Category: Semiconductors

Prosecutor Says Samsung Scandal a Sign of – Chronic Corruption’

South Korea’s special prosecutor accused Jay Y. Lee and other Samsung Group executives of conspiring to create fake documents to mask millions of dollars in bribes funneled to a confidante of the nation’s president. Lee, the de facto head of Samsung, is alleged to have committed perjury when he said he didn’t know his company had paid money to entities controlled by Choi Soon-sil, and that he wasn’t asked by President Park Geun-hye to provide financial support.

Micron Stock Rising on Goldman Upgrade

Shares of Micron Technology are higher by 4.42% to $24.48 on Wednesday afternoon, after the chip-maker was upgraded to “buy” from “neutral” at Goldman Sachs . The firm upgraded the stock as it sees a “tactical opportunity” in the name, CNBC.com reports.

Toshiba Said to Seek Bids for Chip Unit at $13 Billion Value

Toshiba Corp. is sending letters soliciting offers for its memory chip business this week and seeking bids that value it at about 1.5 trillion yen , according to people familiar with the matter. The Japanese conglomerate is offering a majority stake in the chip unit and would be willing to sell the entire business, said the people, asking not to be identified because the matter is private.

Korean Prosecutors to Indict Samsung Heir on Graft Charges

South Korea’s special prosecutor plans to indict Jay Y. Lee, the de facto head of Samsung Group, on bribery charges in the latest blow to the country’s largest conglomerate amid a generational handover. Lee will stand trial over accusations he participated in bribes made in exchange for government favors, with formal changes to be filed Tuesday against him and four other executives.

Korean Prosecutors to Indict Samsung Heir on Graft Charges

South Korea’s special prosecutor plans to indict Jay Y. Lee, the de facto head of Samsung Group, on bribery charges along with four other executives, dealing a blow to the country’s largest conglomerate as it prepares for a generational handover. Formal charges would mean Lee stands trial over accusations of involvement in bribes for government favors.

Samsung Heir Lee Arrives Shackled at Special Prosecutors Office

South Korean police on Saturday led Jay Y. Lee, hands bound with rope, into a special prosecutors office after arresting the de facto head of the country’s largest industrial conglomerate in a corruption probe that includes allegations of bribery. Lee, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Co., was shown on a YTN television broadcast being led into the office in Seoul around 2:20 p.m. local time after spending his first night in police custody.

Samsung Chief Lee Arrested as South Korean Corruption Probe Deepens

Samsung Group chief Jay Y. Lee was arrested early on Friday over his alleged role in a corruption scandal rocking the highest levels of power in South Korea, dealing a fresh blow to the world’s biggest maker of smartphones and memory chips. The 48-year-old Lee, scion of the country’s richest family, was taken into custody at the Seoul Detention Centre after waiting there overnight for the decision.

Qorvo, Cirrus Show the Risks of Betting on Just One Apple Supplier

Though Apple surged to new 52-week highs yesterday in the wake of a sales and earnings beat as well as stronger-than-expected iPhone print, a pair of chip suppliers are lower today due to the guidance provided in their Wednesday afternoon reports. The reasons behind their subdued outlooks provide some good lessons about why strong numbers from Apple — or for that matter, Samsung — don’t always spell the same for major suppliers.

Maxim Integrated: Cramer’s Top Takeaways

Did you miss last night’s “Mad Money” on CNBC ? If so, here are some of Jim Cramer’s top takeaways. The semiconductor stocks have been roaring as of late, but Cramer discovered one forgotten name that still has a lot of potential, Maxim Integrated .

European Apple Suppliers Advance After Stellar iPhone Sales Results

Imagination Technologies and other European suppliers to Apple rallied early Wednesday after the U.S. tech giant reported better-than-expected earnings backed by stellar iPhone sales. Chip designer Imagination jumped 3% to change hands a three-week high of 243 pence each by 08:30 GMT in London, while chip maker STMicroelectronics rose 2.2% in Paris to a 12.47 each, just a few cents shy of its all-time high of a 12.50 each.

How Skyworks Solutions Inc Is Growing Beyond Apple

A first quarter earnings beat and a stronger outlook for the ongoing quarter sent its stock soaring to new 52-week highs, as it rose over 13% in a single day. For the fiscal second quarter, Skyworks believes that its revenue will grow 8% year-over-year to $840 million, exceeding the consensus forecast of $818 million, while earnings of $1.40 per share should significantly outpace analyst estimates of $1.24 per share.

This Week in Solar

In 2011, then Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy Steven Chu launched the SunShot initiative with a goal of cutting the cost of installing a utility-scale solar system for $1 per watt by 2020. At the time, I called the 74% reduction in the cost of solar in a decade ” an audacious goal .”

Cree Shares Up Nearly 5% On Company’s Earnings, Sales Beat

Shares of Cree Inc. rose nearly 5% late Tuesday after the LED lighting maker reported fiscal second-quarter adjusted earnings and sales above expectations. Cree said it earned $6 million, or 6 cents a share, in the fiscal second quarter, compared with $13 million, or 13 cents a share, for the second quarter of fiscal 2016.

What Happened in the Stock Market Today

Financial stocks remained popular on a day that saw a new administration take over the executive branch, and that kept the Financial Sector Select SPDR ETF among the most heavily traded exchange-traded funds. Meanwhile, gold price volatility swung in the positive direction for owners of the Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bull 3X ETF Procter & Gamble shares gained 3% following the release of surprisingly strong quarterly earnings results.

Friday’s ETF Movers: SOXX, XBI

In trading on Friday, the iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF is outperforming other ETFs, up about 1.5% on the day. Components of that ETF showing particular strength include shares of Skyworks Solutions , up about 12.9% and shares of Cirrus Logic , up about 5.4% on the day.

How This Apple Inc. Supplier Created Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs in the United States

TSMC is believed to be the sole manufacturer of the Apple-designed A10 applications processor that powers the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and it also builds chips for many chips that Apple procured from third-party suppliers, to boot. My first question is regarding the advisory reports to the U.S. President this Friday, because in a report, the U.S. seems want to ensure their semiconductor leadership, especially in the leading-edge, so what will be TSMC’s strategy to beating this policy direction and ensure your own leadership? Thanks.

Samsung Succession in Disarray as Lee Criminal Case Advances

The long-orchestrated plan to cement Jay Y. Lee’s position atop Samsung Group may put him in jail instead, raising questions about who would step in to run South Korea’s biggest conglomerate in the aftermath. Prosecutors are seeking Lee’s arrest on allegations including bribery and embezzlement, which if proven could prompt him to relinquish duties at the family business.

Samsung Succession in Disarray as Lee Criminal Case Advances

The long-orchestrated plan to cement Jay Y. Lee’s position atop Samsung Group may put him in jail instead, raising questions about who would step in to run South Korea’s biggest conglomerate in the aftermath. Prosecutors are seeking Lee’s arrest on allegations including bribery and embezzlement, which if proven could prompt him to relinquish duties at the family business.

Don’t Ignore These Great Chip Makers: Cramer’s Top Takeaways

When it comes to the semiconductor sector, why does the market obsess about Nvidia ? That was the question that had Jim Cramer scratching his head on Tuesday’s episode of “Mad Money,” as he called the market’s focus on this single chip maker “repulsive.” As the most recent Consumer Electronics Show just proved, there is a lot of really important technology that relies on chips not made by Nvidia, a stock that rallied 220% in 2016.

An $830,000 Horse, a Presidential Scandal and Samsung Succession

Samsung Group is getting pulled deeper into the scandal engulfing South Korea’s president with prosecutors homing in on whether an $830,000 horse and millions in other payments were made to smooth succession at the top of the country’s largest company. Special prosecutors summoned two top Samsung executives to answer questions Monday about the company’s role in an alleged influence-peddling scheme that has already led to President Park Geun-hye’s impeachment.

Samsung Beats Estimates as Chips Shake Off Note 7 Problems

Samsung Electronics Co. posted profit that beat estimates as buoyant memory chip prices helped the world’s largest smartphone maker bounce back from the death of its fire-prone Galaxy Note 7. Operating income rose 50 percent to 9.2 trillion won in the quarter ended December, its biggest profit in three years, the Suwon, South Korea-based company said in preliminary results Friday.

Why InvenSense, Inc. Stock Skyrocketed 67.4% in December

First, InvenSense stock rose almost 30% in a single day on Dec. 9, 2016, as Reuters reported that TDK had offered $12 per share to purchase the smaller company. That offer would have reflected a 45% premium to InvenSense’s opening price that day, but still only 3% above its 52-week high set around the same time a year earlier.

article

Can the memory chip specialist build on this success with another fantastic performance in 2017? First, I have already taken a look at the potential downside for us Micron investors. In short, the risks involved in owning Micron next year are significant but also limited.

article

Revenue began to decline in the middle of 2015, and earnings turned negative earlier this year. Memory prices are now strengthening, leading Micron to return to both growth and profitability in its fiscal first quarter.