ASML dethrones Utilized Supplies, turns into world’s largest fab software maker: analyst

Demand for wafer fab gear has been proliferating in recent times, which is why fab toolmakers’ revenues have additionally been setting data. Because it seems, final 12 months, ASML turned the world’s largest maker of fab instruments, dethroning Utilized Supplies, which was a frontrunner for many years, as noticed by analyst Dan Nystedt. Whereas that is hardly competitors and there are a number of the reason why ASML got here first, it’s a outstanding flip of occasions.
ASML earned $29.83 billion in calendar 2023, whereas Utilized’s income achieved $26.52 billion, in keeping with Nystedt. There are a number of issues to bear in mind right here. Firstly, ASML’s monetary 12 months follows the calendar 12 months, whereas Utilized Supplies’s 2023 monetary 12 months ended October 29, 2023. For this reason the analyst used the corporate’s Q1 FY2024 outcomes (which ended on January 28, 2024) for his calculations.
Whereas this isn’t precisely an apples-to-apples comparability, since ASML received by billions, this can be a cheap comparability that displays the tendencies.
There are a number of the reason why ASML managed to remove the fab toolmaking crown from Utilized Supplies. First up, the corporate recognized revenue for 53 Low-NA EUV Twinscan NXE tools (up from 40 in 2022), every of which prices roughly $183 million. As well as, the corporate acknowledged income for 125 deep ultraviolet lithography instruments (up from 81 a 12 months earlier than). Secondly, ASML may promote subtle instruments to Chinese language prospects for many of calendar 2023 as sanctions towards the Chinese language semiconductor sector kicked in solely in September and just for one software. In contrast, gross sales of instruments to Chinese language purchasers by Utilized Supplies had been, to a level, impacted by the U.S. export guidelines launched in October 2023.
Whereas the flip of the tables is excellent, that is actually not a contest as a result of Utilized Supplies doesn’t produce lithography gear. In distinction, ASML doesn’t make instruments for epitaxy, ion implant, deposition, and selective supplies removing. In the meantime, nearly no fabs right now can run with out gear from Utilized Supplies, ASML, KLA, and Tokyo Electron, so these corporations would reasonably complement one another. Moreover, the extra ASML instruments offered, the extra Utilized’s gear is required, so each corporations are set to thrive within the coming years.