Strong End to 2023 Drives Healthy 2024

Strong End to 2023 Drives Healthy 2024
by Bill Jewell on 02-16-2024 at 6:00 am

Semiconductor Market Change 2024

The global semiconductor market grew 8.4% in 4Q 2023 from 3Q 2023, according to WSTS. The 8.4% gain was the highest quarter-to-quarter growth since 9.1% in 2Q 2021. This was also the highest 3Q to 4Q increase in 20 years, since an 11% rise in 4Q 2003. 4Q 2023 was up 11.6% from a year ago, following five quarters of negative year-to-year… Read More


The Recovery has Started and it’s off to a Great Start!

The Recovery has Started and it’s off to a Great Start!
by Malcolm Penn on 08-11-2023 at 6:00 am

Semiconductor Recovery 2023

August’s WSTS Blue Book showed Q2-2023 sales rebounding strongly, up 4.2 percent vs. Q1, heralding the end of the downturn and welcome news for the beleaguered chip industry.

The really good news, however, was that the downturn bottomed one quarter earlier than previously anticipated. This pull-forward only added a modest US$11… Read More


Semiconductor Decline in 2023

Semiconductor Decline in 2023
by Bill Jewell on 09-22-2022 at 8:00 am

Semiconductor MArket Forecast 2022 1

The semiconductor market dropped 0.8 percent in 2Q 2022 versus 1Q 2022, according to WSTS. The 2Q 2022 decline followed a 0.5% quarter-to-quarter decline in 1Q 2022. The 2Q 2022 revenues of the top 15 semiconductor suppliers match the overall market results, with a 1% decline from 1Q 2022. The results by company were mixed. Memory… Read More


2022 Semiconductor Supercycle and 2023 Crash Scenario

2022 Semiconductor Supercycle and 2023 Crash Scenario
by Daniel Nenni on 08-26-2022 at 6:00 am

2021 Semiconductor Forecast Summary

Charles Shi, semiconductor analyst at Needham & Company, an US-based investment bank and asset management firm, hosted an expert call on semiconductor cycles with Malcolm Penn, Founder and CEO of Future Horizons on 18 August 2022, with over 100 financial analysts in attendance.  The following bulletin is a summary of the… Read More


The Semiconductor Market Downturn Has Started

The Semiconductor Market Downturn Has Started
by Malcolm Penn on 08-07-2022 at 6:00 am

Growth Rate Trends

What we alone said would surely happen, but what was widely denied by the industry, was confirmed with June’s WSTS Blue Book report.  Right on cue with our December 2021 forecast, the current semiconductor Super Cycle is finally drawing to a close and the 17th market downturn has now well and truly started.

The Macro Evidence

At the… Read More


Semiconductors Weakening in 2022

Semiconductors Weakening in 2022
by Bill Jewell on 06-18-2022 at 6:00 am

June 2022 companies

The semiconductor market in 2022 is weakening. Driving factors include rising inflation, the Russian war on Ukraine, COVID-19 related shutdowns in China, and lingering supply chain issues. Four of the top 14 semiconductor companies (Intel, Qualcomm, Nvidia and Texas Instruments) are expecting lower revenues in 2Q 2022 versus… Read More


Semiconductor CapEx Warning

Semiconductor CapEx Warning
by Bill Jewell on 04-27-2022 at 4:00 pm

CAPEX Growth 2022

Semiconductor makers are planning strong capital expenditure (CapEx) growth in 2022. According to IC Insights, 13 companies plan to increase CapEx in 2022 by over 40% from 2021. The largest CapEx for 2022 will be from TSMC at $42 billion, up 40%, and Intel at $27 billion, up 44%. IC Insights is forecasting total semiconductor industry… Read More


Semiconductor CapEx too strong?

Semiconductor CapEx too strong?
by Bill Jewell on 10-28-2021 at 1:00 pm

Oct 2021 capex2

Semiconductor capital expenditures (CapEx) are on track for strong growth in 2021. For many companies the increase should continue into 2022. TSMC, the dominant foundry company, expects to spend $30 billion in CapEx in 2021, a 74% increase from 2020. TSMC announced in March it plans to invest $100 billion over the next three years,… Read More


Supply Issues Limit 2021 Semiconductor Growth

Supply Issues Limit 2021 Semiconductor Growth
by Bill Jewell on 05-23-2021 at 10:00 am

Top Semiconductor Revenues 2021

Worldwide semiconductor shipments were $123.1 billion in 1Q 2021, up 3.6% from 4Q 2020 and up 17.8% from a year ago, according to WSTS. The 3.6% quarter-to-quarter growth was the highest for a first quarter since 1Q 2010, eleven years ago. The strong growth in 1Q21 implies strong growth in the following quarters and for the year 2021.… Read More


Electronics Back Strongly in 2021

Electronics Back Strongly in 2021
by Bill Jewell on 03-19-2021 at 8:00 am

Electronics Production 2021

Electronics production has recovered strongly from slowdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most major Asian electronic producers reported double-digit increases in early 2021. The chart below shows three-month-average change versus a year ago for electronics production. The data is from each country’s official statistics… Read More