Taiwan Semi's Upbeat Forecast Boosts Chip Stocks

Taiwan Semiconductor $TSM, the world's largest chipmaking foundry, today just issued the largest CapEx forecast of its company's history.Does this mean the chip industry is finally escaping from its cyclical lows, and is ready for a rebound in 2025? TSMC's 4Q 2024 results showcased a 38% year-over-year increase in revenue and a 57% increase in earnings. Those were good numbers. But there might be even better news on the horizon. Management just approved a 2025 capital budget of between $38 billion and $42 billion. 70% of that is dedicated to "advanced technology production" -- i.e. building new fabs to manufacture the cutting-edge chips demanded by AI. This aggressive CapEx forecast is good news for TSMC and also for the entire semiconductor industry. The company will be spending that 2025 budget on equipment vendors such as $ASML, Applied Materials $AMAT, and Axcelis Technologies $ACLS and also on boatload of supporting functions. Meanwhile, creative innovations are also unlocking new opportunities. Taiwan Semi is transitioning the fundamental architecture of its transistors from FinFET to gate-all-around. It's updating the foundation its entire house is built on; changing the physical design of the smallest building blocks of its circuits to support more efficient and powerful processors. The next few years will be an exciting time for this industry. The semiconductor renaissance looks well-primed to begin a new chapter. See all of our @7investing coverage on $TSMC -- including our current Conviction Rating on the stock -- at:https://7investing.com/company_name/taiwan-semiconductor-manufacturing-company/