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    Harsh Kumar • Piper Sandler

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP) leadership • Q1 2026

    Question

    Harsh Kumar inquired about the relative growth between automotive and pure industrial markets for the September quarter and asked about the status of the sell-in versus sell-through gap at distributors and progress toward optimal inventory levels.

    Answer

    CEO Steve Sanghi noted that the recent strong growth was broad-based across all end markets. CFO Eric Bjornholt specified that the distribution sell-in vs. sell-through gap shrunk to $49.3 million from $103 million in the prior quarter. Mr. Sanghi added that on-hand inventory days dropped significantly to 214 and are targeted to be between 195-200 days in September, with wafer starts planned to increase in December to manage the recovery.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP) leadership • Q1 2026

    Question

    Harsh Kumar inquired about the expected growth drivers for the September quarter, specifically asking for a comparison between the automotive and pure industrial end markets. He also asked about the current gap between distributor sell-in and sell-through and how far Microchip is from its optimal inventory level.

    Answer

    CEO Steve Sanghi explained that the recent 10.8% growth was broad-based across all end markets and geographies, including microcontrollers and analog. CFO Eric Bjornholt specified that distributor sell-through was $49.3 million higher than sell-in, a gap that has shrunk from $103 million in the prior quarter. Regarding inventory, Sanghi noted days of inventory fell from 251 to 214 and are projected to be between 195-200 in September, with a total fiscal year reduction target of $350 million.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP) leadership • Q4 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked about the demand signals driving the company's recovery, questioning if it could be a 'head fake' from tariff pull-ins, and inquired about the relative strength of recovery across key end markets.

    Answer

    CEO Steve Sanghi stated that the recovery signals, which began in early January, are driven by genuine inventory depletion and new design wins, not tariff-related pull-ins. He highlighted that the aerospace and defense segment grew significantly to 18% of revenue in fiscal 2025, up from 11% previously, and expects continued strength. Sanghi also noted a broad-based recovery across industrial, automotive, and consumer segments.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP) leadership • Q3 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar sought clarification on whether OpEx would decrease in absolute dollars and if the 9-point plan assumes a market recovery. He also asked about the process for gauging correct inventory levels.

    Answer

    CEO Steve Sanghi confirmed their plan assumes growth from both a business recovery and new design wins. On inventory, Sanghi explained that historically, channel inventory has consistently been around 2.5 to 3 months of sales, a level they expect to return to. CFO Eric Bjornholt clarified this metric refers to months of inventory, not a multiplier of quarterly shipments.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Microchip Technology Inc (MCHP) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked about the level of pricing pressure the company is seeing when negotiating new contracts. He also sought more color on the 'green shoots,' asking if these demand signals are getting stronger.

    Answer

    CEO Ganesh Moorthy acknowledged that while there is always pricing pressure, it is not the primary driver of margin pressure; underutilization is. He described their pricing as largely stable and disciplined. On green shoots, he commented they were 'a lot greener 2 quarters ago' and that while expedites are rising, the key missing piece is a return of customer confidence to place more backlog.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc (MTSI) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc (MTSI) leadership • Q3 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar from Piper Sandler sought clarification on the near-term gross margin headwind from the RTP fab. He also inquired about the fab's technical capabilities beyond telecom and its long-term strategic value.

    Answer

    President and CEO Stephen Daly and CFO John Kober explained the margin headwind is a temporary setback accepted to accelerate the transfer and gain full operational control, minimizing risk. Daly stated improvement will come from numerous projects focused on yields and efficiency. He highlighted the fab's strategic value in high-power GaN on SiC for defense, SATCOM, and 5G, and expressed confidence in doubling the fab's revenue over time, noting the company's overall operating margins are peaking.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc (MTSI) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked if MACOM is currently shipping ACCs, whether it's a long-term solution, and about other potential uses. He also questioned if the 23% turns business was high given the strong book-to-bill.

    Answer

    President and CEO Stephen Daly confirmed that MACOM is shipping ACCs and views it as a long-term opportunity, not a fad, with potential to extend into PCIe 6 and 7 applications. CFO John Kober addressed the turns question, stating that the 23% level is consistent with the ~20% range seen in recent quarters and is not considered out of the ordinary, while emphasizing the positive trend of building backlog with a 1.1:1 book-to-bill ratio.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc (MTSI) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked if the strong Q1 Data Center growth guidance signals a new sustainable level of growth, potentially with double-digit sequential increases for several quarters. He also requested clarification on the $1 billion revenue target and asked about the timeline for normalizing gross margins from the acquired Wolfspeed RF business.

    Answer

    CEO Stephen Daly tempered expectations, stating that while fiscal 2025 should see very strong double-digit annual growth in Data Center, continuous sequential double-digit growth is not sustainable due to market volatility. CFO John Kober clarified the $1 billion target is a run rate ($250 million per quarter) to be achieved sometime in fiscal 2026. Kober added that while the Wolfspeed acquisition integration is improving the business, there is still more work to do on margin optimization.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to D-Wave Quantum Inc (QBTS) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to D-Wave Quantum Inc (QBTS) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar from Piper Sandler Companies asked if D-Wave's new toolkit could enable the company to offer pre-finished, customizable models or libraries, similar to NVIDIA's strategy.

    Answer

    CEO Alan Baratz confirmed this is possible but stated the current focus is on direct collaboration with customers like Japan Tobacco and Triumph on their specific applications. He noted that offering pre-built templates would require adding domain expertise, a step the company is considering but has not yet committed to.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to D-Wave Quantum Inc (QBTS) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar inquired about the Davidson Technologies partnership, its economics, and its relation to previous system sale discussions. He also asked for a comparison of D-Wave's cryogenic control and error correction capabilities versus peers, and later followed up on the U.S. government's stance and the ideal partner profile for D-Wave's blockchain technology.

    Answer

    CEO Alan Baratz clarified that Davidson is a new partnership focused on U.S. government applications and declined to share economic details. He asserted D-Wave's leadership in operational cryogenic control but noted its error mitigation is specific to annealing. Baratz also expressed cautious optimism about a potential change in the U.S. administration's approach to quantum and explained that potential blockchain partners could be application-focused or service-oriented, extending beyond just cryptocurrency.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to D-Wave Quantum Inc (QBTS) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar of Piper Sandler asked about the significance of the Jülich Supercomputing Center integrating a D-Wave system with its JUPITER supercomputer for market validation. He also asked for the CEO's perspective on the system sale versus QCaaS business models and sought clarification on the revenue recognition timeline for the Jülich deal.

    Answer

    CEO Alan Baratz clarified this is the first time a D-Wave system will be tightly integrated with a supercomputer of this scale, expressing excitement about exploring applications in AI workflows. He stated he values all parts of the business, from R&D to both QCaaS and system sales. He also confirmed no revenue for the system sale was recognized in Q4; the system was installed in Q1, with revenue recognition beginning then and continuing with future upgrades and maintenance.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to ON Semiconductor Corp (ON) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to ON Semiconductor Corp (ON) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked if the margin recovery could be fueled by selling previously written-off inventory. He also requested details on the components of the 'Other' business segment beyond the AI data center piece.

    Answer

    President and CEO Hassane El-Khoury and CFO Thad Trent clarified that there is no recovery benefit from written-off inventory, as such inventory by definition lacks demand. They emphasized that inventory is healthy, with base inventory at 121 days. El-Khoury noted that while the 'Other' segment includes a small amount of client computing, the primary focus and growth driver is the AI data center business, which they are not breaking out in further detail at this time.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to ON Semiconductor Corp (ON) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar of Piper Sandler asked for an estimate of how much onsemi is under-shipping relative to true demand and questioned why onsemi's guidance was weaker than a peer's, given the peer supposedly had worse inventory issues.

    Answer

    CEO Hassane El-Khoury explained that quantifying the under-shipment level is difficult because end-market demand has not stabilized, making it a moving target. He emphasized that onsemi's guidance is based purely on what it can see for its own business, not on peer performance, as every company has a different portfolio and strategy. He highlighted onsemi's discipline in managing its own and its distribution channel's inventory, noting disti inventory was reduced by $55 million in Q4.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to ON Semiconductor Corp (ON) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked if the mix between automotive and industrial would be flat given the flat revenue guide. He also inquired about customer conversations regarding a market turn, the impact of interest rates, and onsemi's position on CHIPS Act funding.

    Answer

    CFO Thad Trent clarified that automotive is expected to be up low-to-mid single digits, while industrial will be flattish to slightly down. CEO Hassane El-Khoury noted that customer conversations are focused on preparing for a recovery and that design activity remains strong. He acknowledged interest rates are a factor and stated that while CHIPS Act support is welcome, onsemi will not build unneeded capacity to secure funds.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Impinj Inc (PI) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Impinj Inc (PI) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar from Piper Sandler Companies inquired about the extent to which unexpected 'turns' orders contributed to the Q2 revenue beat and what level of turns is factored into the Q3 guidance. He also asked for clarification on the primary drivers of gross margin improvement, questioning the relative impact of the M800 product mix versus lower wafer costs.

    Answer

    CFO Cary Baker explained that while Q2 saw more turns orders than anticipated, the company is maintaining a conservative Q3 outlook by assuming no additional turns at the midpoint of its guidance. For gross margins, Baker confirmed two key drivers: the continued ramp of the higher-margin M800 product and the realization of lower wafer costs from earlier in the year, as the company has now sold through its older, higher-cost inventory.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Impinj Inc (PI) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar from Piper Sandler inquired about the potential demand impact from tariffs, historical parallels to the current uncertain environment, and the inventory situation with a large customer. He also sought clarification on the growth outlook for the large logistics customer in 2025.

    Answer

    CEO Chris Diorio described the current environment as 'uncharted waters' but expressed confidence in the company's strong position. He noted that while there's a Q2 'wobble' from geographic production shifts, they are not seeing a major demand fall-off and believe enterprises are currently undershipping consumer demand. CFO Cary Baker added that inlay partners are now strategically holding more inventory for geographic flexibility. Regarding the large logistics customer, Chris Diorio confirmed the expectation for label growth from that end customer in 2025 versus 2024, assuming no major macro changes.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Impinj Inc (PI) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked for specifics on the excess channel inventory, including the number of weeks and its concentration. He also sought to confirm if the change in logistics demand was related to a widely reported deal involving a major e-commerce company.

    Answer

    CFO Cary Baker stated there are a "few weeks" of excess inventory and confirmed it is more concentrated than typical, largely related to the logistics sector due to a change in demand from a large provider. CEO Chris Diorio added that partner share reallocations also contributed to the inventory build. While not naming the specific customer, management acknowledged that changes in logistics demand are public knowledge.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Impinj Inc (PI) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar inquired about the single biggest driver for the strong Q3 results and asked for more detail on the adoption ramp of its second major logistics customer. He also sought to understand the interplay between a projected decline in logistics systems revenue and a spike from a European retail customer in Q4.

    Answer

    CEO Chris Diorio attributed the strong quarter to broad-based industry adoption across supply chain, retail general merchandise, and apparel, rather than a single driver. Regarding the logistics customer, he noted their execution is strong but could not provide specific volumes, stating the Q4 reader IC dip is simply due to project timing. He confirmed the customer's endpoint IC volumes are expected to increase next year.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Qorvo Inc (QRVO) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Qorvo Inc (QRVO) leadership • Q1 2026

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked for the most significant factor driving the rapid gross margin improvement toward 50%. He also sought clarification on whether the content growth at a key U.S. customer included a new mid-high band PAD win or was primarily from the previously announced ET PMIC.

    Answer

    SVP & CFO Grant Brown attributed the gross margin gains to a combination of improved product mix, cost reductions from factory optimization, growth in the margin-accretive defense business, and the exit from the lower-margin silicon carbide business. President & CEO Robert Bruggeworth confirmed the 10%+ content growth for the upcoming fall launch and noted that for future programs, both technical execution and commercial factors, such as an expiring supply agreement, create new opportunities without confirming a specific PAD win.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Qorvo Inc (QRVO) leadership • Q4 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar sought clarification on whether the new envelope tracking (ET) solution is shared and if the double-digit content increase is due to broader product wins. He also asked about potential demand pull-forwards from the largest customer to avoid tariffs.

    Answer

    CEO Robert Bruggeworth clarified that the content growth stems from share gains across multiple product categories. He emphasized that the ET PMIC is a sole-sourced solution tied to the customer's internal baseband. Regarding tariffs, Bruggeworth and CFO Grant Brown stated that while there was a new spring phone launch requiring channel stocking, they have not observed any massive or abnormal pull-forwards, describing any related activity as modest and not financially meaningful.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Qorvo Inc (QRVO) leadership • Q3 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar from Piper Sandler & Co. sought clarification on management's comment about expecting 'better than normal seasonality' with its largest cellular customer. He also asked for the one or two most significant drivers for the company's projected gross margin expansion.

    Answer

    CEO Bob Bruggeworth clarified that sales to its largest customer would decline sequentially in the March quarter, but less than in previous years, declining to provide further detail. CFO Grant Brown identified two primary gross margin drivers: the accretive impact of exiting lower-margin mass-tier Android business and comprehensive factory cost optimization, which includes leveraging outsourced suppliers and recent workforce reductions.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) leadership • Q1 2026

    Question

    Harsh Kumar from Piper Sandler Companies noted investor expectations for faster data center growth and asked for clarification on the growth of the AI business versus potential headwinds from non-AI components like on-prem storage.

    Answer

    Chairman and CEO Matt Murphy contextualized the growth by highlighting the strong 76% year-over-year increase in data center revenue and the significant sequential step-up in the prior quarter. He explained that the on-prem business is now a small part of the mix and not a significant drag, as spending has overwhelmingly shifted to AI, which is the primary driver of data center growth.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) leadership • Q4 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar from Piper Sandler inquired about the "stickiness" of Marvell's custom ASIC customers and the potential triggers for them to switch partners. He also asked about Marvell's ability to attach its networking products to these custom silicon wins.

    Answer

    Matthew Murphy, Chairman and CEO, clarified that Marvell has custom engagements with all four major hyperscalers. He explained that customer stickiness is driven by a combination of technology leadership, manufacturing scale, supply chain prowess, and a flexible business model. He also confirmed that attaching networking solutions is a core part of their strategy, as co-architecting compute and I/O provides a compelling value proposition for customers.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Marvell Technology Inc (MRVL) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked for more detail on the major drivers or products behind the company's strong optimism for its custom ASIC business in the near-term, mid-term, and into next year.

    Answer

    CEO Matt Murphy explained that the excitement stems from the successful execution of programs that have moved from design wins to volume production. He cited strong bookings, backlog, and capacity planning for next year as tangible reasons for optimism. He emphasized that the conviction from customers on these AI-levered programs is very high, reinforcing Marvell's role as a key partner in their aggressive deployment plans.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Semtech Corp (SMTC) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Semtech Corp (SMTC) leadership • Q1 2026

    Question

    Harsh Kumar of Piper Sandler Companies questioned the outlook for the core data center business over the next 6-12 months and sought reasons for the guided moderation in LoRa revenue after a period of strong growth.

    Answer

    President & CEO Hong Hou stated that the core data center business (FiberEdge) showed strength in Q1 and he holds a strong conviction for accelerated growth in the second half. EVP & CFO Mark Lin clarified that LoRa's Q1 strength was boosted by a customer's inventory build for a product launch, and the business is expected to normalize to a strong $30-35 million quarterly run rate.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Semtech Corp (SMTC) leadership • Q4 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked for an expansion on the CopperEdge portfolio's outlook, including its use in boards and connectors, future plans with the lead customer, and the rationale for an expected revenue pickup after a temporary dip. He also inquired about the visibility for sequential growth in the core analog business.

    Answer

    President and CEO Hong Hou explained that CopperEdge is part of a broader data center portfolio and will not be broken out separately. He confirmed engagement with over 20 customers for new applications like on-board and in-connector use cases, expecting revenue from these by late fiscal 2026. Hou acknowledged a 3-4 quarter 'air pocket' with the anchor customer due to a rack architecture change but noted Semtech is designed into their next generation. Regarding the core business, he expressed optimism for continued growth, citing strong fundamentals and resolved inventory issues, despite a seasonal dip expected in the industrial segment in Q1.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Semtech Corp (SMTC) leadership • Q3 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked for the growth forecast for Active Copper Cables (ACC) in the upcoming quarter and when sales might reach a steady state. He also posed a theoretical question on the long-term viability and interoperability of Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) and its potential to disrupt the optical market.

    Answer

    Executive Mark Lin stated that ACC revenue, which was in the high-single-digit millions in Q3, is expected to see a nominal ramp in Q4, followed by a progressive ramp through fiscal year 2026. CEO Hong Hou addressed the LPO question by explaining that improved signal-to-noise ratios in modern switches make LPO more viable than in the past. He believes LPO and LRO (Linear Receive Optics) will take a sizable market share from DSP-retimed solutions.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Semtech Corp (SMTC) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar from Piper Sandler questioned the competitive positioning of Semtech's Active Copper Cable (ACC) solutions, asking about their supplier status with a key customer and their long-term technology roadmap.

    Answer

    President and CEO Hong Hou confirmed Semtech is one of two key suppliers for its major ACC customer, a standard practice for critical components. He expressed confidence in winning a larger share through superior operational execution. To maintain its lead, Hou stated the R&D team is already developing next-generation 400-gigabit products, emphasizing that aggressive innovation and direct customer engagement are crucial for staying ahead of the competition.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Skyworks Solutions Inc (SWKS) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Skyworks Solutions Inc (SWKS) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked about the implications of a new modem at a large customer, viewing it as an opportunity for content shifts and inquiring how Skyworks is positioned to capitalize on this change.

    Answer

    CEO Philip Brace acknowledged that while baseband changes can create incremental content opportunities, the broader tailwind is the secular trend of increasing RF complexity in smartphones. He emphasized that the company's focus is on execution and delivering the best parts to win business, as the canvas for content growth is already expanding.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Analog Devices Inc (ADI) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Analog Devices Inc (ADI) leadership • Q1 2025

    Question

    Harsh Kumar of Piper Sandler questioned management's confidence in calling a cyclical bottom, asking if the recovery could be a 'head fake' given ongoing geopolitical and tariff uncertainties.

    Answer

    CEO Vincent Roche based his confidence on direct customer conversations and sell-through (POS) data, which indicates stabilization and growth across diverse geographies. While acknowledging that geopolitical turmoil is an incalculable risk that could affect the recovery's pace, he expressed a strong conviction that ADI and the semiconductor sector have entered a new growth cycle.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Broadcom Inc (AVGO) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Broadcom Inc (AVGO) leadership • Q4 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked for a simplified ratio of networking-to-XPU spending and inquired whether Broadcom has a hardware opportunity (XPUs) in sovereign data centers or if that market is limited to merchant silicon.

    Answer

    President and CEO Hock Tan explained that the networking-to-compute ratio increases as clusters scale, projecting it to grow from 5-10% of AI silicon content today to 15-20% in million-unit clusters. He stated that sovereign data centers, like the broader enterprise market, will rely on merchant silicon due to the immense software and hardware complexity of developing custom solutions.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Broadcom Inc (AVGO) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked about the long-term profitability of VMware, questioning if it could achieve operating margins greater than 70%, similar to Broadcom's historical software businesses.

    Answer

    President and CEO Hock Tan guided investors to draw their own conclusions by highlighting VMware's Q3 results: $3.8 billion in revenue against $1.3 billion in operating expenses. He added that this trajectory of growing revenue and decreasing expenses will continue in Q4, implying a path to very high profitability.

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    Harsh Kumar's questions to Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) leadership

    Harsh Kumar's questions to Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) leadership • Q3 2024

    Question

    Harsh Kumar asked what the primary hindrances are to AMD capturing a larger share of the AI accelerator market. He also requested a framework for understanding how the gross margin for Instinct GPUs, currently below corporate average, could reach parity over time.

    Answer

    CEO Dr. Lisa Su framed the situation as an opportunity, comparing the Instinct ramp to the multi-generational journey of EPYC, which required time to build trust and familiarity. She noted the Instinct ramp is the fastest she has seen. CFO Jean Hu explained that while the current priority is driving revenue growth and market presence, gross margin is expected to improve with scale. She pointed out that Data Center businesses tend to have above-average margins in the long term.

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