ASMPT (00522) saw its shares climb more than 4% during afternoon trading. As of the time of writing, the stock was up 4.28%, trading at HKD 93.9, with a turnover of HKD 179 million. Market sentiment has been buoyed by the sustained heating up of the global semiconductor industry, driven by the dual forces of AI computing power and storage demand. Soochow Securities predicts that domestic semiconductor equipment will enter a period of robust capacity expansion starting in 2026, with projected order growth for the entire semiconductor equipment sector exceeding 30%, potentially even surpassing 50%. This forecast provides a clear expectation for the industry's high growth trajectory. Caitong Securities released a research note stating that ASMPT's new orders have increased year-on-year for six consecutive quarters. The simultaneous boost from AI server demand and domestic requirements is driving an accelerated recovery in its Surface Mount Technology (SMT) business, while its Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI) segment is entering a new upcycle alongside High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) capacity expansion. An increase in the proportion of advanced packaging, structural improvements in SMT, and cost optimization are expected to lead to an inflection point in gross margins and profitability, with significant earnings potential anticipated for the 2025-2027 period. The brokerage expresses optimism regarding the company's potential to increase its market share in China.
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