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Marvell Technology Forecasts In-Line Q1 Revenue, Shares Drop 15%

Marvell Technology (MRVL.O) predicted first-quarter revenue in line with Wall Street’s expectations, but its shares fell sharply by 15% in after-hours trading. Investors were underwhelmed by the forecast, as they had hoped for more substantial growth driven by the surging demand for artificial intelligence (AI) chips.

The AI chip market has seen booming demand, particularly for sector-leader Nvidia’s (NVDA.O) AI processors. Major tech companies like Microsoft (MSFT.O), Meta Platforms (META.O), and Amazon.com (AMZN.O) have been working to reduce their reliance on Nvidia by developing their own AI chips, a trend that has benefited companies like Marvell and Broadcom (AVGO.O).

“The earnings print was generally OK, but I believe investors were expecting more given all the bullish data points in the overall AI space and the ramp of custom ASICs (AI chips) with certain hyperscalers,” said Tore Svanberg, an analyst at Stifel Nicolaus and Co.

Marvell’s data center segment performed well, with revenue up 78% year-over-year to $1.37 billion in the fourth quarter, driven by increased demand for custom AI chips as businesses work to optimize their AI workloads. In December, the company also signed a five-year chip deal with Amazon that includes custom AI chips.

“We’re engaged, we expect revenue to grow, but obviously, it’s like anything, you’ve got to show you can do it, and you’ve got to show it consistently,” Marvell COO Chris Koopmans said, emphasizing the “sticky” nature of the Amazon deal.

Marvell has pledged to focus its investments on data centers, seeing them as the best way to capitalize on the AI boom. Data center revenues accounted for 75% of its total revenue in the most recent quarter. However, Koopmans added that Marvell had not yet experienced any impact from tariffs affecting its data center business.

Despite posting solid results, Marvell’s shares dropped to $77.65 in after-hours trading, following a year-to-date increase of over 83%. In contrast, its larger competitor Broadcom saw a stock jump of around 107%. Analysts pointed to concerns over geopolitical pressures, AI monetization, and the magnitude of Marvell’s earnings beat as factors contributing to the decline.

Marvell forecast first-quarter revenue of $1.88 billion, slightly above analysts’ expectations of $1.87 billion.

Super Micro to File Delayed Annual Report by February Deadline, Shares Rise

Super Micro Computer (SMCI.O) announced on Tuesday that it expects to file its delayed annual and quarterly reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by the February 25 deadline, leading to an 8% surge in its shares after hours. The server maker had previously missed the deadline for its 10-K report after receiving subpoenas from the U.S. Department of Justice and the SEC, following short-seller Hindenburg Research’s allegations of “accounting manipulation” in August. Super Micro confirmed that it is cooperating with the authorities’ requests for documents.

The company, based in San Jose, California, also reduced its revenue forecast for fiscal 2025 due to delays in the availability of Nvidia’s (NVDA.O) Blackwell processors, a key component for its AI server systems. While the delay in filing the report was a “distraction,” Super Micro’s financial chief, David Weigand, explained that the primary issue was the delay in technology availability. Despite the challenges, Super Micro announced the full production availability of its AI server systems powered by Nvidia’s Blackwell chips last week.

Super Micro, a beneficiary of the growing demand for advanced data center infrastructure to support generative AI, now faces increasing competition from rivals like Dell (DELL.N) and HP Enterprise (HPE.N). The company has revised its fiscal 2025 net sales forecast to a range of $23.5 billion to $25 billion, down from its previous projection of $26 billion to $30 billion. The midpoint of this forecast, $24.25 billion, falls below analysts’ expectation of $24.92 billion.

For the third quarter, Super Micro is projecting net sales of $5 billion to $6 billion, lower than analysts’ estimate of $6.09 billion. In December, the company was removed from the Nasdaq-100 Index after missing its initial deadline for filing the 10-K report, though it received an extension until February 25.

Tower Semiconductor Predicts Strong Q1 Revenue Amid Robust Auto Sector Demand

Tower Semiconductor (TSEM.TA), an Israeli contract chipmaker, has forecasted slightly higher-than-expected first-quarter 2025 revenue, driven by steady demand for its chips, particularly from the automobile sector. The company’s U.S.-listed shares rose by 1% in premarket trading following the announcement.

Tower specializes in manufacturing analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, which are primarily used in the automobile industry by “fabless” firms that design chips but outsource their production. Despite challenges within the automobile sector, such as difficulties in clearing excess inventory built up during the pandemic and a recent slowdown in demand for electric vehicles, Tower Semiconductor has remained resilient, continuing to supply its chips.

The company is now forecasting first-quarter revenue of $358 million, with a 5% margin of variability. This projection slightly exceeds analysts’ expectations of $357.5 million, according to LSEG data. For the fourth quarter, Tower reported revenue of $387.2 million, meeting analyst forecasts. However, its net profit for the quarter ending December 31 came in at $55.1 million, below the expected $58.7 million, mainly due to increased costs from its new greenfield chipmaking facility in Agrate, Italy.

On an adjusted basis, the company posted quarterly profit of 59 cents per share, surpassing analyst estimates of 52 cents per share.