KLAC – OK Qtr/Guide – Slow Growth – 2025 Leading Edge Offset by China – Mask Mash

KLAC – OK Qtr/Guide – Slow Growth – 2025 Leading Edge Offset by China – Mask Mash
by Robert Maire on 11-02-2024 at 8:00 am

KLAC 2024
  • KLA put up an OK Quarter & Guide with modest growth & outlook
  • 2025 remains slow growth as leading edge offset by China slowing
  • China sanctions remain a “great unknown”- impact unclear
  • Reticle biz getting squeezed from both high & low ends
OK quarter with slight beat as always- Guide is OK as well

KLA reported… Read More


LRCX- Coulda been worse but wasn’t so relief rally- Flattish is better than down

LRCX- Coulda been worse but wasn’t so relief rally- Flattish is better than down
by Robert Maire on 10-27-2024 at 8:00 am

Happy Lamb
  • Lam put in good quarter with flattish guide- still a slow recovery
  • This is better than worst case fears of order drop like ASML
  • China spend is slowing but tech spending increase offsets
  • Relief rally as the market was braced for bad news and got OK news
Lam has OK, slightly better than in line quarter with OK guide….

It coulda been… Read More


5 Expectations for the Memory Markets in 2025

5 Expectations for the Memory Markets in 2025
by Daniel Nenni on 10-01-2024 at 10:00 am

Expectations for the Memory Markets in 2025

TechInsights has a new memory report that is worth a look. It is free if you are a registered member which I am. HBM is of great interest and there is a section on emerging and embedded memories for chip designers. Even though I am more of a logic person, memory is an important part of the semiconductor industry. In fact, logic and memory

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LRCX- Mediocre, flattish, long, U shaped bottom- No recovery in sight yet-2025?

LRCX- Mediocre, flattish, long, U shaped bottom- No recovery in sight yet-2025?
by Robert Maire on 04-29-2024 at 8:00 am

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– Lam reports another flat quarter & guide- No recovery in sight yet
– Seems like no expectation of recovery until 2025- Mixed results
– DRAM good- NAND weak- Foundry/Logic mixed-Mature weakening
– Clearly disappointing to investors & stock hoping for a chip recovery

Another Flat Quarter &
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KLAC- OK Quarter & flat guide- Hopefully 2025 recovery- Big China % & Backlog

KLAC- OK Quarter & flat guide- Hopefully 2025 recovery- Big China % & Backlog
by Robert Maire on 01-30-2024 at 6:00 am

KLAC Foundry Logic

– KLAC reported an OK QTR & flat guide-waiting for 2025 recovery?
– China exposure remains both risk & savior & big in backlog
– Wafer inspect strong- Patterning on long slide- PCB biz for sale
– Some bright spots but memory still weak- Foundry/Logic OK

Bumping along the bottom of the cycle
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LRCX- In line Q4 & flat guide- No recovery yet- China still 40%- Lags Litho

LRCX- In line Q4 & flat guide- No recovery yet- China still 40%- Lags Litho
by Robert Maire on 01-29-2024 at 6:00 am

Lam Research LCRX

– Lam reported as expected and guided flat- No recovery yet
– Some mix shifts but China still 40% (8X US at 5%)-NVM still low
– HBM is promising but Lam needs a broad memory recovery
– Lam has not seen order surge ASML saw- Likely lagging by 3-4 QTRs

An in line quarter and uninspiring flat guide for Q1

As compared… Read More


Micron Ugly Free Fall Continues as Downcycle Shapes Come into Focus

Micron Ugly Free Fall Continues as Downcycle Shapes Come into Focus
by Robert Maire on 12-26-2022 at 6:00 am

Micron Crashing 2022

-Micron off the proverbial cliff and falling faster
-Looking at a much longer/deeper decline in memory
-Layoffs, capex cuts, slowdowns- battening down the hatches
-Micron seems to imply more of a “U” or “L” shaped downcycle

Micron’s numbers as bad as we expected And much worse than most on the

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Micron- “The first cut isn’t the deepest”- Chops production & forecast further

Micron- “The first cut isn’t the deepest”- Chops production & forecast further
by Robert Maire on 11-23-2022 at 6:00 am

Micron SemiWiki 2022

-Micron announces more production cuts & lower forecast
-DRAM will be negative- NAND sounds barely flat (for now)
-Capital spending to be cut to near zero- essential only
-Will the rest of the industry follow suit?

“The first cut isn’t the deepest”
(Apologies to Rod Stewart)

When Micron first announced… Read More


Micron kicks off the down cycle – Chops 2023 capex – Holding inventory off street

Micron kicks off the down cycle – Chops 2023 capex – Holding inventory off street
by Robert Maire on 07-02-2022 at 10:00 am

Stock Crash 2022

-Micron reports weak outlook for fiscal Q4
-2023 capex to be down versus 2022 capex of $12B & Q3’s $2B
-Company keeping inventory off street to support pricing
-Memory is usually the first shoe to drop in a down cycle

Sharp drop in demand at end of Q3…..

Micron reported a sharp drop in demand at the end of its fiscal Q3,… Read More


AMAT – Supply Constraints continue & Backlog Builds- Almost sold out for 2022

AMAT – Supply Constraints continue & Backlog Builds- Almost sold out for 2022
by Robert Maire on 02-20-2022 at 6:00 am

Applied Materials

-Production constraints push backlog up $1.3B to $8B
-Looks like $100B in WFE 2022 VS $80B in 2021
-Almost sold out for 2022- Could lead to continued growth 2023
-Insp/metrology up 68% Y/Y- Expect steady growth in 2022

Can’t keep up with demand….

Revenue came in at $6.27B and NonGAAP EPS of $1.89. A very slight beat of … Read More