Amkor Technology Q1 2024 Earnings Call Transcript

Quartr
Provided by Quartr
April 29, 2024

There are 11 speakers on the call.

Operator

Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Amkor Technology First Quarter 2024 Earnings Conference Call. My name is Diego, and I will be your conference facilitator today. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. I would now like to turn the call over to Jennifer Zhu, Head of Investor Relations. Ms.

Operator

Ju, please go ahead.

Speaker 1

Thank you, operator. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining us for Amkor's Q1 2024 earnings conference call. Joining me today are Hill Rutin, our Chief Executive Officer and Megan Faust, our Chief Financial Officer. Our earnings press release was filed with the SEC this afternoon and is available on the Investor Relations page of our website, along with the presentation slides that accompany today's call. During this presentation, we will use non GAAP financial measures, and you can find the reconciliation to the U.

Speaker 1

S. GAAP equivalent on our website. We will make forward looking statements about our expectation for Amkor's future performance based on the environment as we currently see it. Of course, actual results could differ. Please refer to our press release and SEC filings for information on risk factors, uncertainties and exceptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from these expectations.

Speaker 1

Please note that the financial results discussed today are preliminary, and final data will be included in our Form 10 Q. And now, I'll turn the call over to Hill.

Speaker 2

Thank you, Jennifer. Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you for joining the call today. Amkor delivered 1st quarter results in line with expectations with revenue of $1,370,000,000 and EPS of $0.24 Overall, a 7% year on year revenue decline with the most significant decline from the automotive and industrial markets. After multi quarter industry cycle, we believe the Q1 marks the low point for revenue and utilization for EMCOR. Although macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties continue to impact market sentiment, we observe positive signs of market recovery in multiple areas across our portfolio.

Speaker 2

During the quarter, we continued to focus on our strategic pillars to elevate our leadership position. With our strong technology leadership in advanced packaging, a unique diversified global footprint and partnerships with lead customers in the secular growth markets, we are well positioned to accelerate as the industry exits the cycle. Now let me review the dynamics in each of our end markets. Revenue in the communications end market declined 3% year on year in the Q1. Within the iOS ecosystem, we experienced a larger than seasonal correction after record revenues in the second half of twenty twenty three.

Speaker 2

Within the Android supply chain as well as in NAND memory, we observed improvement in demand and year on year growth from the lows in 2023. Overall smartphone units are projected to be up low single digits this year. We believe that the introduction of AI into edge devices like smartphones will accelerate innovation and drive increased demand for advanced packaging solutions. With EMCOR's strong position through our premium tier smartphones and our advanced packaging leadership, we expect this to create opportunities for further business growth. In Q1, revenue in our Automotive and Industrial business declined 22% year on year as several of our customers implemented inventory control measures.

Speaker 2

Despite these near term inventory corrections, long term drivers for growth remain intact. Semiconductor content per car is expected to continue to increase, driven by the proliferation of ADAS, electrification, infotainment and telematics, all requiring advanced packaging technology. EMCOR is the leading automotive OSAT and has multiple decades of experience meeting the stringent requirements of the automotive industry. During the quarter, we used our Portugal facility as a base for enhancing key partnerships with industry leaders in support of a resilient European semiconductor supply chain. We also expanded engagements with leading Japanese semiconductor companies through our factory in Komamoto and other locations in Japan.

Speaker 2

We remain focused on leveraging our broad geographic footprint and strengthening partnerships with leading automotive semiconductor customers. Revenue from the computing end market increased 4% sequentially driven by strength in the AI devices and several new product introductions for ARM based PCs. Slow recovery of infrastructure and traditional server demand resulted in a 4% year on year decline. Planned investments to expand 2.5 D capacity for AI devices are on track to come online by the end of the second quarter. We also strengthened our R and D efforts in Korea to innovate and enable next generation advanced packaging technology for high performance computing.

Speaker 2

The consumer end market increased 6% year on year and experienced a typical seasonal decline in the Q1. Traditional consumer product demand remains weak, while increased demand for IoT wearables drove the year on year growth. Production ramps of new products utilizing advanced SAP technology are on track for high volume production in the second half of this year. EMCOR is engaged with lead customers across a diverse set of products ranging from audio devices, smartwatches and the emerging ARVR experience. Our advanced SAP expertise positions us well for growth, and we continue to expand capacity and invest to drive manufacturing scale and innovation.

Speaker 2

During the Q1, our manufacturing organization continued customers. We focus on optimizing capacity for 2.5D technology in Korea, supporting AI data center applications and on qualifying advanced SAP and memory technology in Vietnam to support ramps in the second half of this year. Additionally, we progressed our plans for our advanced packaging and test facility in Arizona and submitted our full application for CHIP's funding. Now let me turn to our Q2 outlook. After a multi quarter semiconductor industry cycle, we believe the Q1 marked the low point of our revenue.

Speaker 2

We expect 2nd quarter revenue of $1,450,000,000 which represents sequential growth of 6% and flat revenue year on year. Overall, expectations for full year 2024 have not changed. We foresee a muted first half followed by strong growth in the second half, driven by the seasonal launch of premium tier smartphones, a meaningful ramp of a new consumer wearable program and additional capacity coming online for 2.5D technology. Assumptions for more balanced inventory levels within Android, memory and PCs had additional confidence. Although the automotive and industrial market appears to be softening more than we expected earlier this year, we see upsides in other areas of our portfolio.

Speaker 2

We believe that the secular growth drivers for the semiconductor industry remain in place. And with our leading technology position to accelerate as the industry exits the current cycle. With that, I will now turn the call over to Megan to provide more detailed financial information.

Speaker 3

Thank you, Hill, and good afternoon, everyone. Amkor delivered 1st quarter revenue of $1,370,000,000 in line with expectations. We believe this will be the lowest revenue quarter for this cycle as we see signs of recovery and anticipate a stronger second half. 1st quarter gross profit was $202,000,000 and gross margin was 14.8%. Gross margin includes a benefit of approximately 100 basis points related to lower depreciation expense on our test equipment.

Speaker 3

During the quarter, we performed a periodic assessment of the useful lives of our manufacturing equipment and extended the estimated useful life of our test equipment as a result of broader and longer use. The factory teams continued to utilize temporary cost control measures during the quarter in response to the low utilization environment. Headcount control, overtime reduction and reduced work weeks contributed to lower labor costs. Reduced factory supplies and maintenance contributed to a decrease in other costs of goods sold. These focused cost containment measures are flexible tools allowing us to sustain profitability, while maintaining the ability to support an anticipated increase in demand in the second half of twenty twenty four.

Speaker 3

Operating expenses for the quarter came in as expected at $129,000,000 reflecting an annual reset of employee compensation levels as well as cost to bring our new Vietnam factory online. Operating income was $73,000,000 and operating income margin was 5.4%. Net income for the Q1 was $59,000,000 resulting in EPS of $0.24 which includes a $0.05 benefit from the change in depreciable useful lives of our test equipment. 1st quarter EBITDA was $233,000,000 and EBITDA margin was 17.1%. Our balance sheet remains strong.

Speaker 3

We ended the quarter with $1,600,000,000 of cash and short term investments and total liquidity of $2,200,000,000 Our total debt as of the end of the quarter is $1,200,000,000 and our debt to EBITDA ratio is 1x. Moving on to our 2nd quarter outlook, we expect Q2 revenue of around $1,450,000,000 representing a sequential increase of 6%, slightly stronger than historical seasonality. While there are still some areas of softness, we are seeing signs of returning to a more balanced seasonal demand pattern. We expect gross margin to be between 13% 15%, reflecting a product mix with higher material content. We expect Q2 operating expenses to increase to around $135,000,000 primarily due to preparation costs for our Vietnam factory.

Speaker 3

Our activities to qualify initial products are on track and we expect to begin high volume manufacturing in the second half of the year. We expect our full year effective tax rate to be around 18%. 2nd quarter net income is expected to be between $35,000,000 $75,000,000 resulting in EPS of $0.14 to 0 point $50,000,000 Our investments are primarily focused on increasing advanced packaging capacity for 2.5D and advanced SIP as well as expanding select manufacturing facilities. Amkor is a technology leader with decades of experience and we leveraged that experience to successfully navigate through this semiconductor cycle. We managed our cost structure to align with lower demand, preserve profitability and generate free cash flow.

Speaker 3

We continue to invest in the most advanced packaging technology to support growth markets such as high performance computing, specifically for AI applications. And we strategically invested to further expand our broad geographic footprint by completing our Vietnam factory and beginning qualification of new products. These activities enable us to serve the world's leading semiconductor companies in this dynamic environment, and we are poised for growth as we exit the cycle. With that, we will now open the call up for your questions. Operator?

Operator

Thank you. We will now conduct our question and answer Our first question comes from Toshiya Hari with Goldman Sachs. Please state your question.

Speaker 4

Hi. Thank you so much for taking the question and congrats on the strong results. Hill, for the full year, you mentioned that your outlook remains largely unchanged. You did comment that auto and industrial is a little softer than what you had expected 3 months ago. So what are some of the offsets?

Speaker 4

If you can walk through how you're thinking about computing, consumer, etcetera, that would be helpful. Thank you.

Speaker 2

Yes, Toshi. Good to see you on the call. I mean, some of the offsets for that will compensate in our view for the weaker automotive performance during this year will come, 1st of all, from the launch of the communication devices in the second half of the year. We see there some upsides also with the recovery of the Android market that will give us slightly an upside. But also on the compute side as well as on the consumer side, the elements that we mentioned before, the launch of a new device for consumer as well as the 2.5d upside where we expect 2024 revenue to be triple the revenue in 2023, that will give us compensation for the lower automotive performance.

Speaker 4

Thank you. And then as my follow-up, maybe one for Megan on the gross margin side. So in Q1, even if you exclude the benefit from lower depreciation, I think gross margins came in toward the high end of guidance. What drove the upside in Q1? Was it just conservatism on your part 3 months ago?

Speaker 4

Or did you see any pricing upside or what have you, maybe it was mix? And then for Q2, you talked about mix deteriorating with higher material costs, if you can expand on that, that would be helpful. Thank you.

Speaker 3

Hi, Toshiya. Yes, so with respect to the outperformance, you're right that our gross margin performance even without that depreciation benefit exceeded even on the higher revenue in our range. Really the only notable thing was I would say there was continued cost control. So the costs came in slightly lower than what we had guided despite the upside in revenue. So that's the story around Q1 gross margin.

Speaker 3

As we move into Q2, you'll note that there is some pressure on the gross margin percentage that is a product mix element. We're anticipating as we move into the Q2 and as we start to see things come in for communications, there will be higher advanced SiP products and those tend to have a higher material content associated with that. So despite there being higher material content putting pressure on the gross margin percentage, we are expecting to have higher gross profit dollars.

Speaker 4

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. And our next question comes from Ben Reitzes with Melius Research. Please state your question.

Speaker 5

Yes, thanks. Hi, Hill and Megan. I wanted to ask about the smartphone market. Just to as we go throughout the year, are you expecting a strong second half of launches in 2024 or does it feel like 2025 is when AI really kicks in? Just if you can characterize smartphones this year, I'd appreciate it.

Speaker 5

And then I have a follow-up.

Speaker 2

Hi, Ben. This is Gil. On the smartphone market, two comments from my side. One is, the volumes are expected to go up, let's say, mid single digits if we compare the market versus 2023. And on top of that, we see that inventory levels specifically on the Android side when we enter the year are lower and that gives us some upside there.

Speaker 2

That's one important trend so that drives the market up. The second trend is a trend where we see both in the China market as well as in the non China smartphone market, a trend towards higher end smartphones. And that gives place to our advantage Our position in the premium tier segment of the smartphone market is better than in the mid range or low end. So given these two elements, we see some upside on the smartphone markets as compared to our earlier assumptions entering this year.

Speaker 5

Great, thanks. Megan, for you on the gross margin, I just want to clarify. So there's a $0.05 benefit from depreciation in the quarter. And it's going to last, I assume, all year each quarter. Can we flow that through to earnings?

Speaker 5

Or were you, in answer to the prior question, mentioning that there could be offsets that make up for it or can we flow through each quarter the upside from that change? Thanks.

Speaker 3

Hi, Ben. Yes, with respect to the change in estimated useful lives, that impact in Q1, as disclosed was about $0.05 on the bottom line. As we go through the year, that benefit is going to gradually decrease as those assets become fully depreciated. So as we get through the second half, that impact will become less than it is, say, in Q1 and further out. So it won't be that something that you can just add straight to the bottom line.

Speaker 5

Okay. Thanks a lot.

Operator

Our next question comes from Craig Ellis with B. Riley Securities. Please state your question.

Speaker 6

Yes. Thanks for taking the question and congratulations on the good performance, Gil and Meghan. I wanted to go back 3 months, Megan, and just use that as a reference point to understand how you're thinking about the businesses performance half on half. I think 3 months ago, we thought there was potential for 30% half on half growth. Is that still the right way to look at the business?

Speaker 2

Well, let me start giving some comments, Greg, and then maybe Megan can give some more details. I mean, the assumption is still that we see roughly a 30% first half, second half seasonality. We expect the first half to come in a bit better than we originally anticipated. So with that seasonality still in place and the underlying assumption to that higher seasonality still being confirmed, we expect, let's say, the outlook similar than 3 months ago. That's on a qualitative basis.

Speaker 2

And Megan, can you add to that?

Speaker 3

Yes, Craig. So I would say overall, that's the same sentiment. It's just the puts and takes that get us to that have shifted a bit, as we just previously described with a bit weaker automotive and a bit more upside in some of the other markets. So even though there's outperformance in Q1 and I would say our Q2 guide is slightly better than seasonal, For the full year, I would still say we would anticipate something that could be as strong as that 22 second half growth.

Speaker 6

Got it. That's helpful. And then the second one is just a deeper dive into the compute business in the Q1. So sequentially was better than we had modeled and had expected. Can you just go into a little bit more detail on what drove that and maybe what I'm getting at is that more memory or was there an early start on the 2.5D HPC program for 2Q that might have helped a little bit?

Speaker 2

Yes, Greg. I mean, we had some puts and takes in the Q1 on the compute market. On the downside, our more conventional compute business was still slow. I think the conventional servers were still slow. We saw some upsides on the memory business, although that was relatively small.

Speaker 2

We saw a good upside on PC and laptop, where we launched some new products in the ARM based PC market. And since the PC market is gradually improving, that gave us some upside. And I would say the other one was in the data center, you already mentioned that, slightly better than we expected on the 2.5 D, Although the let's say, the bigger capacity increase will come on stream in the second quarter, we continuously try to optimize our line utilization there. If I could just ask

Speaker 6

a clarification on that, it might tilt a little bit more towards Megan. Megan, I know when we've talked in the past, new programs can often ramp at a lower than corporate gross margin. I know you've had 2.5d capability for some time, but I think this is new program. So anything we should have in mind as we think about the back half of the year as this program becomes bigger? Thank you.

Speaker 3

Hi, Craig. So with respect to the profitability associated with this, since we are expanding existing scale and these products have already been in production. I wouldn't anticipate any significant movements. We do obviously, this is a very technical, high value product. It is profitability is greater than our corporate average, but we would continue to see that play out in the second half.

Speaker 6

Excellent. Thanks for the help to both.

Operator

Our next question comes from Charles Hsieh with Needham and Company. Please state your question.

Speaker 7

Hey, good afternoon, Hill, Megan. Allow me to ask the technology question on 2.5D. I think the leading foundry is probably moving from a standard silicon interposer based 2.5D more towards organic interposer based 2.5D and probably a little bit in the distant future, the embedded guide type of 2.5D. So I want to see if you can address what capabilities you have in house right now? And how long do you expect you can maintain the status of being leading OSAT that has the full 10.5 gig capability with respect to the standard silicon interposer base, organic interposer base and maybe embedded dye application in the future.

Speaker 7

Please help us understand a little bit better about your capability. Thanks.

Operator

Sir, just a note, your audio is not coming through well. If you could just pick up your handset or get off take it off speakerphone, maybe that will improve it. Thank you.

Speaker 2

Okay. All right.

Speaker 7

Sorry, Hill, Hill, I guess you got my question right.

Speaker 2

Yes. I got your question, Charles. Let me repeat it. Your question was indeed along the technology line on the next generation technology after 2.5D inter poser, how we see that and how we are positioned with that. Now when it comes to 2.5Ds with Interposer, we see that running currently, but we also expect that will continue to run for, let's say, the next 1 to 2 years.

Speaker 2

But we see an active transition from silicon interposer into RDL structures with 2.5D. Ds. We launched that technology with 3 new customers and one existing customer. We expect that to be qualified and introduced early 2025 for the let's say the time being we expect that to run-in parallel to the interposer technologies. And then on top of that, we see as a variation to that the bridge technology, which basically uses a silicon bridge together with RDL as a next generation as a connectivity structure between 2 dies.

Speaker 2

And I think there we have the capability in house also. So is that answering your question, Charles?

Speaker 7

Yes. Maybe as a follow-up, your OSAT competitor probably a few nights ago on the earnings call was kind of a little bit ambiguous about what role they play in their under their partnership with the leading foundry with respect to what part of the 2.5D packaging they do versus what they don't. Can you kind of clarify a little bit between you and your peers, what are the things you are more uniquely positioned that you are capable to do in 2.5 do what you are already doing and maybe your competitors still have not? Thank you.

Speaker 2

Well, Charles, I mean, I generally, we don't comment to the capabilities or business of our competitors. But give me let me give you a few highlights here. EMCOR started with lead customer on a full flow. That means on wafer as well as on substrate for 2.5 Ds multiple years ago. We currently are in the 3rd generation, and we are currently performing at yield levels, which because that's an important performance indicator that is, I would say, industry standards.

Speaker 2

That doesn't hold for our competitors. We still believe that we are the only OSAT that is doing this at scale and we're ramping up. The industry still has a shortage in capacity when it comes to high end computing devices, and we expect that to continue. So definitely, there are alternatives being explored to rapidly expand capacity to accelerate there. And I cannot comment to all the details there.

Speaker 2

But as we mentioned, compared to last year, we're tripling our capacity coming on stream by the end of the Q2. That results in tripling of our revenue for 2.5 Ds. And we're launching our, let's say, fan out technology or our RDL technologies in high volume production by early 2025. So I would see still in that whole environment of growing markets, we're well positioned. But we don't exclude that the supply chain will diversify when the volumes really go up.

Operator

Thank you. And our next question comes from Randy Abrams with UBS. Please state your question.

Speaker 8

Okay. Yes. Thank you. The first question actually Hill, just to follow-up on the last one on the advanced packaging, just factoring you do see RDL interposer and also we're seeing good strength or interest for the NVIDIA new parts. Do you have any further plan to expand just after the tripling?

Speaker 8

Are you already starting to prepare orders for further capacity? Do you have anything to share on that?

Speaker 2

Yes, Randy. We also commented in the last earnings call that we will continue to ramp our capacity beyond the tripling. But we wanted to avoid that this becomes, let's say, a recurring theme where we report out on the capacity. But definitely in the second half of the year, we will continue to ramp our capacity. A lot of the equipment that we bring in is fungible between our, let's say, RDL interposer versus our silicon interposer as well as our advanced pumping technology.

Speaker 2

The factory where we ramp up and will continue to ramp up is in Korea, where we have, let's say, significant plans in place to ramp this capacity.

Speaker 8

Okay. And to follow-up, when you do the RDL interposer, since I would assume the silicon interposer is built at the foundry, is there like how's the step up in like dollar opportunity per solution or like on a scale versus what you're doing now? Like do you get do you expect you'll get a meaningful amount of the processing of the actual RDL interposer? And just curious how that scales your business versus the value you can do

Speaker 2

now? Yes, I don't want to quote specific numbers here, but so the answer is yes. I think if you look to the value that we bring on the RDL interposer, then it's significantly more than on the silicon interposer, where the silicon interposer is being procured or supplied by a foundry and the value is generated by the foundry on the RDL interposers, the value is created, in this case, by ourselves. And that will give us an upside per unit.

Speaker 8

Right. And to ask maybe a follow-up since you called out the edge like addition of the AI compute. Do you see much change whether it's in test time or packaging type of value for as we start to put like the AI engine added to the mobile device or even in the compute device?

Speaker 2

Yes, that's a good question, Randy. We see a transition when next generation mobile devices, including with integrated AI capabilities that we gradually move to another test platform. And that means that also for 2024, we actually increase our investment in test and test equipment, not only for this one, but in general with 50%. And are we doubling it actually versus 2023? A significant increase.

Speaker 2

And one of the reasons, not the only reason, but one of the reasons is that the complexity of testing these devices with an AI co processor is getting more complex.

Operator

And our next question comes from Tom Diffely with D. A. Davidson.

Speaker 9

I guess first another margin question Megan. When you look at the ramp in Vietnam over the next several quarters, and I know that some costs are already in the system, but how do you expect that to impact depreciation or the gross margin?

Speaker 3

Hi, Tom. Yes. So we have started to incur our costs to bring that factory online with respect to labor and other costs. And so that is part of the OpEx uptick that we had in Q1 as well as moving into Q2. As we think about that moving to high volume ramp at the second half of the year, When that moves into production and those costs move into cost of goods sold, that is a fairly minor part of our total picture.

Speaker 3

So we're not anticipating a significant impact. However, as you do ramp up programs and that utilization is small, there will be some impact.

Speaker 9

Great. Okay. Thank you. And as a follow-up, Hilla, I was wondering if you can give us an update on the Arizona facility as far as timing or potential subsidies go? The new one that you haven't built yet.

Speaker 2

Yes, Tom. Thanks. I think the question was clear. I mean, we're making significant progress there. We have a team in place.

Speaker 2

We're working with a design company to design the facility. We're identifying contractors to start the building and we work on with customers as well as with other partners in the supply chain to plan our capacity, our technology road map to detail out the timing. So there's a significant effort ongoing to prepare for building the factory. The timeline is still in place. We try to tune the timeline as good as possible to the availability of silicon capacity in the U.

Speaker 2

S. And yes, that's the only confirmation that I can get. I think we settled a lot of these the details when it comes to the location also.

Speaker 9

Okay. But it doesn't require a CHIP Act funding irrespective of that you'll continue on with it?

Speaker 2

Well, the CHIP Act funding is a very fundamental part of starting the facility in the U. S. I mean, starting greenfield operations in the U. S. Require significant start up cost on top of the higher running cost.

Speaker 2

And there, we will require CHIP's funding in order to build a sustainable business case for this facility in the U. S. But I cannot comment to all the details there, but we feel very confident that we are aligned with, let's say, the macro strategy for manufacturing and reshoring manufacturing back to the U. S. And the support of the chips office there.

Speaker 2

So we are fairly confident that, that's we're on the right track there.

Speaker 9

Great. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question comes from Joe Moore with Morgan Stanley. Please state your question.

Speaker 9

Great. Thank you. I just wondered, you've been generating quite a bit of cash on the balance sheet. Any plans there? Any kind of uses of cash that you can talk about?

Speaker 3

Hi, Joe. This is Megan. Yes, so as far as it relates to our liquidity, looking at our current capital priorities, I would say really the reinvesting in the business is our number one priority. And as we've been sharing our expansion of our footprint, we're all well aware of the opening of our Vietnam facility. We're also expanding our Europe facility.

Speaker 3

We're building a new building there. And then of course, the upcoming U. S. Facility will require cash for that as well. So that I would say is our number one priority followed by ensuring that we're staying up on the most advanced technology and investing in R and D.

Speaker 3

Also with our commitment of returning 40% to 50% of our free cash flow to shareholders, that would be then another commitment that we have with respect to our cash.

Speaker 9

Great. Thank you.

Operator

And our next question comes from Steve Barger with KeyBanc Capital Markets. Please state your question.

Speaker 2

Hi, thanks.

Speaker 10

Domestic chipmakers in China have been really active in buying wafer fabrication equipment over the past several quarters. And I think a lot of that's for memory. So first, how long do you think it will take for that incremental capacity in China to come online? And second, can you talk about potential for share gains with those mature node chipmakers as you manage your own capacity across regions in Asia?

Speaker 2

Yes, Steve. Hi. That's a good question. There's indeed significant capacity expansion ongoing in China, mostly for the more mature silicon nodes. And I would say the previous generation of memory, I include that in that assessment.

Speaker 2

Now with respect to our sell off and the markets that we're serving, we are very much focusing our business on advanced packaging. And advanced packaging uses silicon of the latest silicon nodes, I would say 7 nanometer and below. And that is still very much restricted when it comes to expansion in China. The expansion, as we understand it, and I don't have full detail available, is very much on the mature nodes in China. Mature nodes would require more mature assembly and test packaging.

Speaker 2

And I believe it's very much focused to a local for local market currently.

Speaker 10

More I cannot say on that topic, Steve. Understood. Thanks. And you talked about expanded engagements with industry leaders in auto industrial for Europe and Japan. Are those new relationships or existing that you're just trying to get deeper with those potential customers?

Speaker 10

And is there any way to think about timing for conversion of engagement to orders?

Speaker 2

Yes. Good question, Steve. Most of the customers in that we refer to for expanding our, let's say, partnership with our existing customers, where we change our engagement model from more, I would say, more tactical model to more a longer term partnership model. And that holds definitely in the European supply chain. I can say without calling out names here that we're engaged with all the semiconductor leaders in the, let's say, IDM space in Europe for supporting them in our manufacturing facility in Portugal.

Speaker 2

We have a broad range of technology there, let's say, from flip chip BGA for ADAS devices to sensors to, let's say, extended wafer bump and wafer probe technologies. We teamed up and that was, let's say, an announcement that we made in last quarter with GlobalFoundries that supports the same supply chain in Europe out of their Dresden factory to offer a seamless manufacturing footprint in Europe. So all in all, I think existing engagements, but we're expanding them with different business models, And that also relates to, for example, models like co investments, dedicated capacities and broadening the portfolio from what we had in Portugal to also, for example, in the latest announcement, power modules for these EV markets.

Speaker 10

Got it. And so do you view this as an ongoing process in which there may be some near term wins, but you're also setting seeds for wins and multiple years out?

Speaker 2

Yes. Exact, Steve. I think for some of these engagements, basically, let's say, can be can materialize and will materialize in revenue this year. Others will ramp up in the course of the next couple of years. For example, in the latest announcement that would require or that's requiring the build out of separate manufacturing module that will go on stream in 20 25, but before that has material revenue contribution that may go towards the end of 2025 into 2026.

Speaker 2

So there are several engagements with the different dynamics, but we expect the upsides starting this year.

Speaker 10

Understood. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. And at this time, I'm showing no further questions. I would like turn the call back over to Hill for closing remarks.

Speaker 2

Thank you. Let me recap the key messages. EMCOR delivered 1st quarter results in line with expectations with revenue of $1,370,000,000 and EPS of $0.24 After multi quarter industry cycle, we believe the Q1 marked the low point for revenue and utilization for EMCOR. We expect 2nd quarter revenue of $1,450,000,000 which represents sequential growth of 6% and flat revenue year on year. Overall, our expectations for full year 2024 have not changed.

Speaker 2

We foresee a muted first half followed by strong growth in the second half. EMCOR has continued to elevate its leadership position by executing on its 3 strategic pillars: advancing our technology leadership, expanding our broad geographic footprint and strengthening engagements with lead customers in the growth markets. Thank you for joining the call today.

Operator

Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes today's conference call. You may now disconnect.

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Key Takeaways

  • Amkor expects Q2 revenue of $1.45 billion, a 6% sequential increase and flat year-over-year, marking the low point of this industry cycle.
  • Automotive and Industrial revenue fell 22% year-over-year in Q1 as customers tightened inventory, though long-term growth drivers like ADAS and electrification remain intact.
  • Investment in advanced packaging continues with planned 2.5D capacity expansions for AI and high-performance computing on track to begin ramping by end of Q2.
  • First-quarter gross margin improved via temporary cost controls and a 100-basis-point benefit from extending depreciation lives of test equipment, supporting profitability in a low-utilization environment.
  • Balance sheet remains strong with $1.6 billion in cash, $2.2 billion in total liquidity, and a 1× debt/EBITDA ratio, underpinning continued investments and potential CHIPS Act funding for the Arizona facility.
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Earnings Conference Call
Amkor Technology Q1 2024
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