AI And Edge Computing Will Drive Advanced Packaging Demand

Key Takeaways

• Accelerating AI adoption and advanced packaging trends are driving outsized revenue growth, improved visibility, and strengthened partnerships with major semiconductor manufacturers.
  
• Next-generation inspection systems and surging demand for complex, miniaturized chips position Camtek for sustained margin expansion and robust recurring income.
  
• Heavy dependence on Asian markets, concentrated revenue streams, industry volatility, regulatory pressures, and rising competition threaten Camtek's growth, margins, and earnings stability.

Catalysts

Develops, manufactures, and sells inspection and metrology equipment for semiconductor industry.

• Camtek is experiencing surging demand from the rapid expansion of high-performance computing and artificial intelligence markets, supported by the proliferation of AI-powered server farms and the expected adoption of AI in edge devices such as automotive, robotics, PCs, and eventually mobile phones. This secular growth is set to accelerate HPC wafer production and inspection needs, driving significant top-line revenue increases well above industry growth rates.
  
• The advanced packaging market, including CoWoS and chiplet-based architectures, is undergoing massive capacity builds, notably with TSMC doubling advanced packaging CapEx and OSATs entering the market. Camtek’s strong relationships and established position with key OSATs and foundries position it to capture a larger share of this expanding market, meaningfully boosting revenue growth and improving visibility.
  
• The introduction of Camtek’s next-generation inspection systems, Eagle G5 and Hawk, is expected to increase the company’s total addressable market by enabling it to serve both higher-end, more complex applications and drive market share gains from current competitors. Ramp of these new models is expected to be margin accretive, with full positive impact on gross margins materializing in 2026 as production efficiencies improve.
  
• Intensifying complexity and miniaturization in semiconductor devices, especially with the shift to technologies like HBM4 and hybrid bonding, require 100% inspection and more frequent metrology steps, solidifying Camtek’s recurring, higher-margin business model and creating tailwinds for sustainable operating income and earnings growth.
  
• Long-term adoption of AI, electrification, and digitalization trends across data centers, electric vehicles, and broader industrial sectors will continue to fuel secular increases in semiconductor demand. This ongoing wave of adoption is expected to lead to further fab expansions, strengthening Camtek’s revenue pipeline for both tools and recurring service, while operating leverage and an expanding installed base drive ongoing margin and net earnings improvement.

Camtek Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• This narrative explores a more optimistic perspective on Camtek compared to the consensus, based on a Fair Value that aligns with the bullish cohort of analysts.
• The bullish analysts are assuming Camtek's revenue will grow by 15.1% annually over the next 3 years.
• The bullish analysts assume that profit margins will shrink from 27.6% today to 25.1% in 3 years time.
• The bullish analysts expect earnings to reach $163.9 million (and earnings per share of $3.47) by about May 2028, up from $118.5 million today. The analysts are largely in agreement about this estimate.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the price target of the more bullish analyst cohort, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 48.0x on those 2028 earnings, up from 25.9x today. This future PE is greater than the current PE for the US Semiconductor industry at 22.5x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to grow by 1.0% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 12.56%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Camtek Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• The company’s heavy geographic exposure to Asia, especially reliance on China for 30% to 35% of revenue, leaves it vulnerable to geopolitical tensions and trade restrictions, which can significantly disrupt revenue growth and predictability.
  
• Camtek’s business is highly concentrated in advanced packaging for high-performance computing, with approximately half of revenue coming from this segment; any stagnation in HPC demand or the rapid emergence of disruptive inspection technologies could erode top-line revenue and threaten long-term growth.
  
• Intensifying environmental regulations and labor market disruptions across the semiconductor industry have the potential to inflate operational costs for both Camtek and its customers, pressuring net margins and possibly leading to a reduction or deferral in equipment spending.
  
• The semiconductor equipment industry is characterized by cyclical swings and risks of overcapacity, meaning that downturns or inventory digestion periods—such as delays in TSMC ramping up production capacity—could sharply reduce Camtek’s order intake, creating significant earnings volatility.
  
• Increasing competition and potential commoditization of optical inspection and metrology tools, including from better capitalized peers and possible advances in AI-based inspection, could drive margin compression and reduce Camtek’s long-term earnings power.

Valuation

• The assumed bullish price target for Camtek is $120.0, which is the highest price target estimate amongst analysts. This valuation is based on what can be assumed as the expectations of Camtek's future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors from analysts on the bullish end of the spectrum.
• However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $120.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $80.0.
• In order for you to agree with the bullish analysts, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $654.0 million, earnings will come to $163.9 million, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 48.0x, assuming you use a discount rate of 12.6%.
• Given the current share price of $67.28, the bullish analyst price target of $120.0 is 43.9% 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.