Hello, welcome to the Kulicke & Soffa 2023 first quarter results conference call and webcast. If anyone should require operator assistance, please press * zero on your telephone keypad. A question-and-answer session will follow the formal presentation. As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. It's now my pleasure to turn the call over to Joseph Elgindy, Senior Director, Investor Relations. Please go ahead, Joe.
Thank you. Welcome, everyone, to Kulicke & Soffa's fiscal first quarter 2023 conference call. Fusen Chen, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Lester Wong, Chief Financial Officer, are joining us on today's call. Non-GAAP metrics will be referenced throughout today's call. The non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or in isolation from, our GAAP financial information. Complete GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliation tables are available within the earnings release filed yesterday, as well as the earnings presentation, which may be found on the investor relations section of our website at investor.kns.com. In addition to historical statements, today's remarks will contain statements relating to future events and/or future results. These statements are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from what is indicated in those forward-looking statements. For a complete discussion of the risks associated with Kulicke & Soffa that could affect our future results and financial condition, please refer to our recent SEC filings, specifically the 10-K for the year ended October 1, 2022, and the 8-K filed yesterday. With that said, I would now like to turn the call over to Fusen Chen for the business overview. Please go ahead, Fusen.
Thank you, Joe. Over the prior quarter, we continued to execute on our development plan and the customer engagements, supporting secular trends in the automotive, semiconductor, and advanced display market. Also our technical margin optimization and the market share gain strategies within the higher volume wire bonding and also electronic assembly market. I will discuss this specific opportunity in more detail shortly. Over the same period, we have been monitoring and internally addressing the recent policy pivot on COVID within China. Over the last two months, we experienced a rapid increase in internal COVID cases within our Suzhou facility. While this had little impact on our production capability during the quarters, this wave of COVID in China is broadly impacting the operational capacity of our customers within China.
We currently anticipate this effect create additional capacity uncertainty. It will have a slight impact on our near-term outlook, although will likely support a quicker rebound as China GDP forecasts have recently improved. We also anticipate this policy shift dramatically reduce the potential for regional lockdowns, which have had both supply chain and demand implications for us over the prior years. In addition to the potential for a swifter macro recovery in China, the Consumer Electronics Show, which took place last month, helped to provide a glimpse into the future for existing and the new applications such as electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, wearable, and display technology. Our business continue to be very aligned with this long-term trend. We look forward to supporting them over the coming years. Collectively, our longer-term industry outlook remain consistent.
We currently anticipate semiconductor unit growth, excluding LED, will return to a more normal growth rate in calendar 2023 and nearly 10% unit growth in calendar 2024. In addition to a more normal level of growth for the non-LED semiconductor market, LED units are expected to grow at a 19% CAGR, roughly 300 billion units of production annually through calendar 2025 in support of new mini and micro LED applications. Also of note, our book-to-bill ratio exceeded 1 for the first time since June of 2021. While near-term inventory digestion and macro improvements are necessary to support industry growth, this data point provides additional confidence to our outlook. Heading to December results, we generated $176.2 million of revenue and $0.37 of non-GAAP EPS, coming in ahead of our projection from last quarters.
Our total capital equipment revenue was $135.4 million in the December quarter, with the majority of softness stemming from general semiconductor as anticipated. While general semiconductor is typically driven by capacity needs, there are growing technology trends which are providing additional strengths. First, within our high-volume wire bonding market, assembly complexity continue to require more equipment capabilities. This capability allow us to enhance our margin profile. Lester will provide some additional information on our optimization focus shortly. The next is within the power semiconductor market, which is represented in general semi and also our automotive and industrial end markets, continue to evolve with the growth in both traditional silicon and emerging compound semiconductor applications. This power semiconductor trend have supported multiple record revenue quarter for wedge bonding in fiscal 2022, and allow us to reach a new record revenue during the December quarter.
In addition to our dominant long-established position within the traditional wedge bonding market, we also address power and compound semiconductor needs capabilities, including clip attach, larger bonding area, and laser-assisted bonding approach. Emerging compound semi devices using Gallium Nitride and Silicon Carbide support fast-growing applications such as high-speed vehicle charging, 5G base station, alternative energy, and high-powered server. We will provide additional update on these emerging opportunities over the coming quarters. Additionally, we are pleased to report that we continue to see very strong demand for our robust Thermal Compression solution, which support advanced larger applications and are very aligned with emerging chiplet trend. Our effort to engage with a broader group of fabless companies over the recent quarter have been very beneficial and have positioned us for additional share gain in a larger market.
At this point, we are increasingly optimistic on the future of thermal compression and are growing our engagement with key customers. Several new customer have requested system although we remain very supply chain limited over the near term. Our TCB team is working aggressively to support multiple customer engagement in parallel. Additionally, we have previously anticipated a 10-micron pitch limitation for TCB. We now see the potential to extend this technology to below 10-micron pitch, which can materially expand the size and the long-term potential for our competitive TCB portfolio. Finally, regarding TCB, I'm pleased to report that we have received customer acceptance on our first fluxless chip-to-substrate TCB system, and have shipped our first fluxless chip-to-wafer TCB system. This will be followed by an additional system shipment to a leading foundry customer.
As we highlighted over the past several call, we continue to expect the majority of the heterogeneous assembly needs can be addressed with our growing portfolio of TCB solutions. Moving to the LED market, we remain engaged and are supporting multiple customers with multiple advanced display solutions. We continue to make progress across several different initiatives in advanced display. I'm very pleased to highlight that we have recognized revenue of our first LUMINEX system. Over the coming quarters, we intend on shipping additional system and earning additional purchase order for LUMINEX, which support backlighting application and large format direct emission applications. Additionally, we have received interest to utilize this high throughput system in more traditional semiconductor assembly market, in addition to the growing advanced display opportunity.
By the end of fiscal 2023, we also expect to receive acceptance on the next phase of the customer-specific advanced display solution, which we will refer as Project W going forward. Demand for this system is expected to accelerate into fiscal 2024. Within automotive, the ongoing electrification and autonomous transition will continue to benefit our business over long term. Power semiconductor and the compound semi trend are benefiting our automotive customers, in addition to some general semiconductor customers. The Consumer Electronics Show last month highlighted new electric vehicle from established and emerging automotive companies, which continue to drive innovation, bring down costs, and broaden market adoption. We are currently preparing to launch our next battery bonder for larger form factor using both electro ultrasonic and laser interconnect solutions. In addition to supporting the production ramp for vehicles and also long-haul trucks.
Memory remains soft over the near term, although we continue to anticipate a slight pickup in the second half. In addition to parallel customer engagement and development program, we remain on track to close the pending Dispense acquisition as planned. As a reminder, this strategic acquisition provides additional access to adjacent dispense opportunity in both semiconductor and electronics assembly. Collectively, these two areas represent a $2 billion addressable market. Provide a new set of long-term opportunity. In addition to continuing on a prudent M&A path, we are also very focused on scaling our own equipment manufacturing capability further in fiscal 2023. During our prior fiscal year, we increased our capital equipment manufacturing footprint by 148,000 sq ft or 44% to 485,000 sq ft, and remain very focused to build up this footprint through 2023.
Overall, despite persistent macro and regional challenge, over the past few years, we have consistently executed and have fundamentally expanded our long-term opportunity. There's no shortage of new opportunity, and our global team have been very focused on supporting our customers by delivering new solution and driving acceptance. While consumer-driven softness is anticipated to create an ongoing tailwind for our high volume product line over the near term, we remain very optimistic and continue to anticipate a seasonal recover in second half, followed by broader capacity and technological growth in fiscal 2024. With that said, I will now turn the call over to Lester, who will discuss our financial performance and outlook. Lester?
Thank you, Fusen. My remarks today will refer to GAAP results unless noted. Outside of the recent and near-term expectations surrounding China COVID policy pivot, our broad demand expectations for the year remain largely unchanged from last quarter. Our efforts are focused on driving customer acceptance of our growing portfolio of solutions and growing our manufacturing and development capabilities with our ongoing capital expenditure programs. During the December quarter, we generated $176.2 million revenue, 50.3% gross margin, and $0.37 of non-GAAP EPS. Gross margins were better than expected due to cost control efforts, product and feature mix, supplier rebates, and lower depreciation due to capital expenditure shifts from December into the March quarter.
As Fusen mentioned, we have taken a long-term and strategic view in optimizing the gross margin of our ball bonding business and remain focused on further enhancing our corporate gross margins over the long term. Operating expenses came in slightly higher than anticipated due to a foreign exchange loss. Tax expense for the quarter came in at $3.8 million due to a higher mix of interest income in addition to the mandatory capitalization of R&D expenses under Section 174, which began in our fiscal 2023 year. We anticipate maintaining a similar effective tax rate throughout the current fiscal year. Turning to the balance sheet. Working capital days increased to 536 days in the December quarter, primarily due to a sequential reduction in revenue.
Net cash increased by $48 million, and inventory increased by $27 million sequentially to support our longer lead time products over the coming quarters. We continue to deploy capital to shareholders via our opportunistic repurchase program, as well as our recently increased quarterly dividend payments. During the December quarter, we deployed $45.4 million to repurchase just over 1 million shares. Looking ahead to the March quarter, we anticipate revenue of approximately $170 million with gross margins of 46%. Gross margins are anticipated to gradually improve to a blended 47% for the fiscal year as we continue to ramp our capital expenditure programs. Non-GAAP operating expenses are anticipated to be approximately $68 million, ±2%, due to an ongoing expansion efforts, employee merit increases, and inflation.
We remain very focused on controlling and limiting any non-critical activities and have recently initiated a hiring freeze and placed limitations on non-essential travel and non-critical project expenses. Non-GAAP net income is expected to be approximately $14 million, with non-GAAP earnings per share of approximately $0.25. It remains an exciting time at K&S as we continue to execute and increase our participation across several long-term fundamental trends within the semiconductor, advanced display, electronics assembly, and automotive markets. As we look into 2024, we remain optimistic on broader macro demand trends and remain extremely focused to support the technology needs of our customers. This concludes our prepared comments. Operator, please open the call for questions.
Certainly. We'll now be conducting a question-and-answer session. If you'd like to be placed in the question queue, please press * one on your telephone keypad. A confirmation tone will indicate your line is in the question queue. You may press * two if you'd like to remove your question from the queue. For participants using speaker equipment, it may be necessary to pick up your handset before pressing * one. One moment please while we poll for questions. Our first question today is coming from Krish Sankar from Cowen. Your line is now live.
Yeah, hi. Thanks for taking my question. I had a couple of them. Number one, Fusen or Lester, in the past, you mentioned FY23 could be roughly around $900 million in revenues. Can you underwrite that revenue expectation? Do you think March quarter is a trough from a quarterly standpoint? Actually, Krish, more precisely, I think the last cycle peak was 2018 revenue $819 million. That was the number you just mentioned. The current consensus for FY23 revenue is at $840 million, average of all analysts. There's a little bit change. Last December, COVID situation in China create actually some additional softness in our FY23.
In the same time, same quarter, we see our book-to-bill ratio over one, and which point to potential trough in the FY 2022. At this moment, we do expect our second half will be better than the first half. Overall, I think at this moment, we are comfortable at the consensus revenue of $840 million, due to China COVID situation that really have some softness in our 2023. Particular impact is in Q2 and we expect maybe extend a little bit longer into Q3. That's my, my answer.
Got it. Got it. No, it's very helpful, Fusen. I just had two other questions. On the book-to-bill improvement, I understand you're coming off a lower revenue base. Is that order improvement driven by one specific customer, one specific product, or was it across the board? I had a follow-up for Lester.
The book-to-bill for the last couple of quarters have been about 0.8, right? Now it's gone up to about 1.3. I think it's a lot of our backlog actually is in ball bonder, and most of it will be recognized within FY23. Close to 60% of it will be recognized within FY23. It's not one specific customer. It is ball bonder, and it's also advanced packaging and also wedge bonder. I think the backlog is across several business units.
Got it. Got it. Lester, just a quick follow-up. The days of inventory and the inventory days payables both are pretty high. I'm kinda curious what's going on. Is it just purely wire bonders that's kind of been accumulated? What's going on with that high number relative to the past, and what is your lead time today for wire bonders? Thank you.
The lead time today for wire bonders is about, for ball bonders, about 8-12 weeks, for wedge bonders is about 16 weeks. As far as the inventory is concerned, some of it is result of, again, because of supply chain issues, you know, in the past, we actually bought a lot of items to make sure that we will not be short, then there's no supply chain issue going forward. Plus, we also increased inventory because we actually did also buy some long lead items for POs that we see that's falling into the latter part of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, for example, in advanced packaging as well as in wedge bonding.
Thanks a lot, Lester. Thanks, Fusen.
Thank you, Krish.
thank you. Our next question is coming from Craig Ellis from B. Riley. Your line is now live.
Yeah, thanks for taking the questions and all the color so far, guys. I wanted to follow up on a few of Krish's points. Lester, can you provide some additional color on order improvement? You gave us a good sense by products, but can you talk about what the order activity looked like on OSATs versus OEMs, and then any color on end markets would be helpful as well.
Craig, you mean for Q1?
Yeah.
For Q1 actually, it's as I indicated in my remarks on gross margin, actually the majority of the ball bonders were actually purchased by IDMs rather than OSAT, which is unusual and has not happened for many quarters. As far as... Sorry, what was the second question?
It was, color by OEM versus OSAT.
Oh, yeah. Yeah, no, that's all.
any color by end market.
That was the OEM OSAT. Yeah. End markets, automotive end market actually improved significantly. It grew 41% quarter-over-quarter. As Fusen mentioned, general semi fell significantly, about 61% quarter-over-quarter. Also memory, to no one's surprise, also fell significantly, about 80%. For the quarter, automotive comprised about 40% of our capital equipment, which is very, very high. General semi is about 50%.
Lastly, on the order line of inquiry, Lester, what's happened quarter to date? Are you seeing that same level of strength that gave you the 1.3 book-to-bill in the prior quarter continue? Is it accelerated or what's going on, especially now that we're on the other side of Lunar New Year?
Well, I think we continue to see, you know, a lot of inbound increase, particularly from China, as you put it, from after Lunar New Year. It's just obviously it's just a week after Lunar New Year. As Fusen indicated, we do anticipate a much stronger second half of FY 2023. We do see orders continue to come in.
Yep. That's very helpful. I wanna move on to gross margins. The company's execution on gross margins has been really stellar over the last
Five quarters, I think they're averaging 50%. Can we just take a different look at the guidance for the current quarter, which I think you said was 46%? Why would gross margins be 400 basis points lower than the trailing 4 to 5 quarter average? You mentioned capacity. I take it you're saying there's some incremental depreciation that's coming in. Given the strength you've had in gross margin, why wouldn't we see gross margins push above the 47% you mentioned as we move through the year?
I think as we move through the year, we're still aiming for a overall gross margin around 47% for the fiscal year. Obviously, Craig, as you know, quarter to quarter it changes. I mean, Q1, the gross margin was a huge benefit in terms of both customer mix as well as product mix. I mentioned IDMs was more than a majority of our ball bonding customers in Q1. We don't see that maybe continuing in terms of the customer mix. I think as you also mentioned, we right now we can continue to invest in some of our, you know, growth vectors products, particularly in advanced display and advanced packaging. As Fusen mentioned in his remarks, we're expanding our manufacturing capacity by quite a lot.
In addition to depreciation, I think also, you know, there's also operating costs of those facilities. Right now those facilities, those products for those facilities will really start to ramp in the second half of 2023, 2024. Not so much right now. That, those operating costs goes into the OpEx costs, which also affects the gross margin overall.
That's real helpful. Lastly for me, before I get back in the queue, really helpful to get all the order color. The question is this is, as we go back to Fusen's comments that, you know, not specific guidance, but seemingly comfort around an $840 million revenue level this year, how does the company currently see linearity in the back half of the year? Do you see growth being fairly equal as represented by current consensus at around 30% per quarter, or would the growth and the revenue levels be more either front end or back end loaded? any color helpful there, guys. Thank you very much.
Yeah. I think Fusen already mentioned with the COVID pivot, right? It does affect our Q2 and may affect a little bit in the Q3, right? However, the COVID pivot also may drive much stronger, I guess, a quicker recovery, but that probably more in Q4. I think, to give some color, I would say that probably Q3 would be weaker than Q4. In terms of what the consensus, I don't think they'll be equal. I think Q3 will be maybe a little weaker than what's thought before, but Q4 will be stronger.
Great. Thanks so much, guys.
Thank you. Next question is coming from Charles Shi from Needham & Company. Your line is now live.
Hey, thank you for taking my question. I have a few. I'll be mindful of my airtime in case your answer takes longer. Maybe going back to the question about your full year outlook. Q3, you said it's a little bit weaker than you expected a quarter ago, but Q4 may be stronger. That does still imply a quite a very strong uptick in Q4. I'm thinking if you are sticking to, let's say, $850 million for the full year, let's say the June quarter, maybe you're getting $200 million, but you have to make a $300 million quarterly revenue in Q4. Are you comfortable with that kind of a trajectory into the second half of the year? That's my first question.
Thank you.
Charles, I think it's really important to have a math calculation with you. Let's do this. I think $175 for the first quarter. The second quarter, $170. That would be $370. Huh? $345, right? $345. If it's a chart-
Yeah.
We talk about 840, not 850, right? 840, right? If 840
Yeah.
I think we're talking about another $460, right? Four sixty, if you take it even, is $230. Even, it's $200 in the Q3. We are talking about $260, not $300, right? I wish my calculations right. I don't have a calculator.
Charles, we believe that, you know, it's achievable in the second half, right? I mean, it may slip a little bit either way, right? There's a push and pull, right? We think, you know, we do see a path there, particularly with the backlog as well as the increased order coming in. We didn't say it would be 200 in Q3, right? I just said it'd be a little bit softer. Again, you know, it is a little bit volatile out there, but we do feel comfortable with 840 in terms of for the year.
Yeah. Yeah. Maybe let me ask the same question from different angle. I think four years ago, around the same time, that was right at the beginning of the 2019 downturn, you also expressed a sort of like optimism about the fiscal second half being higher than fiscal first half. The actual result was actually your fiscal second half was lower in 2019 than your fiscal first half. I mean, by many metrics, we look at the 2023 downturn, it's probably worse, not better than 2019 downturn. My question maybe from a high level, what gives you the confidence that you're gonna do a lot better in this downturn from half over half perspective than 2019?
I know this is the same question, but hopefully, we can get some color from different angle. Thank you.
Charles, I think our company have a lot of change, you know, compared to 2019. Actually, I think the same we have compared to our previous cycle is about 50% larger. If you look at it, I think advanced display, advanced packaging, adding together, I think, compared to previous cycle is about $200 million. The move on then, compared to previous cycle, I think our gross margin improved about 3%-4%, right? Not only that, I think our prospective trend are really proven. For example, this auto evolution transition to autonomous and EV, I think is quite beneficial to us. We believe that advanced display is here to stay. Compared to a previous cycle, we don't have it.
The AP, I think we have good traction to TCB, right? In previous cycle, we actually in the past two years, we, our, operation margin actually is higher than 30%, with $1.5 billion two years. We generate probably, I think maybe, about $700 million-$800 million free cash, then we buy back the stock. I think, to compare to a previous cycle, we have a much bigger market, and I think we will in future cycle.
Yeah. Thank you. We can discuss more on this offline. I really want to ask the next question on TCB. I think last year, there are quite a couple of products released by Apple AMD, for example. They are already at your target interconnect pitch somewhere around 25-35 micron. I believe the Apple M1 Ultra is already being packaged by TSMC with a flip chip technology at 25 micron pitch. AMD RDNA 3 GPU, I believe it's already packaging at a 35 micron pitch with fan-out technology. And I know ASE is probably developing 20 micron with a level fan-out really without bumps, and they're working on hybrid bonding. That's their public technology roadmap. Where does the TCB technology fit in here?
I worry it's not quite on the technology roadmap of the two leading companies. Could that end up being an Intel-only technology? What gives you the confidence that there will be more adoption outside of Intel? Thank you.
Okay. I think our company, you mentioned, we actually, in my script, I say we actually talk numerous, fabless company. All the major player, I think, we actually discuss it. We actually are quite confident. The TCB, I think, is going to have a huge growth for the next couple of years. The company you mentioned, I think we also talk to them and, we should not have a surprise.
Got it. Maybe last question on micro LED.
Charles, let me answer with a simple questions. We are not depending on 1 customer. I think there are numerous customers are very optimistic, waiting to receive system from us. I think we discussed last quarter, I think we discussed it since Q3 of 2022, and we discussed in Q4, we discussed in Q1. I think our next couple quarter, we can continue to discuss it.
Thanks. Thanks, Fusen. I really wanna ask my last question on micro LED. Can you kind of qualify to us what's the TAM opportunity for Project W? When do you expect to volume ramp? Because when I look at your mini LED project, PIXALUX, which is also a customer-specific project, the product came out in spring 2021. I actually saw the volume ramp in the fall of 2020, which is roughly two quarters, 2-3 quarters ahead of the product release. Project W, if I guessed it right, what that product, end product is, it's probably a spring 2025 product release. You're probably going to see the volume ramp in fall of 2024. Am I thinking the timeline correctly?
that's a question, the second part of the question. Two questions. One is, how do you quantify the TAM size for Project W, and is fall 2024 ramp, about right, from your perspective? Thank you.
Charles, we don't talk about specific terms of specific customer projects. We just don't comment on that. We do think it'll be material in terms of our advanced display revenue. As far as timing, you're right. I think it'll be the latter part of 2023, and then there'll be a significant ramp in 2024 onwards.
Sorry, I think I'm thinking about volume ramp is probably latter part of 2024, not 2023. You think it's 1 year earlier than what I think? Is that?
No.
Just to clarify that.
I said most of it will be in 2024, but it will start in 2023 as well.
Yeah. Thanks for the clarification. Lastly, regarding manufacturing investment you're making here, if I understand correctly, your wire bonding manufacturing is largely outsourced to somebody else, not exactly built internally. Can you give us some rationale or some sense why advanced display and advanced packaging you want to build internally? Is that 44% capacity increase Does that include external capacity wire bonders, or that's a pure internal capacity? Thank you. That's my last question. Thank you.
Charles, I think you're mistaken. We build all wire bonders internally here in Singapore, both ball bonders and wedge bonders. We don't outsource it. As far as the additional capacity, as we said, it's all for advanced packaging and advanced display.
Thank you. Thank you, Lester. Appreciate the color.
Thank you. Next question today is coming from David Duley from Steelhead Securities. Your line is now live.
Yeah, thanks for taking my questions. I guess the first one was, you mentioned in your prepared remarks about how you're continuing to see wire bonder intensity increase. I was wondering if you could just comment, you know, I think in the past you've said it's increased like 10% or 15%. Would you expect that intensity to continue to increase going forward?
Well, Dave, I think intensity increase is average cycle, right? Yeah. We do believe complexity actually is become more complex. We do expect intensity actually increase.
Regarding gross margins and wire bonders, I think in the past you've talked about, you know, how you've improved the gross margins and on this call too, how you've improved the gross margins of the core wire bonder business. I think you have a new wire bonder that should come out with better margins in the roadmap. Is that gonna hit in this fiscal year? Or when would be the timing of, let's say, a wire bonder that's got lower costs associated with it?
Well, Dave, you're right. We constantly look at improving our margins in all our products, particularly our core products, our high volume products like wire bonding, right? We're continuing working on cost control. I think as far as timing is concerned, I think we will be introducing a new suite of wire bonders the latter part of FY 2023 and the beginning of FY 2024. We should see a margin jump around that point as well.
Okay. As far as the Thermal Compression bonding business, could you just highlight again, what size opportunity you think this can be for the overall market? You know, I think you're probably shooting for, you know, 50% market share or perhaps help us understand what your targets are there.
Okay. Dave, I think, if you remember, I think, Q3 of 2022, we talking about we have backlogs of $80 million. This $80 million, majority of this $80 million dollar will be shipped within 2023. Last quarter, Q4 of 2023, we mentioned that we identify for the next couple years, we probably have opportunity, you know, after we talking to customer, total of about $300 million up to 2025. This $300 million dollar majority will be shipped in 2024 and 2025. Right? I think we expect, probably when we exit 2025, you know, this TCB and our dedicated, you know, AP probably run rate will be about $20 million or higher.
I hope, I use a different kind of angle to answer your questions.
I'm sorry, didn't $20 million, is that a quarterly run rate or I didn't quite hear what you said there?
No, I mean $200 million for our dedicated advanced packaging.
Okay. Okay. Awesome.
Exit over 25, yeah.
A final question from me, and I think maybe Charles was talking about this, but you mentioned a new application for your LUMINEX, and I'm assuming that's outside of mini LED or micro LED. Or could you just elaborate a little bit about what the application is?
LUMINEX actually, this advanced display is a laser-based laser transfer technology. We actually participate both in mini and the micro LED. We also, you know, involved in both backlighting and a direct emission application.
Okay. Thank you.
Thank you. Next question today is coming from Han Chou from D.A. Davidson. Your line is now live.
Thank you for taking my question. First, I want to clarify the changes in terms of the FY 2023 revenue. I hear we have some impact from China COVID. Now we're kind of comfortable with $840 million revenue versus $890 last quarter. The $50 million gap, is that purely driven by just because of the COVID situation?
I think a majority. You know, if you see, during the COVID, most of people get sick. They may be partial people go back to work, the productivity reduce, some projects being delayed. We expect really impact in Q2 and then maybe the partial over Q3. Majority actually is the move on the related.
Got it. So the demand-wise is basically, there is no change in terms of the demand.
I think, you know. Right. I think, fair to say, this COVID caused a short-term, you know, weakness. In the long term, you know, it's fair to say probably this would be absorbed in 2024. This is like governor. Their new forecast actually, reduce, 2023, but actually they believe that 2024 is a bigger year.
Mm-hmm. Got it. Okay. Can you also elaborate more on the strength in the wedge bonding business? How does that, I mean how does that perform so well? Does that come from the EV or just overall automotive market? How is that trending, I mean, in the near future, given since that we have seen some weakness in the EV market demand, right?
Right. Right. I think EV is one of them. In general, I think wedge bonder is for the high current devices, right? The move on the is a low current. There's a lot of like a power semi growth. The EV, I think, is a big part of contribution. Compared to like a previous cycle, I think our wedge bonder compared to pre-previous cycle, actually, we reached a record high in 2022. Even up to our at this moment are still very strong.
Okay. Got it. Last one, just regarding the capacity for advanced display and packaging, we're gonna add more, much more in 2023. Just can you give me the color around how much revenue that the new capacity will support? What's the implication to the gross margin then, also the OpEx, I mean, after we're assuming we're gonna have put the labor in place, right? Just any color around the new capacity for the advanced packaging and display.
Well, well, Han, I think, as I indicated in an earlier response, the revenue that will be generated from this additional capacity in advanced packaging and advanced display will probably again, be more significant in 2024, right? In order to prepare for that, in 2024, we are now expanding our production facilities as well as, you know, getting ready the tooling as well as, you know, training and running, getting those facilities ready to ramp. That has a negative impact in FY 2023 because it doesn't match up with the revenue. As the revenue comes in from those products, the margin will then obviously go back up.
Our gross margin 47% for 2023, that's already factoring the ramps in the new capacity for the advanced packaging and display, right?
The 47 includes, yes, the manufacturing costs that I was talking about that would brought the margin down. Margin will increase into 2024.
Got it. Okay. Thank you.
Thank you. We've reached the end of our question and answer session. I'd like to turn the floor back over for any further closing comments.
Thank you, Kevin, and thank you all for joining today's call. Over the coming months, we will be presenting at several investor conferences hosted by Susquehanna Financial Group, B. Riley Securities and Craig-Hallum. As always, please feel free to follow up directly with any additional questions. This concludes today's call. Have a great day, everyone.
Thank you. That does conclude today's teleconference and webcast. You may disconnect your line at this time. Have a wonderful day. We thank you for your participation today.