Chapter 476 AMAT's Big Event

In January this year, Peter Wen, CEO of ASML, expressed arrogantly in front of the media. “It’s unlikely that DaXia will be able to replicate cutting-edge lithography technology on its own, as ASML relies on relentless innovation and integrating components that are only available from non-DaXia suppliers. But I don’t mean it’s absolutely impossible. , because the laws of physics in Daxia are the same as here, never be so absolute, they will definitely try."

What does it mean that Daxia’s physical laws are the same as theirs?

All I have to say is that although Daxia is on the same planet as us, their technology is very backward.

It's harsh words, but in the past two years, ASML has been recruiting people uncharacteristically behind the scenes.

Just from the public data, ASML has a net increase of more than 4,000 new employees in Xiayin 1021. CEO Peter Wen also said that by the end of Xiayin 1022, the number of employees will increase by nearly 40% compared to two years ago.

From the perspective of industrial layout, even without the sudden emergence of large-scale semiconductor companies such as Jiuzhou Technology, Xiaxin Technology, and Pudong Microelectronics, the process of the global semiconductor industry's transfer to Asia will still not change.

Daxia Ryukyu Province, where TSMC's headquarters is located, is still ASML's largest market. Last year, 51% of ASML's lithography systems were sent to the local area in the entire quarter, while Korea was the company's second largest market, with 27% in the same period. The lithography systems are shipped to the local area, followed by the mainland of Daxia, ASML’s third largest market, with 22% of the lithography systems shipped to the local area.

North America and Neon accounted for 10% and 1% of ASML's shipments respectively, and their share even fell to 0 in the fourth quarter of last year.

Because AMD has conquered the computer CPU field, Intel spent a lot of money to maintain its position, allowing it to order ASML's first next-generation high numerical aperture EUV lithography machine at the beginning of this year. .

According to official documents, this EUV lithography machine with the highest numerical aperture is expected to be put into use by the end of Xia Yun 1024 at the earliest.

Obviously, the performance of this year's 12th generation Core processors did not satisfy Intel. AMD's strong offensive and the rise of Daxia Semiconductor made the veteran giant feel a crisis.

It's just that these giants may be a little slow.

I still remember that on January 5, 1019, Xia Yin celestial calendar, Pudong Microelectronics held a 28-nanometer lithography machine press conference, which also officially launched the rise of Daxia semiconductor high-end process lithography machines.

And on February 15, 2022, the fifth day after Jiuzhou Technology announced that it would initiate a lawsuit against Uncle Sam FCC, Pudong Microelectronics held a second-generation SS1MB light source lithography machine that can produce 5-nanometer chips. press conference.

Previously, Xia Xin Technology boasted about Haikou, a 5-nanometer process chip. Although the market was very excited, because there was no official endorsement and no actual product, Xia Xin Technology's stock price rose. However, after a few days, Then it started to level off.

However, as soon as the press conference of Pudong Microelectronics started, and the person in charge said that the lithography machine has been put into use by Daxia semiconductor companies such as Xiaxin Technology and Jiuzhou Technology, the stocks of companies such as Xiaxin Technology and Dajiang Storage opened a new session. Round of soaring.

Semiconductor companies and related institutions in Europe, America, Neon, and Korea are looking for trouble almost all the time. From patented intellectual property rights to theft of production technology in the semiconductor industry, to unreasonable competition, violations of non-compete agreements by former employees, and other means every day. .

But this kind of trouble-seeking has been stuck in the quagmire of legal disputes, and there is no result in three to five years.

In recent years, law students in Daxia and students majoring in tiankeng manufacturing have basically not worried about employment and salary issues. In addition to strong demand from domestic companies, the insidious actions of foreign companies are undoubtedly the best employment assistance.

In addition, Kyushu standard industrial software has completely replaced the dominance of foreign industrial software in semiconductors.

Dixon, CEO of Applied Materials Co., Ltd., the world's leader in semiconductor equipment, said very helplessly at the meeting: "Gentlemen and ladies, I'm sorry, we have lost 90% of orders from Daxia enterprises. "If we cannot come up with better equipment, process solutions and industrial software, our company's financial and market share may suffer an unprecedented blow this year."

Not to mention the hoarse voices of directors and senior management, some clues can be seen just after the meeting, when some trust institutions and financial companies reduced their positions in Applied Materials Co., Ltd.

However, this sneak attack actually caused a chain effect. In just one week, Applied Materials AMAT's stock price fell by more than 7.5%, and the entire sector began to "fall and fall."

In response to the stock market crisis, Applied Materials CEO Dickson hurriedly held a press conference.

At the meeting, Dixon put his painting skills on full display and said: “We are also mindful of broader macroeconomic risks. In this downturn in the industry, my primary focus is to ensure that organizations are executing to put Applied Materials in the Plans for the best location in the future.

Applied Materials has always had projects planned in high-growth areas such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and big data. Although the technology industry is an unstable field, AMAT is backed by the world's top three semiconductor giants. We have sufficient funds and technical reserves to deal with the barbaric enemies in the east! "

After the meeting, Applied Materials' stocks were frantically bought by mysterious institutions, and the stock price, which had been falling, actually began to rise.

But just when everything began to improve, the Wall Street Journal published an article titled "North American high-tech manufacturing industry flees, Asian chip industry rises"

The article first recalled the glorious history of the North American semiconductor industry. For example, thirty years ago, Europe and the United States produced more than three-quarters of the world's semiconductors, but now, their share is less than one-fifth.

Finally, it predicted: If the situation continues to maintain its current trend, it is expected that Europe and the United States' share in the chip manufacturing field will further decline in the next few years, and the mainland of Daxia is expected to become the world's largest chip production site before the 1030th year of the Xia Yinxing calendar.

This article has data and arguments, and is endorsed by experts, which makes many shareholders who just hold shares of Applied Materials in the United States wonder.

There is a very strange phenomenon in Europe and the United States. Due to the strange operations of relevant departments for decades, the public's trust in large companies and large media has long exceeded the trust in relevant departments.

This report published by the mouthpiece of Wall Street, after being reprinted by many TV stations and newspapers, has aroused a thousand waves in the hearts of shareholders.

After reading this report, Dickson, CEO of Applied Materials, could no longer maintain a calm attitude and immediately consulted the director with a Wall Street background.

After a series of twists and turns, he finally got the answer he didn't want.

"It's not easy to buy AMAT's stock price now, but it's easy to sell it short. Don't worry, we will maintain the bottom line."

The words of the Wall Street director were like the whispers of the devil, lingering in Dickson's ears for a long time.