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    Tom Diffely • D.A. Davidson Companies

    Tom Diffely's questions to Kulicke and Soffa Industries Inc (KLIC) leadership

    Tom Diffely's questions to Kulicke and Soffa Industries Inc (KLIC) leadership • Q3 2025

    Question

    Tom Diffely from D.A. Davidson Companies inquired about the current utilization rates for core customers, the drivers of sequential growth, the potential size of the thermal compression (TCB) business, and whether its primary advantage is cost or technology.

    Answer

    CFO Lester Wong stated that overall utilization is about 81%, with general semiconductor at 83% and memory at 80%, which are the primary drivers for sequential revenue growth. President & CEO Fusen Chen elaborated on the TCB business, targeting $60-70 million this year and over $100 million next year, with a long-term goal of $250-300 million by 2028 in a projected $1 billion market. Chen emphasized that the key advantage is technological leadership, particularly with their chemical-based fluxless process, which is the only one currently in high-volume production.

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    Tom Diffely's questions to Axcelis Technologies Inc (ACLS) leadership

    Tom Diffely's questions to Axcelis Technologies Inc (ACLS) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Tom Diffely of D.A. Davidson Companies asked for an update on the competitive landscape in China and for details on the backlog's composition and shipment timing.

    Answer

    President & CEO Russell Low described Chinese competitors as still immature and primarily active in accounts unavailable to U.S. firms. EVP & CFO James Coogan confirmed the reported backlog consists only of systems orders, extends into 2026, and provides a solid runway for future revenue.

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    Tom Diffely's questions to Ichor Holdings Ltd (ICHR) leadership

    Tom Diffely's questions to Ichor Holdings Ltd (ICHR) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Tom Diffely asked whether the current hiring and retention issues are a new problem or an ongoing challenge. He also asked about the potential tax implications for Ichor from recent tax legislation that a peer had mentioned.

    Answer

    CEO Jeffrey Andreson described the current hiring ramp as more challenging than previous ones, particularly for off-shift clean room roles. CFO Greg Swyt stated that due to the company's US tax position and existing NOLs, they do not expect any material near-term benefits from the new tax bill, though they will utilize them in the future.

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    Tom Diffely's questions to FormFactor Inc (FORM) leadership

    Tom Diffely's questions to FormFactor Inc (FORM) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Tom Diffely from D.A. Davidson Companies asked about the expected P&L impact from the new Texas facility over the next few quarters and its long-term benefit to margins. He also questioned if similar startup costs could be expected when ramping with their third HBM customer.

    Answer

    CFO Shai Shahar stated that the company is still finalizing plans for the Farmers Branch facility and will provide updates later, but noted its location in a lower-cost region is key to the medium-term margin improvement strategy. CEO Michael Slessor clarified that the Q2 startup cost was a one-off issue related to a single, specific design for one customer and that he does not expect similar issues with other designs or customers, as the root cause has been resolved.

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    Tom Diffely's questions to Amkor Technology Inc (AMKR) leadership

    Tom Diffely's questions to Amkor Technology Inc (AMKR) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Tom Diffely of D.A. Davidson Companies asked if Amkor's long-term view of the automotive and industrial market has changed due to the potential factory closures in Japan, and if the softer mainstream business includes the power segment.

    Answer

    CEO Giel Rutten affirmed that the long-term view on automotive has not changed, with the trend towards advanced packaging for ADAS driving growth. He clarified that the consolidation in Japan targets mature products, driven by local market difficulties. Regarding the power segment, he noted that while the silicon carbide market growth has moderated from very high expectations due to the EV market, the long-term fundamentals remain strong, and Amkor's investments, like the facility in Portugal, are proceeding.

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    Tom Diffely's questions to Photronics Inc (PLAB) leadership

    Tom Diffely's questions to Photronics Inc (PLAB) leadership • Q2 2025

    Question

    Tom Diffely of D.A. Davidson & Co. asked for details on the mainstream business, including the causes of its continued softness, the current supply-demand balance for mask making capacity, and the impact on margins and capital spending. He also inquired about the geographic nature of the weakness, the year-over-year earnings drivers, and the initial priorities for newly appointed CEO George Macricostas.

    Answer

    CEO Frank Lee attributed mainstream weakness to low wafer fab utilization among customers in the power, industrial, and consumer sectors, but noted that long-term agreements help stabilize pricing. CTO Christopher Progler added that while end-of-life tool replacements initially constrained supply, new capacity has since been added globally, creating a temporarily unfavorable supply-demand balance amid muted demand. He clarified the weakness is broad-based, not confined to Asia. CFO Eric Rivera mentioned the company is using product mix to offset pricing pressure. Incoming CEO George Macricostas stated his initial focus will be on learning the Asia operations from Frank Lee and managing administrative functions, while pursuing a dual strategy of cost containment and market share growth.

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