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Weak SiC Demand Hurts Amtech's SFS Business: Can It Recover?
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Key Takeaways
Amtech expects fiscal 2026 to remain an investment year for its pressured SFS business.
IDI Chemicals and Entrepix parts and service revenues grew strongly despite soft SiC demand.
Amtech is diversifying SFS and using its stronger balance sheet to fund long-term growth.
Amtech Systems, Inc.'s (ASYS - Free Report) Semiconductor Fabrication Solutions (SFS) business remains under pressure as weak silicon carbide (SiC) demand continues to weigh on the segment's growth prospects. Demand from the company's major SiC customers has remained subdued, hurting PR Hoffman product sales and limiting the SFS segment's performance. Management acknowledged that while several operational improvements are gaining traction, their impact has largely been masked by the prolonged weakness in the SiC market. As a result, fiscal 2026 is expected to remain an investment year for the SFS business rather than a year of meaningful recovery.
Despite these headwinds, Amtech is taking meaningful steps to strengthen the segment for the long run. The company is expanding its foundry services, growing legacy product sales, enhancing technical support and increasing recurring revenues from consumables, spare parts and aftermarket services. These initiatives have already delivered encouraging results, with strong growth in IDI Chemicals and Entrepix parts and service revenues, suggesting that customer engagement is improving even as SiC demand remains soft.
Amtech is also working to diversify the SFS business beyond its traditional reliance on large SiC equipment orders by targeting new applications and expanding its customer base. This strategy should gradually create a more balanced revenue mix and improve resilience across semiconductor cycles. Meanwhile, the company's strengthened balance sheet following its June 2026 public offering provides the financial flexibility to continue investing in these growth initiatives.
If semiconductor capital spending and silicon carbide demand recover, these strategic initiatives could position the SFS business for a stronger rebound over time. As these initiatives are expected to take time to yield meaningful results, the Zacks Consensus Estimate projects fiscal 2026 revenues to grow a modest 5.09% year over year.
How Does ASYS Compare Against Rivals?
Axcelis Technologies (ACLS - Free Report) faces greater SiC-related volatility than ASYS because ACLS generates substantial revenue from silicon carbide implant systems. Nevertheless, ACLS is well-positioned to benefit from a recovery in customer capital expenditure driven by growth in the EV sector, AI power conversion and next-generation SiC production activities. Meanwhile, the company is benefiting from its relatively lower reliance on demand for SiC equipment.
Compared with ASYS, Applied Materials (AMAT - Free Report) is less affected by SiC spending cycles because AMAT is supported by AI-driven wafer-fab investments across advanced logic, memory and packaging. AMAT enjoys broader end-market exposure and stronger competitive advantages, reducing its dependence on compound semiconductor demand.
Amtech shares have soared 251.8% over the past year, significantly outperforming the Zacks Semiconductor - General industry's 27.6% gain and the broader Computer and Technology sector's 28.4% rise.
ASYS’ One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, ASYS trades at a forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio of 2.56, significantly lower than the industry's average of 9.52. The company carries a Value Score of D.
ASYS’ Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Amtech's fiscal 2026 and 2027 earnings is currently pegged at 32 cents and 80 cents per share, respectively. Both estimates have remained unchanged over the past 30 days and indicate year-over-year growth of 540% and 150%, respectively.
View the Zacks #1 Rank List
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Weak SiC Demand Hurts Amtech's SFS Business: Can It Recover?
Key Takeaways
Amtech Systems, Inc.'s (ASYS - Free Report) Semiconductor Fabrication Solutions (SFS) business remains under pressure as weak silicon carbide (SiC) demand continues to weigh on the segment's growth prospects. Demand from the company's major SiC customers has remained subdued, hurting PR Hoffman product sales and limiting the SFS segment's performance. Management acknowledged that while several operational improvements are gaining traction, their impact has largely been masked by the prolonged weakness in the SiC market. As a result, fiscal 2026 is expected to remain an investment year for the SFS business rather than a year of meaningful recovery.
Despite these headwinds, Amtech is taking meaningful steps to strengthen the segment for the long run. The company is expanding its foundry services, growing legacy product sales, enhancing technical support and increasing recurring revenues from consumables, spare parts and aftermarket services. These initiatives have already delivered encouraging results, with strong growth in IDI Chemicals and Entrepix parts and service revenues, suggesting that customer engagement is improving even as SiC demand remains soft.
Amtech is also working to diversify the SFS business beyond its traditional reliance on large SiC equipment orders by targeting new applications and expanding its customer base. This strategy should gradually create a more balanced revenue mix and improve resilience across semiconductor cycles. Meanwhile, the company's strengthened balance sheet following its June 2026 public offering provides the financial flexibility to continue investing in these growth initiatives.
If semiconductor capital spending and silicon carbide demand recover, these strategic initiatives could position the SFS business for a stronger rebound over time. As these initiatives are expected to take time to yield meaningful results, the Zacks Consensus Estimate projects fiscal 2026 revenues to grow a modest 5.09% year over year.
How Does ASYS Compare Against Rivals?
Axcelis Technologies (ACLS - Free Report) faces greater SiC-related volatility than ASYS because ACLS generates substantial revenue from silicon carbide implant systems. Nevertheless, ACLS is well-positioned to benefit from a recovery in customer capital expenditure driven by growth in the EV sector, AI power conversion and next-generation SiC production activities. Meanwhile, the company is benefiting from its relatively lower reliance on demand for SiC equipment.
Compared with ASYS, Applied Materials (AMAT - Free Report) is less affected by SiC spending cycles because AMAT is supported by AI-driven wafer-fab investments across advanced logic, memory and packaging. AMAT enjoys broader end-market exposure and stronger competitive advantages, reducing its dependence on compound semiconductor demand.
ASYS’ Share Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Amtech shares have soared 251.8% over the past year, significantly outperforming the Zacks Semiconductor - General industry's 27.6% gain and the broader Computer and Technology sector's 28.4% rise.
ASYS’ One-Year Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
From a valuation standpoint, ASYS trades at a forward 12-month price-to-sales ratio of 2.56, significantly lower than the industry's average of 9.52. The company carries a Value Score of D.
ASYS’ Valuation
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Amtech's fiscal 2026 and 2027 earnings is currently pegged at 32 cents and 80 cents per share, respectively. Both estimates have remained unchanged over the past 30 days and indicate year-over-year growth of 540% and 150%, respectively.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Amtech stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.