Veeco Instruments Q1 2025 Earnings Call Transcript

There are 7 speakers on the call.

Operator

Greetings, and welcome to the Veeco First Quarter twenty twenty five Earnings Call. At this time, all participants are in a listen only mode. A question and answer session will follow the formal presentation. It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Anthony Papone, Head of Investor Relations. Thank you.

Operator

You may begin.

Speaker 1

Thank you, and good afternoon, everyone. Joining me on the call today are Bill Miller, Veeco's Chief Executive Officer and John Kiernan, our Chief Financial Officer. Today's earnings release and slide presentation to accompany today's webcast is available on the Veeco website. To the extent that this call discusses expectations for future revenues, future earnings, market conditions or otherwise make statements about the future, these forward looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. These risks are discussed in detail in our Form 10 ks annual report and other SEC filings.

Speaker 1

V Go does not undertake any obligation to update any forward looking statements, including those made on this call to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements. Unless otherwise noted, management will address non GAAP financial results. We encourage you to refer to our reconciliation between GAAP and non GAAP results, which you can find in our press release and at the end of the earnings presentation. With that, I will turn the call over to our CEO, Bill Miller.

Speaker 2

Thank you, Anthony. V Go delivered solid top and bottom line results. Revenue totaled $167,000,000 above the midpoint of our guidance, non GAAP operating income $24,000,000 and non GAAP EPS of $0.37 above the high end of our guidance. Our Semiconductor business had another quarter of strong performance, growing both sequentially and year over year. Growth was led by an increase in Advanced Packaging, including wet processing systems to a leading foundry and HBM manufacturer, as well as lithography systems to an IDM and OSATs.

Speaker 2

We also shipped several LSA systems to leading customers for gate all around and high bandwidth memory. In addition to our solid results, I'm excited to share an important customer award and several significant strategic wins. First, Vico was awarded Intel's twenty twenty five EPYC supplier award due to our excellence in Aneel technology. As one of 37 recipients in Intel's global supply chain, receipt of this award acknowledges us for our commitment to quality, excellence and dedication to technology innovation. Recognition from a market leader such as Intel has been an internal goal of Veeco's and we believe this milestone validates us as a top supplier in the semiconductor industry.

Speaker 2

Second, during the quarter, Vico received laser annealing system orders from two leading edge logic customers for their gate all around nodes, including one customer's second NSA500 nanosecond annealing system. For high bandwidth memory, our customer continues to place laser annealing system orders as demand remains strong. Third, two leading logic customers have designated Veeco's Laser Spike Annealing Platform as production tool of record for new applications at their most advanced gate all around nodes. Expanding adoption of laser annealing at the leading edge is core to our SAM expansion strategy. Both wins are a culmination of ongoing collaboration with each customer and a great example of our market leading position in laser annealing.

Speaker 2

Fourth, we recently announced an IDM qualified our wet processing platform for two new applications and placed initial orders in Q1. These wins validate the growing use cases for our technology for new applications tied to a growing SAM. Before moving ahead, I'd like to address recently enacted tariffs and the prospect of further tariff policy escalations, which are resulting in uncertainty across Veeco's business. Recently enacted tariffs are currently causing some customers to delay shipments, could impact future end market demand and has also resulted in an increase in certain costs. Given the dynamic nature of the situation, we continue to evaluate potential implications to our business.

Speaker 2

While uncertainty may persist for some time, we remain confident in our long term strategy and believe each of the wins previously highlighted reflect our strengthened market position, which we expect will enable us to capitalize on long term semiconductor industry growth. I'll now provide an overview of our role in the semiconductor manufacturing process and then an update on key technologies. Technologies remain critical for several leading edge semi manufacturing process steps. Vico is the market leader in laser annealing with our laser spike annealing system qualified as production tool of record for leading logic customers and one Tier one DRAM customer. Our recently launched next generation NSA system expands our capabilities to enable new applications and we're pleased to report our evaluations at advanced logic customers are progressing well.

Speaker 2

Equally as important, interest from logic and memory customers to evaluate our system remains high. During the quarter, we saw continued demand for our laser annealing systems from leading edge customers, primarily driven by end market demand for high performance computing and AI. In addition, recent orders for Gate All Around and HBM are contributing to expectations for strong growth in our leading edge laser annealing business in 2025. VECO is also the market leader for deposition of defect free films for EUV mask blank production with our IBD EUV system. Our Ion Beam Deposition technology is critical to the industry's roadmap and we're in a strong position to support growing demand for EUV lithography.

Speaker 2

We see opportunity for growth in this business as our technology continues to expand to adjacent mass blank steps. Growth in AI is accelerating adoption of new technologies and materials that enable device scaling and address the growing need for energy efficient compute performance. As device geometries continue to shrink, traditional technologies are struggling to achieve resistivity requirements, driving Tier one customers to consider new solutions to address their high value challenges. Vico's recently launched IBD 300 system differentiates itself from traditional technologies through its ability to achieve improved thin film properties and lower resistivity with critical metals in memory and logic, which can directly impact device performance, speed and battery life. Looking ahead, we remain highly focused on working with our customers to integrate our technology into their manufacturing processes and evaluate new applications.

Speaker 2

In Advanced Packaging, our wet processing system is production tool of record at a leading foundry, HBM manufacturer and multiple OSATs. Our systems unique capabilities have enabled our strong position in three d packaging for AI, providing expectations for growth to accelerate in 2025. And in Advanced Packaging Lithography, we're seeing a recovery led by capacity expansion for AI and high performance computing, highlighted by today's announcement of $35,000,000 in orders from IDM and OSAT customers, contributing to expectations for growth in 2025. Demand for V Go Technologies is being accelerated by leading edge inflections such as gate all around, high bandwidth memory, EUV lithography and three d packaging. Our exposure to each of these high growth areas of the market offer opportunities to expand our in several areas.

Speaker 2

In annealing, we project our SAM to grow to around $1,300,000,000 Customer roadmaps require precise annealing solutions with tighter thermal budgets to address scaling challenges associated with shrinking geometries and new architectures, resulting in an increase in steps available to laser annealing. In logic, gate all around architecture and new technologies such as backside power delivery are increasing laser annealing intensity. In memory, high bandwidth memory and three d devices are driving customers to adopt laser annealing to solve new challenges. In Ion Beam Deposition for front end semi applications, we forecast growth in our SAM to approximately $350,000,000 for high value steps requiring critical film performance. In Ion Beam Deposition for EUV Mask Blanks, we see our growing to over $120,000,000 as the market adopts EUV and high NA lithography, and customers continue to evaluate new use cases for our technologies.

Speaker 2

And in Advanced Packaging, we see potential SAM growth for our enabling wet processing solutions for a growing number of applications supporting AI and high performance computing. As we look ahead, we believe our portfolio of enabling technologies for key inflections positions our semi business to outperform WFE growth over the long term. I'll now provide additional details on our evaluation program, which is core to our investment strategy and essential to capturing our largest opportunities. Many evaluations are targeting several applications, which can result in follow on business between $30,000,000 to $60,000,000 per application win, assuming 100,000 wafer starts per month. While the timing of adoption by system, customer and market will vary, customers are excited about the value proposition our technologies offer and we're highly focused on executing.

Speaker 2

Our evaluations in the field are progressing well. And we're also investing in additional systems to win new business in logic and memory. We expect to ship an LSA evaluation system to a second Tier one memory customer in the coming months as well as an NSA evaluation system to a third logic customer later this year. There's also potential for additional NSA and IBD three hundred evaluation shipments later this year or in the first half of twenty twenty six. With that, I'll turn it over to John for a financial update.

Speaker 3

Thank you, Bill. Starting with revenue for the quarter. Revenue came in at $167,000,000 above the midpoint of our guidance, down 4% from the prior year and 8% sequentially. Our Semiconductor business had another strong quarter, growing 10% sequentially and 3% year over year, representing 74% of total revenue. Our results included strong performance from our laser annealing products with shipments to leading edge customers for gate all around and high bandwidth memory.

Speaker 3

Both sequential and year over year growth were led by an increase in advanced packaging. In the Compound Semiconductor market, revenue declined from the prior quarter to $14,000,000 totaling nine percent of revenue. Data storage revenue decreased to $7,000,000 totaling 4% of revenue in line with our expectations as highlighted on recent earnings calls. Revenue for the quarter was only derived from service and aftermarket support. Also in line with our expectations, Scientific and Other revenue declined to $22,000,000 from $33,000,000 in the prior quarter, 13% of revenue.

Speaker 3

Turning to quarterly revenue by region. Revenue from China customers was flat in Q1 from Q4 with the percentage of revenue increasing from 39% to 42%. Revenue from Asia Pacific region excluding China was 36%, an increase from 31% in the prior quarter led by sales to semiconductor customers in Taiwan. The United States came in at 15% and EMEA 7 Percent. Switching gears to our non GAAP quarterly results.

Speaker 3

Gross margin totaled approximately 42% in line with guidance. Operating expenses totaled approximately $46,000,000 below our guidance as we maintain our focus on cost management. Income tax expense was approximately $3,000,000 resulting in an effective tax rate of approximately 12%. Net income came in at $22,000,000 and diluted EPS was $0.37 on 60,000,000 shares. Now moving to the balance sheet and cash flow highlights.

Speaker 3

We ended the quarter with cash and short term investments of $353,000,000 a sequential increase from $345,000,000 From a working capital perspective, our accounts receivable increased by $18,000,000 to $114,000,000 Inventory increased by $7,000,000 to $254,000,000 and accounts payable increased by $14,000,000 to $58,000,000 Customer deposits included within contract liabilities on the balance sheet decreased by $8,000,000 to $40,000,000 Cash flow from operations totaled $20,000,000 and CapEx totaled $7,000,000 during the quarter. Before providing our Q2 outlook, I'd like to offer additional insights into the potential impact of recently announced tariffs, which have resulted in an elevated level of uncertainty across our business with possible direct and indirect implications. A substantial majority of Veeco's and our contract manufacturers operations are located in The United States. Products manufactured in The United States shipped to customers in China are subject to substantial tariffs unless otherwise exempted. This is currently causing some China customers to delay shipments.

Speaker 3

While we are monitoring changes to tariff and trade dynamics, we continue to work closely with our customers to mitigate impacts. Outside of China, we've not seen material changes to our customers' plans. However, the potential impact on the macroeconomic environment from global trade uncertainty are difficult to predict. We are experiencing higher costs due to tariffs on imported materials from overseas suppliers as well as increased costs from domestic suppliers incurring tariffs on their imports. While tariff dynamics continue to evolve, our team is working diligently with suppliers to mitigate the impact on cost.

Speaker 3

Taking this into account in relation to our Q2 outlook. Q2 revenue is expected between 135,000,000 and $165,000,000 The midpoint of our guidance range assumes approximately $15,000,000 in shipments to China customers will be delayed. Our guide also includes a wider than normal range to account for increased risk associated with China customers. Gross margin is expected between 40% to 42%, which includes an approximate 100 basis points impact primarily from lower volumes due to tariffs and tariff related costs. We expect OpEx between 47,000,000 and $48,000,000 net income between $7,000,000 and $20,000,000 and diluted EPS between $0.12 and $0.32 on approximately 60,000,000 shares.

Speaker 3

I'll now provide qualitative commentary for each of our markets. Beginning with the semiconductor market, despite expected headwinds from our mature node business in China, we see opportunity for growth in 2025. We continue to see strength in leading edge investment in areas driven by AI and high performance computing, providing the potential for gate all around and advanced packaging revenue to approximately double in 2025 versus 2024. We remain confident in our long term growth outlook due to our strong product portfolio in laser annealing, ion beam deposition, wet processing and lithography. In the compound semiconductor market, we see opportunities in GaN power, solar and photonics, which provide potential for revenue growth beginning in late twenty twenty five into 2026.

Speaker 3

In data storage, while service revenues picked up due to higher customer utilizations, customers are not investing in capacity additions. In line with our prior forecast, we do not expect system shipments to data storage customers in 2025. And in Scientific, we're continuing to see strength in research areas such as quantum computing, which have the potential to provide growth in 2025. With that, I'll now turn the call over to the operator to open up Q and A.

Operator

Thank you. We will now be conducting a question and answer session. Session. Our first question comes from the line of David Duley with Steelhead Securities. Please proceed with your question.

Speaker 4

Yes. For taking my question. I guess the first thing is, could you just elaborate a little bit more on the advanced packaging orders for your lithography tools? It's been some time since I can't remember the last time you've announced a large order in this segment of the business. And I know you mentioned AI and high performance computing applications.

Speaker 4

I was wondering if you could just dig in a little bit more. Is there some sort of packaging change? Or what exactly is driving this rekindling of this business at this point?

Speaker 2

Sure, Dave. The first part, we did have a press release just recently for 35,000,000 in litho orders over the past few quarters from IDM as well as a number of OSATs. And it's really kind of picked the business up and it's really driving significant year over year growth for us in 2025. And really all of this is really attached to advanced packaging lithography. And if I look broad more broadly at Advanced Packaging, our Advanced Packaging business is going to probably double this year to about $150,000,000 in 2025, partially on this lithography business that we just press released, but also a lot of the activity that we have going on in our wet processing business.

Speaker 2

So there's a lot of excitement with foundries and OSATs and it's really being driven by AI, particularly high bandwidth memory, and three d device stacking. So it's a it's an exciting space and we've announced we actually won some new applications and we're actually looking to kind of further expand our served available market and think there's some room to run here with some SAM expansion with some of the products that we have here in wet processing.

Speaker 4

Yes. That's a nice piece of business there. It's also did you I guess I was wondering, were you expecting the advanced the lithography business to be this robust? Or did this kind of surprise you? And what exactly inside whose ever advanced packaging business that you're that this is driving these incremental orders.

Speaker 4

What is there a new adoption of a CPU in some sort of package? Or I'm just kind of wondering what sort of technology shift in the marketplace is all of a sudden driving a lot of orders for you guys?

Speaker 2

Yes. I would say it's really more capacity buys. I would say there's a number of customers there as I mentioned OSATs and IDM adding capacity because of this demand really driven by AI and the like.

Speaker 5

Okay. And as far as the impact from

Speaker 4

China and the inability to or the hesitancies of customers to take shipments, is there could you talk about which end markets those are associated with, number one? And number two is, what sort of mitigation strategy do you have to be able to ship into China? Can you ship to another location first and then ship it into China? Or how can you get around the current tariff structures to ship tools into China?

Speaker 3

Yes. So Dave, we see some customers continue to take shipments as scheduled and we're seeing other customers delay shipments as we anticipate in Q2 currently and as we guided about a $15,000,000 impact on our Q2 guide. And we mentioned that we are principally ship product from United States. So to the extent it's our customers are importing those goods, they would have to pay for the tariffs unless there's some exemption in place. Now there have been some unofficial reports that certain products are being exempted from the tariffs and our China customers are already seeking exemptions that could mitigate the exposures.

Speaker 3

Our customers have indicated that they'll take the shipments if tariffs are resolved there. So in the near term, we are manufacturing those systems in The U. S. Not really much in the very near term that we can do. Now we are looking at plans and we've had plans as we look at our semiconductor business for expansion outside of The U.

Speaker 3

S. But that's not going to help in the very near term. You also asked about I think, in what areas of business here in China. I would say, in Q2, it's about evenly split between customers in scientific markets where we anticipated shipping systems to and about half of the in the semiconductor market.

Speaker 5

Okay. Final question from me

Speaker 4

is you've got a lot of moving parts in your semi business. Could you just maybe just recap again, which parts do you think are going to grow in 2025?

Speaker 3

Yes. I think that's a great question, Dave. I'm going to start and then Bill may choose to add in here a bit. So really in the semi business there's really two main drivers. In the one sense irrespective of tariffs, our expectation was we had good visibility for our semi business in China for the first half of twenty twenty, twenty twenty five and we expected that business to fall off in the second half of the year.

Speaker 3

Now you add a little bit more uncertainty around tariffs there. On the other hand, we're seeing strength in our advanced business call it with strength in high bandwidth memory in gate all around being driven by high performance computing and AI. And high performance computing and AI are also impacting growth in our advanced packaging business. So when we look at the business attached to gate all around and advanced packaging and high bandwidth memory, we see those areas of the business have the opportunity to double year over year. That could potentially offset or more than offset where we can see growth in our semi business overall year over year.

Speaker 2

So data all around doubling AP, advanced packaging doubling and China coming down netting out neutral to positive.

Speaker 4

And then, how what about lithography?

Speaker 2

Lithography is accounted for in the advanced packaging numbers.

Speaker 5

Okay, great.

Speaker 3

Thanks, Dave. Thank you, Dave.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Gus Richard with Northland Capital. Please proceed with your question.

Speaker 5

Yes. Thanks for letting me ask a couple of questions. Just real quick on some of the wins in the process tool of records. Could you just help me understand, are these new you mentioned new applications and wins? And I just want to understand, are you winning an existing customer's new layers?

Speaker 5

Is this an expansion? Or is this the result of a bake off?

Speaker 2

This is evaluation system with existing customers in advanced logic, gate all around where we have had an application at these customers and now we have a second application, that we've won with two different customers. So it's it is incremental. And just to give you a feel for the size of that, Gus, that would be, 40,000,000 to $50,000,000 revenue increase per application per 100,000 wafer starts as they build out the fab over a year or two or so. But obviously it's very sensitive to the customers ramp and their business conditions. So that's the variable there.

Speaker 2

But it is incremental business, but the timing for HVM is unknown still.

Speaker 3

Likely to be more in the '26 timeframe than in the 2025 timeframe.

Speaker 5

Okay. And these are incremental steps on the gate all around, correct?

Speaker 3

Yes.

Speaker 5

And have you won any backside metal? Have those decisions been made at this point? Or are you still waiting on customers to make a decision on thermal processing?

Speaker 2

Yes. They're still considering, they're still assessing with these systems where they're going to insert. But a decision has not been made on specifically on Backside Power.

Speaker 5

Okay. Got it. And then just to understand the guidance, it looks like from the midpoint guidance came down $15,000,000 and it was just primarily all China related. There wasn't anything else there that caused you to be a little bit more conservative in guidance relative to consensus. Am I understanding that correctly?

Speaker 3

Yes, Gus. So we had previously guided earlier in the year that we expected Q2 to be in a similar range to Q1 numbers. So at that time roughly $165,000,000 quarters for Q1 and Q2. And absent of customers delaying shipments in Q2 in China until tariffs get resolved, we would have been right in that same range. So that is an accurate assessment Gus.

Speaker 5

Got it. Got it. All right. And then the last one for me On GaN power, are we any closer to process tool of record and primary versus secondary supplier for those for that application you're demoing now or being evaluated for?

Speaker 2

Yeah. We continue to work with the customer and make progress. We are meeting all of the in film and electrical device performance that the customer needs to move forward. Their plan is to start pilot in 2026. And we're working to meet their deliverables for kind of a high volume manufacturing configured machine.

Speaker 2

And if their plans continue, they'll probably continue to ramp through 2027 and beyond. So it's an exciting opportunity and we've been told very positive things. We don't have a purchase order yet.

Speaker 5

Got it. Got it. All right. That's it for me. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2

Thank you, Gus.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Mark Miller with Benchmark. Please proceed with your question.

Speaker 6

Thank you for the question. From the picture you've been painting during the call, I'm just thinking about second half revenue. I know it's very uncertain, but in the absence of any new developments with tariffs, it sounds like we're looking at least flattish type second half in sales. Can we would we be off base modeling that?

Speaker 3

Yes. Thank you for the question, Mark. So yes, I mean given the macro uncertainty and potential changes in global trade policies, we're not really providing a specific quantitative guidance for the second half of the year, primarily due to a larger range of outcomes. But that being said, we are continuing to see strength in gate all around in advanced packaging providing opportunity for our semi business to grow despite the China market headwinds and tariff headwinds. Our view on data storage is that the same like we don't see system revenue picking up in the second half of the year.

Speaker 3

We're not forecasting any system revenue in the first half or the second half. So, yes, I think taking all of that into consideration, we could see second half twenty twenty five business activity at a similar level to the first half.

Speaker 6

Okay. Are you seeing any improvements in your tool utilizations at the disk drive manufacturers? Was it around low to mid 70%?

Speaker 2

Yes. We have seen that steadily pick up. Our customers are bringing capacity online in a judicial manner. And that's showing up for us in terms of service revenue and spare parts and the like as they bring equipment back on. And their utilization rates are picking up from what we hear.

Speaker 2

They're continuing to pick up. Certainly the order activity from a system standpoint, excuse me, is not there yet.

Operator

Thank you.

Speaker 2

Thank you, Thank you, Mark.

Operator

Thank you. Our next question comes from the line of Ross Cole with Needham and Company. Please proceed with your question.

Speaker 5

Thank you for taking my question. I just wanted to clarify a little bit in the semi segment regarding the offset with between China as well as the GAA and advanced packaging strengths. So it sounds like you're expecting that to still be relatively flat to slightly up. Is that correct?

Speaker 3

Year over year? Year over year in our semiconductor market. Is that the question?

Speaker 5

Yes. Thank you.

Speaker 3

Yes. Yes. That's what we're saying. In one sense, we've got the headwinds in China. And as we said, irrespective of tariffs, expected that business after two very strong years in laser annealing to moderate in 2025.

Speaker 3

We had good business in China. We had good visibility for the first half of the year. Second half of the year, we're not seeing the type of projects continue and that we expect a fall off in that business. And then on the flip side of it is, on the positive side that we are seeing in our advanced pieces of the business and business tied to high bandwidth memory, gate all around. And in our packaging business, we're seeing the opportunity for that to offset or more than offset the headwinds in China given the opportunity for flattish to growth in the semiconductor piece of our business in 2025.

Speaker 5

Great. That was helpful. And then I'd also curious about maybe some indirect tariff impacts. Are you where are you seeing potential other issues? Like, could like compound semi maybe have any impact from indirect tariffs from suppliers or anything like that?

Speaker 3

Yes. So yes, if we separate out on the demand side, we only have seen impact on the demand side to customers in China where there would be substantial impacts on importing. And so no impacts for demand outside of China. Now as we think about you know, WEVCO as a manufacturer in The US, we do import parts from suppliers outside The US that would be subject to tariffs. Think about steel and aluminum that are subject to, you know, tariffs or some of the universal tariffs.

Speaker 3

And we principally import from Europe and Southeast Asia. That's a principal areas. And then indirectly what we're seeing is we have a U. S. Supply base and suppliers and certain of those suppliers also import parts.

Speaker 3

And they're seeing sort of cost increases there for the same type of parts. So we are seeing potential for cost increases there as well. So we are trying to mitigate that as much as possible. We're looking at like logistics and to the extent of using parts for services and supporting installed base, not bringing those parts into The U. S.

Speaker 3

And using logistics outside The U. S. To the extent those parts are being procured. So that's also an area of indirect that we're looking to mitigate.

Speaker 5

Great. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2

Thank you, Russ.

Operator

Thank you. And we have reached the end of the question and answer session. I would like to turn the floor back to Bill Miller for closing remarks.

Speaker 2

Before we end the call, I'd like to just reiterate our confidence in our long term strategy. This was further solidified by several strategic wins we announced this quarter, all of which reflected progress in the semiconductor market. As we look at the full year 2025, we're continuing to see strengths in areas tied to AI, resulting in expectations for Gate All Around and Advanced Packaging revenue to double and providing our semiconductor business the opportunity to grow. With that, I'd like to thank our customers, shareholders along with the Veeco team for their continued support. Have a great evening.

Operator

Thank you. This does conclude today's teleconference. We thank you for your participation. You may disconnect your lines at this time.

Key Takeaways

  • Veeco beat Q1 guidance with $167 M revenue, $24 M non-GAAP operating income and $0.37 EPS, driven by a 10% sequential and 3% year-over-year semiconductor business increase led by advanced packaging and lithography.
  • The company received Intel’s 2025 EPYC Supplier Award for excellence in anneal technology, underscoring its commitment to quality and innovation in the semiconductor supply chain.
  • Veeco secured multiple laser annealing system orders, including production tool-of-record designations for gate-all-around and high-bandwidth memory at two leading logic customers, accelerating its served available market expansion.
  • In advanced packaging, Veeco qualified its wet processing platform for two new IDM applications and booked initial orders, while lithography tools garnered $35 M in orders from IDM and OSAT customers, supporting expectations for strong 2025 growth.
  • Recently enacted tariffs are delaying an estimated $15 M in Q2 shipments to China and raising certain costs, but management remains confident in the long-term strategy and industry growth drivers.
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Earnings Conference Call
Veeco Instruments Q1 2025
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