1. The inventory has increased again, and the MCU manufacturer Holtek will cut prices in an all-round way starting this month
According to China Taiwan Business Times report, MCU manufacturer Holtek confirmed that it will lower its quotations for channel vendors in an all-round way starting this month. The company expects that the inventory level will increase again in the first quarter of this year, and will not drop significantly until the second quarter, and gradually return to normal. However, in terms of price, it is facing the two major wafer foundries of TSMC and UMC, who insist on prices and the client’s continuous demand. The problem of price reduction has led to a drop in product prices, but the cost has not dropped. Manufacturers can only rely on price cuts to eliminate inventory.
2. The price of silicon wafers has been reduced for the first time in the past three years
According to the Taiwan Economic Daily quoted by IT House, the current situation in the silicon wafer market is that long-term customers request to delay the purchase of goods, and the spot price has recently begun to lead the decline. Spread to 12 inches.
At this stage, the spot quotations for silicon wafers are updated once every three months for some, and for most of them every six months. The silicon fab admitted frankly that it accepts spot price adjustments. The spot price of 6-inch silicon wafers fell by about a single-digit percentage this quarter; 8-inch silicon wafers saw a slight drop in items, and some items saw a slight increase due to continued short supply, with little change on average. Spot quotations for 12-inch silicon wafers are the most stable, but the manufacturer admits that customers have requested price cuts, and the two parties are negotiating.
3. The inventory of memory chips continues to rise in Q1, and the purchasing momentum may only pick up in Q3
According to Taiwan’s Electronic Times quoted by Science and Technology Board Daily, memory chips are facing a large amount of inventory adjustment pressure, the original factory’s operating losses have fallen into a low ebb in the industry, and the inventory level continues to rise.
The supply chain pointed out that the end customers continued the conservative practice of pulling goods, which led to the rising trend of inventory until the first quarter of 2023. Although the subsequent inventory is expected to be gradually reduced, the obvious recovery of purchasing momentum may be delayed until At the end of the third quarter, it may be difficult to hold optimistic expectations for the recovery of the industry throughout the year.
4. Broadcom Chen Fuyang: Will continue to seek large-scale mergers and acquisitions, consider Intel foundry
According to relevant reports quoted by Sina Technology, Broadcom CEO Chen Fuyang said in an interview with the media that after acquiring VMware for US$69 billion, Broadcom will continue to seek more mergers and acquisitions, including the acquisition of semiconductor companies. Broadcom’s deal to acquire VMware is still under review by U.S., U.K. and European regulators.
Affected by the epidemic before, Broadcom also encountered product shortages and supply interruptions. Apart from a handful of specialized components, Broadcom also outsources the manufacturing of its semiconductors. Chen Fuyang said he was also considering Intel as a potential new foundry partner as an alternative to its main supplier TSMC.
5. Murata lowered revenue and capital expenditure forecast again
According to the Science and Technology Board Daily on the 3rd, due to the downturn in the smartphone and PC markets, the inventory adjustment time has been prolonged, resulting in a decrease in demand for communication and computer parts, and a decline in factory utilization. April to March 2023) revenue forecast was lowered to 1.68 trillion yen, down 7.3% year-on-year. At the same time, the capital expenditure of Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in 2023 will also drop from the original 210 billion yen to 200 billion yen.
6. The operating profit of Samsung’s foundry business last year is expected to exceed 2 trillion won
According to TechWeb citing foreign media reports, some securities companies estimate that the revenue of Samsung Electronics’ foundry and system LSI business last year was about 29.93 trillion won, and the operating profit is expected to be 2.6-3.5 trillion won. The operating profit of the foundry business exceeded 2 trillion won last year.
Some analysts predict that Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor business may post a loss this year due to deteriorating conditions in the memory chip market. In such a market environment, Samsung Electronics’ outstanding performance in the foundry business is even more exciting. Regarding the performance of the business this year, insiders of securities companies expect that the revenue will be the same as last year, but the profit will increase.