We anticipate a modest QoQ improvement in 2Q24 with a strong recovery in 2H24 due to continued growth in global semiconductor sales and the AI-driven replacement cycle for smartphones and PCs, plus capacity expansion in the sector. We expect rising concern over the US-China tech war to benefit the Thai electronics sector given its good strategic location in SE Asia. KCE is our top pick in the sector for two reasons: 1) 2024 net profit is forecast to grow 32% (far above peers); and 2) its valuation is still discounted versus its 5-year historical average PE of 32.4x. We maintain Outperform on HANA and Neutral on DELTA.
Good outlook for electronic components in 2H24 despite several challenges. The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) expects semiconductor sales to achieve double-digit growth in 2024. IDC and Gartner forecast 17-20% growth in global semiconductor revenue in 2024 to US$624bn. Backing the growth are recovery in the consumer electronics market and a booming AI industry, plus the AI-smartphone and AI-PC replacement cycle. We expect to see a steady increase in overall semiconductor demand in 2H24, good news for all electronics companies in the sector.
Smartphone market expected to resume growth in 2024. Canalys forecasts global smartphone shipment growth of 4%, and IDC expects 2.8% growth in 2024 after a decline of 4% in 2023. This growth will be spurred by the use of AI in smartphones, which will lead to a new upgrade cycle in 2H24. Given its consumer electronics-related portfolio, Thailand’s electronics sector is poised to benefit.
Global automotive sales continue modest growth, but price wars make EVs challenging in the short-term. Despite a dull macroeconomic backdrop and slower growth for EVs, both S&P Global Mobility and ING research forecast growth in 2024 global new car sales: the former at 2.8% and the latter at 2.6%. This will spur sales for automotive-related firms KCE (70% of total sales), DELTA (29%) and HANA (23%).
Thai electronics earnings to improve in 2Q24 and recover strongly in 2H24. Based on the improved outlook for smartphone shipments and global car sales in 2H24, we believe sector earnings will begin to improve in 2Q24 and then recover strongly in 2H24. Driving this growth will be strong demand from new AI-smartphones and the AI-PC replacement cycle, coupled with improved EV sales. Additionally, capacity expansions, such as DELTA's commercial startup of DELTA Plant 8, HANA's expansion in silicon carbide and RFID and KCE's greater high-margin product production, will support earnings momentum in 2H24.
Top picks. KCE (2025 TP Bt55.0) is our top pick in the sector in recognition of its: 1) strong profit growth with 2024 net profit to grow 32%, far above our projected growth of 3.4% for DELTA (Neutral, 2025 TP Bt83.0) and 11% for HANA (Outperform, TP Bt56.0); and 2) attractive valuation: KCE's valuation is discounted against its 5-year historical average PE ratio of 32.4x, currently trading at a PE of only 22.8x for 2024, which is close to its -1SD of its PE mean.
Key risks are changes in customer purchasing power, prolonged geopolitical unrest, resumption of the US-China tech war and exchange rate volatility. Key ESG risks are labor management and suppliers (S).
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