Renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has forecasted a potential pricing standoff in the semiconductor industry.
What Happened: On Thursday, Kuo an analyst at TF Securities took to X, formerly Twitter, and said that market rumors indicate ASML Holding (NASDAQ:ASML) could hike equipment prices for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Co. Ltd. (NYSE:TSM).
However, Kuo anticipates that TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, and ASML's biggest customer, will likely push back against these price increases.
市場傳言ASML要對台積電漲價設備價格,但我的理解是台積電反而會對ASML砍價.
Market rumors suggest that ASML plans to raise equipment prices for TSMC. However, my understanding is that TSMC is likely to push for price reductions from ASML.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) October 18, 2024
ASML is the sole manufacturer of high-end extreme ultraviolet lithography systems, which are essential for creating advanced chips.
TSMC relies on ASML's EUV technology to manufacture cutting-edge semiconductors for various clients, including tech behemoths like Apple and Nvidia.
Kuo's comments suggest that TSMC's likely push for price reductions from ASML could lead to a pricing standoff between the two companies.
Why It Matters: This development comes after TSMC reported strong third-quarter results, beating estimates due to robust demand for advanced processor node technologies used in AI applications.
The company, which supplies chips to global corporations including Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), guided fourth-quarter revenue sharply above the consensus.
Meanwhile, ASML reported third-quarter net sales of 7.5 billion euros ($8.16 billion), surpassing analyst expectations of 7.12 billion euros. However, the Dutch firm revised the upper limit of its full-year sales forecast,
Earlier in the year, TSMC had expressed concerns about the high costs of ASML's new advanced chip machines.
At a technology symposium, TSMC senior vice president Kevin Zhang commented on the high price of the high-NA extreme ultraviolet system, which costs $380 million each.
著名分析師郭明錦預測半導體行業可能出現定價僵局。
事件經過：週四，TF證券的分析師郭明錦通過X，即前身爲Twitter，表示市場傳言顯示阿斯麥（納斯達克：ASML）可能會提高臺積電（紐交所：TSM）的設備價格。
然而，郭明錦預計，作爲全球最大的代工芯片製造商、阿斯麥最大的客戶，台積電可能會對這些漲價採取反擊。
市場傳言稱，阿斯麥計劃爲台積電提高設備價格。然而，我的理解是，台積電可能會要求阿斯麥降低價格。
市場傳言：阿斯麥計劃爲台積電提高設備價格。但我的理解是，台積電可能會向阿斯麥爭取價格降低。
— 郭明錦（Ming-Chi Kuo）(@mingchikuo)2024年10月18日
阿斯麥是高端極紫外光刻系統的唯一製造商，這對於製造先進芯片至關重要。
台積電依賴阿斯麥的EUV技術爲各種客戶，包括蘋果和英偉達等科技巨頭，製造尖端半導體。
郭明錤的評論表明，台積電可能會要求阿斯麥降低價格，這可能導致兩家公司之間的價格僵持。
爲什麼重要：在臺積電報告強勁的第三季度業績後，其股價超過預期，原因是對用於人工智能應用的先進處理器節點技術的強勁需求。
這家公司向包括英偉達公司（納斯達克: NVDA）和蘋果公司（納斯達克: AAPL）在內的全球公司供應芯片，將第四季度營業收入引導至明顯高於共識。
與此同時，阿斯麥報告第三季度淨銷售額達到了75億歐元（81.6億美元），超過了分析師對71.2億歐元的預期。然而，這家荷蘭公司修訂了全年銷售預測的上限。
在今年早些時候，台積電曾表示擔憂阿斯麥新的先進芯片機器的高成本。
在一次技術研討會上，台積電高級副總裁張凱文評論說，高數值孔徑極紫外系統的高價格每臺達到了38000萬美元。
