Comparing Applied Materials with Lam Research

Comparing Applied Materials with Lam Research
by Robert Castellano on 10-13-2019 at 8:00 am

Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) will announce its quarterly earnings on October 23, 2019, and Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) the following month on November 14, 2019. Both companies make equipment used to manufacture semiconductor devices. While private and institutional investors often own both individual stocks, this article… Read More


The Korea/Japan trade war benefits US more than US/China hurts US

The Korea/Japan trade war benefits US more than US/China hurts US
by Robert Maire on 09-18-2019 at 10:00 am

Investors underestimate Japan/Korea trade war, US chip equip companies get collateral benefit, Long term share shifts in China & Korea, Creates near term upside for US companies, Memory Chip Price “Mirage”.
The lesser known trade war
While the market and the news has been pre-occupied with the ongoing soap
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Moore’s Law extended with new "gateless" transistor

Moore’s Law extended with new "gateless" transistor
by Robert Maire on 04-01-2019 at 10:00 am

Micron Buries the Hatchet with China
Micron has a very long history of counter cyclical investing, buying the assets of vanquished competitors when the memory industry is at the bottom of the cycle, such as it is right now.

Over the weekend, Micron announced that it had an agreement to acquire the assets of the now stalled Jinhua memory… Read More


Changes Coming at the Top in Semiconductor Equipment Ranking

Changes Coming at the Top in Semiconductor Equipment Ranking
by Robert Castellano on 12-10-2018 at 12:00 pm

Semiconductor equipment vendor ranking, which didn’t change much between 2016 and 2017, is undergoing a makeover, as Lam Research, ASML, and Tokyo Electron (TEL) are switching places and top-ranked Applied Materials is getting closer to losing its number one ranking.

Since the 1990s, Applied Materials has been the market leader… Read More


The Disconnect Between Semiconductor and Semiconductor Equipment Revenues

The Disconnect Between Semiconductor and Semiconductor Equipment Revenues
by Robert Castellano on 11-27-2018 at 7:00 am

Historically, the semiconductor and semiconductor equipment industry were inextricably linked due to the cyclical nature of the chip industry. An increase in semiconductor revenues was followed within a short period with an increase in equipment revenues, as semiconductor companies purchased equipment to make more chips… Read More


Chip Stocks have been Choppy but China may return

Chip Stocks have been Choppy but China may return
by Robert Maire on 08-19-2018 at 7:00 am

Applied Materials (AMAT) is batting clean up in a quarter that has not been pretty. Lately semi stocks seem to have been hit by not only stock specific issues but continued and increasing memory concerns coupled with more macro issues. On top of all this, China trade issues which have in the meantime taken a back burner to other issues… Read More


AMAT has OK Q2 but Q3 flat to down

AMAT has OK Q2 but Q3 flat to down
by Robert Maire on 05-20-2018 at 7:00 am

“Puts & Takes” “Reduced NAND Expectations” 2019 to be down from 2018. Applied Materials reported a good quarter coming in at $1.22 EPS and $4.567B in revenues versus street of $1.14 and $4.45B.

However if we back out the buy back of 4% it would have been around $1.17 so a slight beat. Guidance was for … Read More


Semi Equip Stocks Roll Over & Play Dead? Semicon Post Partum Depression?

Semi Equip Stocks Roll Over & Play Dead? Semicon Post Partum Depression?
by Robert Maire on 07-28-2015 at 4:00 pm

Are Semi Equipment Stocks & Industry Rolling Over?
Is there any Upside in the second half of 2015?
Waiting for next years iPhone 7 refresh?
Does Windows 10 even matter?

“Sell in May and Go Away”

An old investor’s adage that has proven correct this year. The Semiconductor Equipment stocks seemed to have had
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Intel Goes After Broadcom

Intel Goes After Broadcom
by Robert Maire on 04-01-2015 at 1:00 pm

Intel continues shopping spree with Broadcom
AMAT drops TEL merger due to high remedy cost
Global Foundries wins Apple A9 business at 20nm for 6S & “6C”

Intel follows Altera with Broadcom chaser…..
Sources in the industry have confirmed that Intel is advanced discussions to acquire Broadcom, following… Read More


7nm node is arriving, which ones will continue past 2020?

7nm node is arriving, which ones will continue past 2020?
by Pawan Fangaria on 02-17-2015 at 6:30 pm

‘Laughing Buddha’ is eternal, but for semiconductor industry, I must say it’s ‘laughing Moore’. Moore made a predictive hypothesis and the whole world is inclined to let that continue, eternally? When we were at 28nm, we weren’t hoping to go beyond 20/22nm; voices like ‘Moore’s law is dead’ started emerging. Today, we are already… Read More