Recently, the World Semiconductor Statistics Organization (WSTS) released its latest market report. According to relevant data from WSTS statistics, global semiconductor sales in Q4 2023 will increase by 8% month-on-month4%, which is the highest increase in Q3 to Q4 in 20 years, and a year-on-year increase of 116%, compared to negative year-on-year growth in the previous five quarters.
Judging from the data of WSTS statistics, the global semiconductor sales performance in Q4 of 2023 is outstanding, which seems to release a signal of the growth of the semiconductor industry this year.
Earlier, WSTS also released an optimistic ** saying that the global semiconductor market will see double-digit growth in 2024, with a year-on-year increase of 13% to $588.3 billion.
So, can the strong recovery of the semiconductor industry in 2024 come as scheduled?
1. This round of growth is mainly driven by memory chips
The strong growth of global semiconductor sales in Q4 2023 is mainly driven by memory chips. Under the wave of AI, the demand for high-end memory chips such as DDR5 and HBM is soaring.
Samsung, SK hynix, Micron and other major memory chip manufacturers in the world have handed over beautiful report cards without exception. Specifically, Samsung's Q4 memory chip business in Q4 2023 increased by 49% year-on-year, and SK hynix increased by 241%, Micron's revenue increased by 179%。
During Q4 2023, the average revenue of the memory chip triumvirate increased by 33%.
Looking ahead to Q1 2024, Micron expects its revenue to continue its growth momentum with a growth rate of 121%。Samsung and SK hynix did not release specific figures, but given the increasing demand for memory chips, sales of their products are expected to remain strong as well.
2. Automobiles and industrial chips are in a downturn
At present, memory chips are "taking off again", but the demand for industrial chips continues to decline, and even the demand for automotive chips, which were a mess last year, has slowed down.
Not long ago, Texas Instruments and STMicroelectronics announced their latest financial reports, and their Q4 revenue in 2023 invariably declined, both lowering their future expectations, indicating that the demand for automotive and industrial chips is continuing to decline in the industry trend.
Texas Instruments' Q4 revenue in 2023 is 40US$800 million, down 10% sequentially and down 13% year-on-year, with a net profit of 13700 million US dollars, which is **30%. Looking at the full-year results, Texas Instruments' sales in 2023 also fell by 13%, which is the largest decline in more than a decade.
STMicroelectronics' Q4 2023 revenue was 42800 million US dollars, down 32% and net profit of 10US$800 million, down 138%。Looking ahead, STMicroelectronics** Q1 2024 revenue is set to decline by more than 15% due to continued weakness in industrial chips and a slowdown in automotive business growth.
The glory of industrial chips is no longer there, and automotive chips are gradually "falling off the altar", which undoubtedly casts a new haze on the prospects of the entire semiconductor industry.
Overall, while the industry is looking forward to a market recovery, the outlook for the semiconductor industry in 2024 still seems to be uncertain.
The recovery of the memory chip industry is steadily underway, but the concerns of major chip manufacturers such as Texas Instruments and STMicroelectronics about the prospects of the automotive and industrial chip markets are also worth paying attention to.
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