Q3 2024 Earnings Summary
- AEHR has secured 7 silicon carbide customers, with about half purchasing their XP production systems and the rest planning to transition to XP systems, indicating strong growth potential in the silicon carbide market.
- AEHR is expanding its presence in China and Asia, responding to significant demand from customers who value wafer-level burn-in for silicon carbide devices used in electric vehicles, positioning the company to capture market share in this high-growth region.
- Emerging trends in AI processing, data centers, and automotive applications are driving increased need for wafer-level burn-in, and AEHR's solutions are well-suited to capitalize on this opportunity, expanding their market beyond silicon carbide.
- Only half of Aehr's seven silicon carbide customers have transitioned from engineering tools (NP) to production tools (XP), indicating a slower ramp-up to volume production than anticipated.
- The CEO expressed skepticism about customer projections due to previous delays, stating he is "way more gun shy now of believing everything the customers tell me," which could signal potential revenue uncertainties.
- Aehr is not yet fully engaged with major memory manufacturers despite significant investments in memory fabs globally, potentially missing out on a significant market opportunity.
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China Revenue Expectations
Q: Will you see measurable revenue from China next fiscal year?
A: Yes, we believe there's a very real chance of seeing measurable revenue from China in the next fiscal year. We've engaged with nearly a dozen companies there who are knowledgeable about silicon carbide and the need for wafer-level burn-in. At their request, we're planning to significantly increase our presence, including adding a demo center and local infrastructure. -
Revenue from Historical Large Customer
Q: Are you expecting material revenue from your largest historical customer next year?
A: Yes, we expect to receive material revenues from all of our customers next year, including our largest historical one. We have visibility into their plans and anticipate they will take revenue, although we're more cautious now due to past timeline shifts. -
Expansion into Memory and Silicon Photonics
Q: What drives your expansion into memory and silicon photonics markets?
A: The move to multi-chip modules and higher reliability requirements in data centers and AI processors are prompting companies to reassess their test strategies and increase wafer-level burn-in. Devices that need burn-in, like memory and silicon photonics, present significant opportunities as they transition to modules or chiplets. -
Engagement with Memory Manufacturers
Q: Are you engaged with memory manufacturers planning new fabs?
A: Yes, we're engaging with several memory manufacturers. Implementing wafer-level burn-in for DRAM requires certain design-for-testability features, and we believe that before the end of the decade, companies will adopt these features, similar to NAND 15 years ago. We're preparing in the background to be ready and to partner with them when they're prepared. -
Timing of Optical I/O Market Opportunity
Q: When will the optical I/O market impact your business?
A: We believe the optical I/O market is critical for bandwidth in connecting GPUs and AI data centers. While timelines are tightly guarded, we expect volume production in a couple of years, possibly sooner. We're enabling this with our solutions and see significant interest driving this opportunity. -
Protecting IP in China Market
Q: How will you address China's local supply chain requirements?
A: We're conscious of the challenges where local subsidies may require reengineering tools for local supply chains. We have specific legal IP security and contractual measures to address this. We believe it's not easy to replicate our system without violating our IP, and we're taking steps to protect our technology. -
Conversion of Customers to Production Systems
Q: How many silicon carbide customers have purchased production systems?
A: Out of our seven silicon carbide customers, about three have purchased XP production systems, with the others using NP engineering systems. All NP customers plan to move to XP systems for production in the future.
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