VLSI KoreaDaily Silicon: Sandisk $8.965B: AI Chips and Semiconductor Design
A practicing semiconductor engineer's daily read on global silicon news - Sandisk $8.965B: AI Chips and Semiconductor Design
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A practicing semiconductor engineer's daily read on global silicon news:
Sandisk's FY4Q revenue reached $8.965B with 84.6% GAAP gross margin, while China's 56% optical-module capacity share and GlobalFoundries' 625 thousand-wafer ramp show that qualification now sets delivery after design.
Chase's Take - In backend signoff, I watch reruns and qualification throughput before revenue. Sandisk's FY1Q27 $10.30B-$10.80B guidance is the headline, but the operating proof sits elsewhere.
I want to see whether data center mix, optical-packaging yield, and tool acceptance actually convert that number into shipped revenue.
1. Sandisk FY4Q: Pricing Lifts NAND Revenue to $8.965B
TL;DR - Revenue reached $8,965 million, GAAP gross margin 84.6%, and net income $6,903 million as Flash pricing and data center mix rose together.
Source: Sandisk Investor Relations - Sandisk FY4Q: Pricing Lifts NAND Revenue to $8.965B
2. GlobalFoundries Ships 625k Wafers as Silicon Photonics Shifts the Mix
TL;DR - Revenue of $1,786 million and 28.3% gross margin exceeded the high end of guidance, with optical networking emerging as an AI data center growth driver.
Source: GlobalFoundries SEC Filing - GlobalFoundries Ships 625k Wafers as Silicon Photonics Shifts the Mix
3. MKS at $1.248B: Advanced Packaging Outgrows Semiconductor
TL;DR - Q2 revenue reached $1,248 million with 47.6% gross margin as electronics & packaging grew faster than semiconductor.
Source: MKS SEC Filing - MKS at $1.248B: Advanced Packaging Outgrows Semiconductor
4. China Holds 56% of Optical-Module Capacity: Qualifying CPO and NPO
TL;DR - China holds 56% of global outsourced optical-module capacity in 2026, leaving AI interconnect lead times exposed if FCC restrictions expand.
Source: TrendForce - China Holds 56% of Optical-Module Capacity: Qualifying CPO and NPO
What to Watch Next
- Sandisk FY1Q27 revenue guidance of $10.30B-$10.80B
Track whether NAND pricing and data center mix continue to contribute more than volume. - GlobalFoundries Q3 wafer shipments and 29.5% gross margin guidance
Watch whether silicon photonics customer qualification converts into photonics packaging and test revenue. - MKS Q3 revenue guidance of $1.350B and tool acceptance
The conversion rate from advanced-packaging orders to installation and revenue recognition determines the ramp. - Final FCC language and effective date for optical communications equipment restrictions
CPO/NPO coverage and non-China qualification lead times could force hyperscalers to revise supply plans.
Signal Radar — More Headlines
- SEMI Signoff AI: Agents Bridge 100GB Logs and Cross-Vendor Flows (SEMI)
- Veeco Q2 Revenue $193.5M, FY2026 Guidance $780M-$810M (Veeco SEC Filing)
- SiTime Revenue $157.4M, Communications, Enterprise and Data Center Up 181% (SiTime SEC Filing)
- Diodes Revenue $445.5M, Proposes ElevATE Semiconductor Acquisition (Diodes SEC Filing)
- Kulicke & Soffa Q3 Revenue $330.4M, Q4 Guidance $375M (Kulicke & Soffa SEC Filing)
- Power Integrations Revenue $118.9M, Unveils 2200V PowiGaN (Power Integrations SEC Filing)
- Cirrus Logic Fiscal Q1 Revenue $459.7M, Guides Next Quarter to $510M-$570M (Cirrus Logic SEC Filing)
- Rambus Enters $100M Accelerated Share Repurchase (Rambus SEC Filing)
- Vishay Book-to-Bill Reaches 1.32, Semiconductor Backlog Hits 6.1 Months (Vishay SEC Filing)
- Amtech AI-Related Revenue Up 120%, Thermal Processing Book-to-Bill at 1.37 (Amtech SEC Filing)
- Materion Value-Added Revenue $308.2M, Backlog Up 30% (Materion SEC Filing)
Further Reading on VLSI Korea
- Google TPU v1 to Ironwood: A Decade of Designing AI Factories, Not Just Chips
Use it to connect today's NAND and optical-interconnect numbers to the TPU memory and network hierarchy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Sandisk report for FY4Q?
Sandisk reported FY4Q revenue of $8,965 million, GAAP gross margin of 84.6%, and net income of $6,903 million. FY1Q27 guidance is $10.30 billion to $10.80 billion.
What did GlobalFoundries report?
GlobalFoundries reported revenue of $1,786 million and a 28.3% gross margin, shipping 625 thousand wafers. Optical networking is emerging as an AI data-center growth driver.
What did MKS report for Q2?
MKS reported Q2 revenue of $1,248 million with a 47.6% gross margin. Electronics and packaging grew faster than semiconductor, and Q3 guidance is $1,350 million.
What share of optical-module capacity does China hold?
China holds 56% of global outsourced optical-module capacity in 2026. AI interconnect lead times are exposed if restrictions on optical communications equipment expand.
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