Axcelis (ACLS) Jumps 58.4% YTD: Will the Uptrend Continue?
Axcelis Technologies ACLS is witnessing strong momentum, with shares having soared 58.4% year to date compared with 28.5% and 19.5% growth of the sub-industry and S&P Composite, respectively.
Axcelis is a leading producer of ion implantation equipment used in the fabrication of semiconductors.
The top-line performance is being driven by robust customer demand for Purion suite of products, especially in the silicon-carbide power market. In the third quarter of 2023, ACLS reported revenues of $292.3 million, up 6.7% year over year.
The transition to electric vehicles is driving the silicon-carbide (SiC) power device market. This, in turn, is boosting demand for Purion products, especially PurionH200 silicon carbide, Purion XE silicon carbide systems and Purion M silicon carbide tool.
ACLS expects more than 60% of its shipped system revenues from power markets in 2023. It expects nearly 35% of total system revenues to be generated from silicon carbide applications in 2023. The power device market segment represented 39% of the company’s shipped systems revenues in 2022.
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In October 2023, the company shipped Purion EXE SiC Power Series 200mm high energy implanter to a Japan-based SiC power device chipmaker.
Driven by solid growth of Purion Power Series product line, management continues to anticipate revenues for 2023 to be greater than $1.1 billion, up nearly 20% year over year. For the fourth quarter, Axcelis expects revenues of $295 million. By 2025, the company expects revenues of $1.3 billion.
Axcelis is working on lowering cost of goods sold and tightly manage overall spending to boost margin performance. The company expects fourth quarter gross margin to be roughly 45%. It anticipates 2023 gross margin to be nearly 43.6%.
However, ACLS’ performance is likely to be affected due to volatile supply-chain dynamics and global macroeconomic weakness. Increasing expenses toward research and development, and infrastructure are likely to be headwinds for this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock.
A Look at Estimates
ACLS’ earnings per share are indicated to increase 32.8% and 8% on a year-over-year basis to $7.25 and $7.83 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Revenues for 2023 and 2024 are projected to rise 21.3% and 7.8% to $1.12 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2023 earnings per share has risen 3.4% in the past 60 days, reflecting analysts’ optimism.
Key Picks
Some better-ranked stocks worth consideration in the broader technology space are Adobe ADBE, Synopsys SNPS and Watts Water Technologies WTS, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Adobe’s fiscal 2023 EPS has remained unchanged in the past 60 days at $15.93. ADBE’s long-term earnings growth rate is 13.5%.
Adobe’s earnings beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 3.3%. Shares of ADBE have surged 85.5% in the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Synopsys’ fiscal 2024 EPS has remained flat in the past 30 days at $12.52. SNPS’ long-term earnings growth rate is 16.7%. Shares of SNPS have gained 70.4% in the past year.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Watts Water Technologies 2023 EPS has improved 2.8% in the past 60 days to $8.00.
WTS’ earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters, the average earnings surprise being 11.8%. Shares of WTS have surged 31.4% in the past year.
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