 to $3 billion by 2028, driven by AI development. Overseas cloud providers are actively building their own fiber networks, while domestic DCI construction is primarily undertaken by operators using leased fiber or self-built equipment [1][9][10] Important but Overlooked Content - The market for specialty fibers, which have higher prices than standard cables, is projected to grow from $2 billion in 2023 to $3 billion by 2028. The Chinese market for specialty fibers is expected to increase from 7.6 billion RMB to 13.1 billion RMB [2][11] - The demand for AI cables within data centers is projected to grow from 6 million core kilometers in 2023 to over 200 million core kilometers by 2027, with North America expected to account for about 60% of this demand [12][13] - By 2027, a significant supply gap is anticipated in China, where domestic manufacturers currently hold 50%-60% of global capacity, with a utilization rate of 90%. Export revenues from Chinese manufacturers have reached 40%-50%, providing pricing flexibility in non-North American markets [2][14] Recommended Companies - The report recommends investing in companies with leading technology and capacity advantages in the upstream segment, including Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable, Hengtong, Zhongtian Technology, and FiberHome. Emerging suppliers like India's STL are also highlighted as potential beneficiaries of the accelerating global AI construction [7][15]