SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd. (TYO:7735)
Japan flag Japan · Delayed Price · Currency is JPY
10,390
+160 (1.56%)
May 1, 2026, 3:30 PM JST
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Earnings Call: Q3 2026

Jan 30, 2026

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Good afternoon, everybody. Now, we'll hold an earnings presentation for the third quarter, fiscal year ending in March 2026, for SCREEN Holdings. Let me introduce you the presenter for today, Masato Goto, SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd., President, Member of the Board, Chief Executive Officer. Yoichi Kondo, Executive Vice President, Member of the Board, Chief Financial Officer. Today, in addition to CEO and CFO, we have three executive officers attending this event. Manabu Ishimura, Managing Executive Officer, Head of Financial Strategy Division, and Akihiko Miyagawa, Senior Executive Officer, Head of Corporate Strategy Division, and Chiho Otobe, Executive Officer, Head of Corporate Communications Department, Corporate Strategy Division. Now, we'd like to invite Executive Vice President Kondo to give us presentation about the consolidated business results and forecast. Now, the microphone is yours. Now, let me give you the, presentation about the, third consolidated business results and forecast.

Sales of JPY 425 million, and operating income JPY 77.4 billion, OP margin 18.2%. That is, sales and the profits both decreased year-on-year, but it is in line with expectation. SPE sales and the profits both fell year-on-year, but we're now receiving a very strong inquiry. So the performance has now bottomed out and entered into recovery phase. FT is performing very strongly, and we could have the strong sales and the profits growth over the previous year because of the strong sales of OLED. So the full year outlook remains unchanged, but the large scale project of sales from China is now shifted to the next year. But with that, we still maintain the full year forecast.

This is the third quarter accumulated consolidated earnings. So it was JPY 425.3 billion, and operating income JPY 77.4 billion, that is minus JPY 23.1 billion. And other income JPY 78.8 billion, minus JPY 23.4 billion. Net income JPY 54.9 billion, minus JPY 14.5 billion. And this is the sales by the destination. Japan 14%; Taiwan 19%; China 39%; South Korea 8%; Asia and other countries 7%; North America 8%; and Europe 5%. And this is the sales by segment. SPE 79.7%; GA 91%; FT 80.2%; PE 12.2%; and others 1.1%. And this is the consolidated earnings by segment.

First, SPE, the third quarter cumulative is JPY 338.6 billion. Operating profit, 78.3 billion JPY. That is, OP margin of 23.1%. And on the right side, you can find that the comment, "The sales and the profits both fell, and foundry operation remains solid, while logic sales declined. And order intake is strong, so, we are now entering into the recovery phase." In GA, 39.5 billion JPY in sales and operating income, 1.9 billion JPY, and that is sales grew, while profits fell. Sales growth was offset by the impact of the U.S. tariff. Next, FT, 35.8 billion JPY of sales, OP income, 7.3 billion JPY, and sales and profits both grew. Equipment sales and OP margin grew significantly, mainly driven by OLED.

PE, JPY 8.9 billion of sales and operating income is minus JPY 0.5 billion, and sales and profits both fell, with a recovery expected in the fourth quarter because of the strong inquiry we are now receiving. So we can maintain profit. This is the balance sheet. Total asset is JPY 1,677 billion, and net asset is JPY 443.2 billion, and equity ratio achieved 65.4%, and that is the JPY 180 billion level. This is a cash flow, and we have the internal corporate tax payment. For the third quarter, operating cash flow was JPY 1.6 billion, used JPY 5.1 billion in investment.

The free cash flow is JPY 4.5 billion, and the financing cash flow increased, but we had interim dividend payment of JPY 11.6 billion. So the 40.5 billion cumulative operating cash flow. And we had the free cash flow of JPY 23 billion. And this is our own expenses, CapEx and depreciation and amortization. They have been in line with our expectation. There's no change in the figures. So the 382.38 billion yen of the R&D and JPY 28 billion of the CapEx. Depreciation and amortization, JPY 15 billion. So mainly for the SP, we have been in line with our expectation. And this is analysis of the operating income growth, so this is a comparison between the third quarter in FY 2025 and FY 2026.

In the year ending in March 2025, it was JPY 100.6 billion

Chiho Otobe
Executive Officer, SCREEN Holdings

Minus JPY 14.1 billion due to sales and capacity utilization.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

But it went to JPY 77.5 billion. There is a minus JPY 11.8 billion impact of the fixed cost and increasing the profitability by JPY 2.6 billion. For this third quarter, it would be JPY 37.4 billion. The sales decline mainly by the SPE, but we have the improvement of profitability, mainly with SPE and FT. Fixed cost increased mainly about the growth investment attributable SPE, and exchange rate has a main impact from the GA. This is the business forecast. You can find the change from October; there was no big change.

So the forecast is JPY 621 billion for the net sales, and JPY 170 billion for the operating income, and net income is JPY 88 billion. SPE, JPY 502 billion, and JPY 121 billion of the operating income, and OP margin of 24.1%. GA, JPY 53 billion of sales. OP income, JPY 2.5 billion. OP margin, 4.7%. FT, JPY 46 billion, and OP income, JPY 8 billion, and OP margin, 17.4%. And PE, JPY 15 billion, and so JPY 1.1 billion of income and OP margin, 6.2%. And this is analysis of operating income growth forecast against actual from the ending in March 2025.

We had the +JPY 2.2 billion from the sales and capacity utilization, and no change with the profitability. But there was a negative impact of the fixed cost at -JPY 19.5 billion, and another JPY 1 billion in exchange rate negative impact. Profitability mainly improved with the FD. Fixed cost mainly with SPE, we made a growth investment, which had an impact on the fixed cost and exchange rate.

Chiho Otobe
Executive Officer, SCREEN Holdings

It was JPY 152.78 per dollar and JPY 163.05 per euro.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

But this time it is JPY 145 per dollar and one hundred and seventy yen per euro. And this is about the dividend outlook. There was no change, so let me repeat to the expected year-end dividend is JPY 157, and we carried out the interim dividend payment. So annual dividend would be JPY 280, and the payout ratio is about 30%, and we'd like to make the further effort to make the better return for the investors. That's all from me. Thank you very much.

Chiho Otobe
Executive Officer, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you, President, Vice President. Now, Goto is going to explain about the business environment. Mr. Goto, please. Okay, Goto is going to explain the business environment and full year outlook.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

The full year outlook, the summary. SPE, as was explained earlier, the pending sales projects have been shifted to the next fiscal year, that taking the cautious attitude. On the other hand, a stronger demand is centered on foundries and memory makers, particularly for HBM, came in, therefore, that offset the impact and, allowing us to maintain the full year forecast. As for FT, the good performance buoyed by the active display, OLED investments and new businesses and advanced packaging. We are on track, and next fiscal year onward, further growth is expected. Last December, we made an announcement, we are going to establish a new R&D site in the U.S., called ATCA. We continue implementing the growth investments. And that's the current situation.

SPE, the business overview, market trends and outlook, and WFE. The current year, 2025, the growth expected to land at a mid-single digits range, that it's around $115 billion. And as for calendar year 2026, with the variability by region and application, then that, the overall, the performance is going to be quite strong and AI-related business is expected to grow. Low double-digit growth is expected. Investment trends by application. As for foundry, the leading edge nodes, the 2nm or 3nm, are going to be strengthened, and investment is going to drive the WFE growth. And as for logic, it's a gradual recovery trend.

And the memory market, it is said in the market, the DRAM sector, the memory shortage is going on, and the memory suppliers is trying to strengthen. And so the steady investment recovery is expected. As for NAND, for server demand is getting robust, and then so it's also expected to recover. Image devices, memories for server investment, it's a bit biased, and so the memory for devices is not recovered. So because of that, investment is rather delayed. And the power devices and others, gradually the market is recovering. Advanced packaging. Originally, the so-called Asian investment was quite active, but not only Asia, but the investment in North America is emerging.

And as for the Chinese market, emerging, not only the emerging customers, the existing foundries, continuing the investment, and so the market situation is turning around. SPE, the composition of equipment sales by application and post sales. The Q3 cumulative this fiscal year, JPY 338.6 billion , and driven by the foundry. Foundry sales accounts for 51%, logic 5%, flash 3%, and the DRAM 13%, imaging device 1%, and power device 2%, and others 5%, and the post sales is 21%. Quarter-on-quarter, the sales to foundries increased, and year-on-year, sales to foundries and DRAM remain solid. Post sales remains stable, 21%, as you can see.

SPE composition of sales by destination. As for this, the trend hasn't changed significantly very much in the Q1-Q3 cumulative. China, for China, they declined a little bit, and for Taiwan, they increased. For Japan, that 12%. So, the comparison with the same time, same quarter last year, the composition is a bit different. However, China and Taiwan, the mainstream, no change. SPE composition of sales by application forecast, JPY 502 billion, and the foundry is driving and mainly, nearly 50%, 48% for foundry, and followed by DRAM and logic and flash. This is the composition. And as for post sales, full year estimate, 19%, little less than 20%.

Maintaining that level is the current prospect. SPE composition by sales by destination forecast. Again, at the moment, that China accounts for 39%, nearly 40%. For Taiwan, 26%, for Japan, 11%, and others, as you can see here, this is our estimate. And year-on-year, the Taiwan is going to increase significantly in our expectation. GA sales trends and their forecast. The device and recovery business remains stable, and as for profit, we were affected by U.S. tariff policies. So, efforts are underway to enhance the profitability through operational efficiency and the price path through recovery business, business accounts for half of our business, half of our sales. This is the current trend of the GA.

FT, as I mentioned earlier, the centering OLED display equipment investment is quite robust, so sales increased. Half of the sales is a new investment for OLED, and then the 25% of the existing LCD and the remaining the post sales. For the time being, display the equipment investment expected to continue, and so display is on the trend of recovery as well. That's the current situation. Next, PE. The market recovery is rather struggling, and but the centering on Korea and China, the gradual recovery is seen in the third quarter. The...

It was very severe situation, but in the Q4, the equipment sales are on the recovery trend, and the post sales accounts for the half of our sales, and the post paid sales is getting the base, and also the product, the market is recovering. So, it's getting the turning around to the positive side. And the next about the stock split notice. As for this, Tokyo Stock Exchange and policy or guideline, and instructs us to lower the minimum investment and for more liquidity, and we may split into two.

But in order to improve the situation more or better, we decided to split in the ratio of one share into two shares, and March 16 is the date of a public notice and the record date, and March 31 is the record date, and the split into two shares. And the method of split is written here. 95.3 million shares will be doubled. And along with that, we are going to amend the articles of incorporation. And the total number of authorized shares before stock split is 360 million shares. This will be 720 million shares. So we are going to amend the articles of incorporation.

As for the schedule, the date of a public notice of record date is March 16, 2026. Record date is effective date is April 1, 2026.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Activities related to ESG. Along with our policies, we have been taking these ESG initiatives as planned. Topics for today is we were chosen as a Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovator for 2026. Each ESG-related initiatives are announced in our home page. So please refer to our home page for the details about our ESG initiatives. This is a good news, and we make publication about this news on our website. Please find the details in the website, especially about our development site in the United States. We have the Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovator. About all these, you can find the details, and if you have any further questions, please come back to us. That's all from me. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mr. Goto. Now we have to go into the Q&A session. First, Mr. Yoshida from CLSA Securities.

Yu Yoshida
Senior Analyst, CLSA Securities

Yes, this is Yoshida. Thank you for the opportunity. And so about the focus of WFE market for 2026, so logic, foundry, DRAM, about by major application, I want to have your kind comment. And also, if you have any information about China, please let us know. So in 2026 forecast, AI-related inquiry has been increasing, so this, this will continue to lead the market growth. So AI-related foundry will enhance their capital investment and also the enhancement of the capacity for the DRAM, which is in shortage. These two will lead the market. And also in China, our customers in China, mainly in the foundry, now planning the active investment. So, we can expect the growth equivalent to the average of the WFE market.

So when you see your competition, do you think that the growth of the WFE will be more accelerated in 2027 than in 2026? So do you have any comment about the expectation in 2027? So we just started 2026. It's hard to make the comment about the next year, but as you mentioned, the trend is that following the 2026, we also continue to see the growth into 2027. So 2026 and 2027, these two years, we'll see the increase of the capital investment. So at this moment, we cannot talk about the specific figures about 2027, but this is a kind of overall trend we expect in the market. Thank you very much. And my next question, maybe it's a bit early, too early to ask this, but as for the next year's performance, I have a question.

So this time, the DRAM to China sales will be shifted to the next year. But excluding this point, WFE growth of your business in next year, it can achieve the expected growth? Or do you expect any kind of movement which is different from the overall trend in the industry or market? Please let us know.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

So our focus about the next fiscal year, as you mentioned, we expect the CapEx in the area where we have the strength. So, we have the confidence that we can achieve the growth aligned with the market growth. And about the strength we have, which is unique to us, we have various ideas, but please let me refrain from mentioning these specifics. So when the right time is come, so let me make announcement about this. That's all from me.

Yu Yoshida
Senior Analyst, CLSA Securities

Thank you very much.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you, Mr. Yoshida. Then Mr. Nakamura from Goldman Sachs, please.

Masayuki Nakamura
Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Thank you for appointment. Thank you. First point, SPE OP margin, in Q3, OP margin 24% level. In Q4, your plan, the SPE sales is quite high, and the OP margin is around the 26%. How you consider the OP margin, the size of sales and also the product mix? SPE OP margin, as you guessed, that we are expecting very close to the figure that you mentioned. Top line goes up. Along with that, the factory operation ratio utilization will also go up. Therefore, the same, if the bigger volume as we have shown before, we're gonna have a similar OP margin.

So basically, as you mentioned, we would expect the similar number that you mentioned. In different questions, from Q3 to Q4, the nearly JPY 40 billion increase, but the operating income is increased by JPY 13 billion. If we consider the marginal cost ratio, then that seems to be a bit lower. How do you think? Is it good or not? I think there are several ways of considering the current business situation is considered, we set in that level. The second question, SPE, the current inquiries and order situation. At the end of last year, there might be some changes in my understanding.

The quarterly order intake, if you can give me a hint of that level, and together with that, the slipped, the specific project now shifted to the next fiscal year, the recording of the sales. So what is the probability of the... I would like to explain that.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

As for the order intake, details are not disclosed, and I cannot give you the specific number, but the market itself is turning to the positive side, and therefore, it's in the recovery trend. Mr. Kondo mentioned earlier, it's the V-shaped recovery, so significant recovery is expected.

The project, which was shifted to the next fiscal year, that we set the sales in the next fiscal year, that taking the cautious attitude, so we expect to record sales in the next fiscal year. Thank you very much.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you very much, Mr. Nakamura. Next, Mr. Shimamoto from Okasan Securities.

Takashi Shimamoto
Analyst, Okasan Securities

Thank you for this opportunity. This, I am Shimamoto from Okasan Securities. My first question is about the sales, which is shifted to the next fiscal year, the project in China. So I heard that the scale of the business about JPY 20 billion, and all of this will be shifted into the next fiscal year. So first, let me confirm this scale of the business. And, second question, so the foundry or FT, which is bigger, to offset this shift to the next fiscal year? So I want to know the business competition in the second half of the fiscal year.

So the one shifted into the next fiscal year, the scale is, as you mentioned, and they are offset by the logic, memory, and many other types of businesses, because we are receiving very strong inquiries. So we are making effort to increase our sales in each application. So possibility is that this project or sales shifted into the next fiscal year. Is there any possibility this will be realized within this fiscal year about this project in China?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

So we have the business of the sales of equipment and installation. We are now going to have another contract with a customer separating these two, with actual documentation and also the upfront payment. Or so we have to decide whether or not to return the upfront payment received with original contract. And involving the auditors, we are now taking necessary steps.

But, the Chinese Lunar New Year, and so there's the situation of the customer side. So we decided to take this business to be shifted into the next fiscal year, but things have been carried out without any delay.

Takashi Shimamoto
Analyst, Okasan Securities

Thank you very much.

And, China's growth of WFE in 2026. So the average figure was given to us, so that is the lower double-digit, maybe 12%-30% growth, is the image we now have. So the growth in China, could you give us a breakdown of this growth in China from the existing foundry, may lead this growth? So the growth of this foundry maybe exceed the average. And how about the growth from that memory? So if you have any breakdown of the growth in China, please let us know.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

So market in China, in F2026, rather than the emerging customers, we think that the existing foundries will lead the market, and also the memory customers are making investment. So these two will be the main players in leading the growth of China market.

Takashi Shimamoto
Analyst, Okasan Securities

Thank you very much. That's all for me.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you, Mr. Shimamoto. And Mr. Yasui of UBS, please.

Kenji Yasui
Managing Director and Equity Research Analyst, UBS Securities

I am Yasui of UBS Securities. The first question, that at the end of last year, at the IR day, the backend process equipment seems to be coming up, the WFE, the lower 10%, the backend process and the, how much would it increase, 2026 and 2027? Probably 2027. Would you give us just an image? This is the first question. The backend process market, according to the trend, 2027 is going to, we are going to have a increase, instead of a 2026 as a trend. And, instead of this fiscal year, next fiscal year, the backend process product group are expected to increase.

The equipment for the backend process this fiscal year is the higher single digit, and the next fiscal year, double digit. And so 2026 to 2027, the market is expected to grow. So we are preparing ourselves, and we are also addressing this demand increase. Thank you very much. As a follow-up question, according to our company's search, the backend process as advanced packaging, it seems to be in shortage. I think that's bigger demand. As you explained earlier, the backend process investment comes out, and then the frontend process investment would come later. So what is the bottleneck of a backend process that affects the frontend process market? The backend process, the impact, how much would be given to the frontend process?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

There might be some impact, but the backend process would give a big impact on the frontend process. I don't think that, that not much. I don't think it's much. And then how it is, you know, increase volume wise, it's still in the transition period. So from this fiscal year to the next fiscal year, the, we don't have any concern. After the FY 2027 onward, the market may change significantly. We keep monitoring the market situation.

Kenji Yasui
Managing Director and Equity Research Analyst, UBS Securities

Thank you very much.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you very much, Mr. Yasui. Next, Mr. Yoshioka from Nomura Securities.

Atsushi Yoshioka
Senior Equity Analyst, Nomura Securities

This is Yoshioka from Nomura Securities.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

Yes, we can hear you.

Atsushi Yoshioka
Senior Equity Analyst, Nomura Securities

I have two questions. First one is about the WFE market in 2026. This week, WFE companies in the U.S. announced that expected 23% growth in this year. To your eyes, how you see this expectation of the more than 20% growth? Do you expect this level of upside, or when you take the realistic view, you see some bottleneck so that the achieving the more than 20% growth sounds difficult?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

About this announcement or expectation of achieving more than 20% growth, I want to have your kind comment. The growth of the market, as we explained at the beginning of today's presentation, about in 2026, we expect the lower single digit or more than 10% growth.

Atsushi Yoshioka
Senior Equity Analyst, Nomura Securities

How do you compare this to the more than 20% growth expected by the other players?

So market growth very smoothly, I think, we can expect more than 20% growth. Second point about the profitability from now on, especially for the year ending March 2027, I want to have your kind comment on your idea about profitability. So when I see the second half of this fiscal year, OP margin is 25.5% for the SPE business, and next year's SPE's profitability, I think, this figure can be the standard. And also the factors affect this will have the impact on the profitability, except for the sales growth. So the customer or region mix or SPE changes or cost increase. I think there are various factors which have impact on the profitability.

So towards the next fiscal year, which factor should be paid attention to when we think about the profitability?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

So about profitability, so 25% OP margin can be achieved. Of course, there are the upside and downside factors, including risk factors, and raw materials prices are getting higher. And from now on, we may expect some restrictions from the geopolitical situations, which result in a cost increase, which have the negative impact on the profitability. But at this moment, as for the production plan for the next fiscal year, we are being prepared. So if there is any big change, there's no big change in the environment, I think, we can achieve the expected result. So in order to answer your expectation, we are going to announce the plan or focus for the next fiscal year.

Atsushi Yoshioka
Senior Equity Analyst, Nomura Securities

Thank you very much for your answer.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you. And next, Mr. Wadaki from Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities. Wadaki-sama, please, Mr. Wadaki, please unmute. Mr. Wadaki, are you speaking? We cannot hear you. So, we would like to move on to the next person first. Mr. Hirakawa of BofA Securities, please. Please unmute.

I have one question. This fiscal year is the performance, the plan. FT is increasing, and then the-- it's the included as a buffer over entire business. SPE has some risk, the it, it cannot be offset. That's why it's included. This is the first question, and the second question is related to the first one, and let me continue.

The SPE, the inventory that you recognize the sales based on the installation, and then the inventory hasn't increased from Q2 to Q3, and then... Can you achieve the target of SPE? I'm not convinced. So, sales probability, how you think about it? Would you explain that? That's all.

The first part, it was difficult to hear. The FT, FT, the upside.

It is not added on the OP income, but which seems to be absorbed in the expenses of a corporate. It seems like you created a sort of a buffer. Because SPE expected sales was not achieved, that this could be used as a buffer. So how to prepare the numbers, that I would ask you to guess by yourself, but the SPE the shift the part will be offset by SPE. The OP income, we are not worried, but the net sales part it might have some shortage, but probably okay. Thank you very much.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you very much, Mr. Hirakawa. Mr. Wadaki, would you unmute and speak? I'm very sorry, but we still cannot hear Mr. Wadaki. So let me move on to the next person, Mr. Yamamoto from Mizuho Securities. Mr. Yamamoto from Mizuho Securities, can you hear me?

Yoshitsugu Yamamoto
Equity Research Analyst, Mizuho Securities

Yes. So about the project which was shifted, which is shifted to the next fiscal year, I have a question to Mr. Kondo. So sales accounting is important for you. So you already collected cash, so you-- if I don't know whether you may cancel it or not, but already the cash is collected. So is there any idea to cancel this?

... or because the shipment is already made, so you also pick- you think that the accounting, the sales is more important, or is there any idea to give up accounting or sales? It's because on a cash basis, you secure the profit. So to our eyes, the operating profit or operating profit, or without the any appeal, you may have the change in the BS. So, how are you going to handle the accounting of this project, which is shifted to next fiscal year?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

So, about this delayed project, based on the contract, we already delivered the equipment to the customer's warehouse, so risk is now transferred. So, there is no way to cancel this contract. So, we, in order to account the sales from this project, we are now working with the customers and auditors.

So the bottleneck is the installation or completion of the installation, without which we cannot account for the sales, even if the installation is in the hands and the equipment is in the hands of the customers, and the risk is on their side, because this is the accounting rule. So we have to follow the steps. So this is not about whether we place importance on the sales accounting or not. So we have to execute the contract with customers. That's why we are in negotiation with the customers. And now, the customers agreed to have the separate contract for the delivery and installation of the equipment, and we are now working on the documentation of these contracts, which includes the part of the repayment of the money. But we are taking the necessary steps to proceed.

The contract with the customers and the actual process for executing it will proceed, and after the auditors work, when the time comes, we can account the sales. We'll account the sales. There is no more than that.

Yoshitsugu Yamamoto
Equity Research Analyst, Mizuho Securities

So if the installation does not go smoothly or as planned, is there a possibility you may receive the repayment about that part? So this means that this pending case will continue.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

As for the equipment, we can have the accounting of the sales.

Yoshitsugu Yamamoto
Equity Research Analyst, Mizuho Securities

But if the installation is not carried out as you expected, what happens?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

So in that case, the installation cannot be accounted as a sales, so we have to talk about the repayment.

Yoshitsugu Yamamoto
Equity Research Analyst, Mizuho Securities

We understood. Thank you very much.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

So Masahiro Nakanomyo, please. Can you hear me okay?

Masahiro Nakanomyo
Analyst for Technology Hardware and Equipment, Jefferies Japan Limited

Yes. Thank you.

I have two questions, and sorry to repeat the question, but the Q4, 160 billion SPE at the installation basis, so the shipment was made, and the visibility is very high. Am I understanding correctly?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

I think it's okay to understand that way. And from Q3 to Q4, logic in China seem to increase in comparison with the Q3, but as an explanation, foundry and HBM are going to offset, and then in comparison to Q3 and Q4, the logic in China are going to increase. China, among the customers of China, there are some customers who are doing the foundry business, and then that, that's why we they use the term of a foundry. The logic is which company customer.

As for the specific customer, we cannot talk about the name. I hope you will understand. Sorry. And the second question, advanced packaging. Previously, the 2026 and the higher single digit, then the 2027, the lower double digit, then... What is the current situation, Nakanomyo-san? As I told you, this fiscal year, the FY 2025, sorry, the higher single digit, and the 2026 is the lower double digit.

Masahiro Nakanomyo
Analyst for Technology Hardware and Equipment, Jefferies Japan Limited

And so the higher single digit in the 2025, what kind of a products?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

As for this, they already, we launched LeVina, Lemotia. That product is covering the cells.

Masahiro Nakanomyo
Analyst for Technology Hardware and Equipment, Jefferies Japan Limited

Cleaning, instead of cleaning equipment, those products are the main one.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

Yes, partially, that we have a source of cleaning equipment, but for back-end process products, these two products, the strong say, but that's the products that we would like to sell strongly, and then that is the business size of the back-end business market.

Masahiro Nakanomyo
Analyst for Technology Hardware and Equipment, Jefferies Japan Limited

The equipment market, 27 and 26, and how much it is expected to increase in the back-end process? In the back-end process, the cleaning equipment, how much it would increase?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

The back end for, depending on the progress of the back end process, how much cleaning equipment will be used, but it's very difficult to give you the figures.

But as you mentioned, as you know, the cleaning equipment is very important in the packaging area. So the term of a cleaning equipment in the back end are expected to increase. And therefore, we are talking about that this area is expected to increase, and then so our packaging business will expand. This is our expectation. The specific outlook will be announced at the right timing, but at the moment, this is just the overview of our direction.

Masahiro Nakanomyo
Analyst for Technology Hardware and Equipment, Jefferies Japan Limited

Thank you very much.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you very much, Mr. Nakanomyo.

Tetsuya Wadaki
Equity Research Analyst, Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities

This is Wadaki. Can you hear me?

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Yes, we can hear you now.

Tetsuya Wadaki
Equity Research Analyst, Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities

Sorry for the trouble. I have two questions. So far, about the year ending in March 2027, you said you expect a recovery in the second half, but you changed your expectation, and you'll be very busy from the first half?

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Yes.

About the second question, so you mentioned the lower double digit, expected the 30%-40% because the SEG's market growth expectation is 20%. And after that, on the next day, part suppliers, the name was not given, but they was from the part supplier, there's a comment that a much more growth can be expected. So I think the growth will be much greater than from our 20%.

Tetsuya Wadaki
Equity Research Analyst, Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities

So do you think that a 30% growth can be expected because of the current situation? But what do you think of the situation right now?

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

So, from the market, there was a talk about much larger figures. But, the supplier of the clean room has to see the availability of the clean room as a supplier, including ourselves. So how much the actual growth will be, have to wait another 1 or 2 months. So that, when we come up with the guideline for the next year, we'd like to see more specifics.

You are seeing the very strong demand, but you want to avoid mentioning the specifics.

Well, I do not say it's a very strange figures, but when I come up with the guidelines, we'd like to announce it to you.

Thank you very much. Alexa, thank you very much.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

SMBC Nikko, Mr. Hanaya, please.

Takeru Hanaya
Analyst Coverage, SMBC Nikko Securities

I am Hanaya. Can you hear me?

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

Yes.

Takeru Hanaya
Analyst Coverage, SMBC Nikko Securities

The simple confirmation that China's default project. In my understanding, the profitability seems to be quite high in... Has this been offset by another project with similar OP income and margin, or is there any change in the costs? Would like to confirm this part.

Masato Goto
CEO, SCREEN Holdings

It's coming from the mix. In that case, not comparable, but the second half our projects, the even if OP the low OP margin one is coming in, but the it it can be offset. It can offset not only for that, the cost reduction the efforts produce the results. I hope you will understand in that ways that the project, which is shifted to the next fiscal year, the OP margin was high.

Takeru Hanaya
Analyst Coverage, SMBC Nikko Securities

Thank you. That's all for me.

Yoichi Kondo
EVP and CFO, SCREEN Holdings

Thank you very much, Mr. Hanaya. There is no more investors with questions, so it's a bit too early than scheduled, but let us close this earnings call for today. Thank you very much for your participation, despite the very busy schedule.

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