AI Demand Will Fuel Future Need For SoC And Memory Testers

Key Takeaways

• Strong demand for high-performance semiconductors and SoC testers is expected to drive sales growth and improve margins.
  
• Strategic supply enhancements and share repurchases aim to boost production capacity and shareholder returns.
  
• Dependence on AI and HPC demand, geopolitical risks, competition, and supply chain stability are key factors that could impact Advantest's growth and market position.

Catalysts

Manufactures and sells semiconductors, component test system products, and mechatronics related products in Japan, the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

• Advantest is experiencing robust demand for high-performance semiconductors used in AI, leading to expectations of continued strong sales growth. This is likely to positively impact revenue.
  
• The company is strengthening its tester supply capabilities in response to high demand, which could enhance production capacity and lead to higher sales and improved earnings.
  
• Advantest's share repurchase program of up to ¥50 billion is expected to enhance shareholder returns and improve capital efficiency, potentially increasing earnings per share (EPS).
  
• Advantest anticipates increased sales of SoC testers and memory testers, indicating higher future demand in these segments could boost revenue and gross profit margin.
  
• The company is observing increasing complexity in semiconductors, which may drive greater demand for testing services, positively influencing future revenue and net margins.

Advantest Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming Advantest's revenue will grow by 11.2% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from 17.7% today to 23.4% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to reach ¥191.9 billion (and earnings per share of ¥272.77) by about December 2027, up from ¥105.7 billion today. However, there is a considerable amount of disagreement amongst the analysts with the most bullish expecting ¥256.3 billion in earnings, and the most bearish expecting ¥155.0 billion.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 44.1x on those 2027 earnings, down from 59.0x today. This future PE is greater than the current PE for the JP Semiconductor industry at 32.1x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 1.65% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 6.82%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Advantest Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• The recovery in demand for testers used for applications outside high-performance computing remains weak, which could impact overall revenue growth.
  
• Dependence on robust AI and HPC sector demand means any slowdown in these areas could negatively affect their earnings outlook and forecasts.
  
• While current supply chain management appears stable, any unforeseen disruptions could lead to an inability to meet growing demand, affecting revenue and net margins.
  
• Geopolitical risks, particularly involving China, present uncertainties that could disrupt business operations and impact future revenue streams.
  
• Intense competition, especially cited from main competitors investing in R&D for SoC and memory testers, could lead to a loss of market share, affecting overall profitability and market valuation.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of ¥9875.0 for Advantest based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of ¥11100.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just ¥6000.0.
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2027, revenues will be ¥821.5 billion, earnings will come to ¥191.9 billion, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 44.1x, assuming you use a discount rate of 6.8%.
• Given the current share price of ¥8435.0, the analyst's price target of ¥9875.0 is 14.6% higher.
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.