Chapter 6 – Specialization in the Semiconductor Industry

Chapter 6 – Specialization in the Semiconductor Industry
by Wally Rhines on 08-16-2019 at 6:00 am

Recently, the combined market share of the top ten and top twenty semiconductor companies has been increasing, contrary to the trend of the last fifty years.  Given the acceleration in mergers and acquisitions that began in 2015, one might assume that, as the semiconductor industry approaches maturity, companies are consolidating… Read More


Qualcomm Continues to Mislead its Own Stockholders

Qualcomm Continues to Mislead its Own Stockholders
by Daniel Nenni on 02-12-2018 at 7:00 am

The war of words continues between Broadcom and Qualcomm and the stock analysts still seem to be split on the merger. Please note that Broadcom is proposing to merge with Qualcomm instead of a tender offer which is what Qualcomm has proposed for the acquisition on NXP. Same result but two very different approaches. Another interesting… Read More


Analysis of Cypress Semiconductor acquisition of Broadcom wireless IoT assets

Analysis of Cypress Semiconductor acquisition of Broadcom wireless IoT assets
by Dale Ford on 05-10-2016 at 4:00 pm

Cypress Semiconductor announced that it will acquire Broadcom’s wireless Internet of Things (IoT) business in a $550 million deal. The deal was announced on Thursday, April 28, at the same time it announced that T.J. Rodgers will step down as CEO. The deal transfers Broadcom’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Zigbee product… Read More


2015 semiconductor market flat, 2016 looking somewhat better

2015 semiconductor market flat, 2016 looking somewhat better
by Bill Jewell on 02-27-2016 at 7:00 am

The 2015 semiconductor market finished with a 0.2% decline from 2014, according to World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS). Optimists will round this to flat with 2014. The flat 2015 follows healthy 9.9% growth in 2014. Going into 2015, forecasts were in the range of 3% to 11%. We at Semiconductor Intelligence were at the high… Read More


IDMs are Much Ahead of Fabless Semicon Companies

IDMs are Much Ahead of Fabless Semicon Companies
by Pawan Fangaria on 12-06-2015 at 7:00 am

In a balancing global economy, it’s a common phenomenon that at certain times a few sectors or segments within the sectors grow much faster compared to others. And a few companies within the growing sectors lead those sectors. Both the growing sectors and the leading companies in those sectors become the centers of attraction. … Read More


Dinner with the Man who is Reshaping the Semiconductor Industry!

Dinner with the Man who is Reshaping the Semiconductor Industry!
by Daniel Nenni on 10-07-2015 at 4:00 pm

The recent mega acquisition of Broadcom Corp by Avago can be traced all the way back to Silicon Valley stalwart Hewlett Packard (founded in a two car Palo Alto garage in 1939). Even more interesting is the man behind the acquisition and how he got to where he is today.Avago began as the semiconductor products division of HP in 1961, … Read More


Make American Semiconductor Great Again!

Make American Semiconductor Great Again!
by Daniel Nenni on 08-10-2015 at 4:00 pm

As I watched the GOP debate between the top 10 candidates last week I asked myself which one of those men would I pick to help the United States stay competitive in the semiconductor industry. I’m saddened to say that the only candidate even remotely qualified for that conversation in my opinion is Donald Trump. Of course I backed Ross… Read More


Is Avago Chip Industry’s Cisco?

Is Avago Chip Industry’s Cisco?
by Majeed Ahmad on 06-04-2015 at 3:00 pm

If Ford is a reference model for value chain in the Industrial Age, Cisco is the icon of the twenty-first-century digital economy. The networking gear maker, who achieved phenomenal growth with the rise of the Internet, has been remarkably successful in snapping up and integrating scores of companies for products it could not … Read More


Changing Trends at the Top of Semicon Space

Changing Trends at the Top of Semicon Space
by Pawan Fangaria on 05-31-2015 at 5:00 am

As we have moved down from a CAGR of ~9% over last three decades to a CAGR of ~5% in the current decade, it’s time to check the realities. It can be definitely argued that a 5% of CAGR over a solid base of ~$378 billion should be considered good enough. In my view that’s the sign of maturity in the semiconductor market. At the same time we are… Read More


Semiconductor Acquisitions will Fuel Innovation!

Semiconductor Acquisitions will Fuel Innovation!
by Daniel Nenni on 05-30-2015 at 7:00 am

Has the semiconductor world gone acquisition crazy? It certainly seems that way with the more than $60B in M&A activity which may now include Altera. We are probably getting close to the 80/20 rule where 80% of the semiconductor revenue is being generated by 20% of the companies. Not far off from where we were at 25 years ago when… Read More