Tokyo Electron Limited (8035) Earnings Call Transcript & Summary

Now, it's time for us to start Tokyo Electron financial announcement of the First Quarter of the Fiscal Year ending on March 31, 2024. Thank you very much for joining us today despite a very busy schedule. I am Yatsuda of IR Department, acting as a moderator of today's session. I'd like to introduce today's attendees. Mr. Toshiki Kawai, Representative Director, President and CEO.

I am Kawai, nice to meet you, everybody.

Next, Mr. Hiroshi Kawamoto, Senior Vice President, General Manager, in-charge of Finance Division.

I am Kawamoto, nice to meet you.

Prior to the presentation, let me explain the flow of today's conference. First of all, Mr. Kawamoto and Mr. Kawai will make presentations. After that, until 6:30 Japan Time, we will have a question-and-answer session, where we take questions from the audience. This meeting uses 2 channels of WebEx for the simultaneous interpretation between Japanese and English. As we explained in our e-mail, you are kindly requested to use up some PCs or mobile terminals, if you plan to ask questions. But if you are not going to ask questions, you can use telephones. In addition, since this conference is intended for institutional investors and analysts, we'd like to appreciate your understanding that we receive questions only from institutional investors and analysts. We will post the audio contents of this conference in Japanese and English on our website within a couple of days, it would be appreciated if you could also visit our website. Now Mr. Kawamoto will present the consolidated financial summary. Mr. Kawamoto, please.

Once again, I am Kawamoto. Now I would like to present the consolidated financial summary of the first quarter of this fiscal year. First of all, I'd like to present quarterly financial summary. The blue portion represent the results of the first quarter. In the first quarter, we generated net sales of JPY 391.7 billion, 29.8% decline from the previous quarter due to the drop of the customers' WFE spending. Along with the decline of the net sales, gross profit was JPY 162.3 billion, 35.5% decrease from the previous quarter, and operating income was JPY 82.4 billion, 46.0% drop from the previous quarter. Net income attributable to owners of parent was JPY 64.3 billion, 45.8% decline from the previous quarter. R&D expenses shown on the bottom were JPY 43.6 billion, [ increasing ] from the previous quarter as we continue R&D investment for the future growth. Capital expenditures were JPY 39.3 billion, increasing by 49.2% from the previous quarter as we are constructing a development building in Miyagi and purchased evaluation tools in order to prepare for the future business expansion. This is a graphic representation of the financial summary shown on the previous page. I hope you like it. This slide shows net sales by region for the first quarter. This is the composition of company-wide net sales by region as we have switched the single segment disclosure from this fiscal year. As you can see, proportion of sales to China rose to 39.3% due to active WFE spending to mature nodes in this region. This slide shows SPE new equipment sales by application. In the first quarter, on the right-hand side, from the bottom of this chart, sales to Logic customers accounted for 70%, Non-volatile memory accounted for 14% and DRAM accounted 16% compared with the previous quarter, the proportions of Logic and Non-volatile memory declined while the proportion of DRAM increased. This slide shows Field Solutions Sales. In the first quarter, sales amounted to JPY 100.2 billion. The sales declined from the previous quarter, which is attributed to the decrease of modifications due to the decline of the customers' WFE investment. On the other hand, [ products ] and service sales remained strong since the utilization ratio of the customer's fabs was maintained. This slide shows the balance sheet. Total assets were JPY 2,179.0 billion. Cash and cash equivalent was JPY 401.0 billion, decreasing by JPY 72.0 billion from the previous quarter due to dividend payment, tax payment and share repurchase. Notes and accounts receivable - trade and contract assets were JPY 368.8 billion, decreasing by JPY 96.0 billion due to progress of collection inventories what were JPY 716.5 billion, increasing by JPY 64.3 billion due to procurement to get us ready for future shipment. Other current assets were JPY 65.0 billion, decreasing by JPY 85.7 billion due to a refund of consumption tax. For liabilities and Net Assets shown on the right-hand side, liabilities was JPY 639.9 billion, decreasing by JPY 72.0 billion. This is primarily attributed to the decrease of tax payment and accrued employees bonuses. Net Assets were JPY 1,539.0 billion, decreasing by JPY 60.4 billion from the end of previous year due to dividend payment and share repurchase. The Equity ratio was 69.9%, just for your information. This slide shows the cash flow. The cash flow from operating activities were JPY 125.7 billion. The cash flow from investing activities was minus JPY 36.8 billion. Cash flow from financing activities was minus JPY 164.1 billion primarily due to the dividend payment and share repurchase. As a result, the free cash flow was JPY 88.8 billion shown in the line chart. Finally, I will present updates of the share repurchase. As of July 31, 2023, total number of shares purchased amounted to 3,069,200 shares. The total cost of share repurchase was about JPY 60.9 billion. As you can see on the bottom, we will continue share repurchase up to JPY 120 billion till December 31, 2023. So far, we have purchased about half of the maximum amount. This was all about the consolidated financial summary of the first quarter of fiscal year ending March 2024. Now let's move on. Mr. Kawai will give you the presentation regarding Business Environment and Financial Estimates. Mr. Kawai, please?

Good afternoon. Thank you very much for joining us today. Once again, I am Kawai. I will report business environment and financial estimates. Let me start with the current business environment. The full year forecast of WFE market size in 2023 is about $70 billion to $75 billion. In terms of market size, there have been no changes from the previous financial announcement in May. However, there have been slight changes in its breakdown, specifically in leading-edge logic and foundry, there are some signs of delayed investment, while Chinese customers are accelerating their investment in mature nodes. Though recovery timing may be shifted slightly depending on the macroeconomic dynamics, WFE market is expected to recover and grow to around $200 billion in total of 2 years of 2024 and 2025. One of the drivers of this recovery, as shown in the chart, is Servers whose annual growth rate is 8%. In addition, there are business opportunities in leading-edge CPU, DRAM and NAND as well as GPU for generative AI and HBM. We have -- we can also expect recovery of demand for PCs and smartphones after the adjustment following COVID-19 pandemic. Continuous steady growth is expected in power semiconductors for EV and diversifying semiconductor supporting digital economy, namely in the MAGIC market. This shows business progress in the first quarter of fiscal 2024. Regarding the financial performance, as Mr. Kawamoto presented, both net sales and profit stayed on track. We also made steady progress in critical development projects and products towards achievement of the medium-term management plan. In particular, for HARC etching, which is one of our strategic processes, we succeeded innovative technology development, targeting 3D NAND Channel Hole application. This is an important technology contributing to our future net sales and profit, and our customers highly value this technology. And bonders used in the advanced packaging, we received orders for bonders to be installed in high-volume manufacturing lines of HBM for generative AI application. New bonder development and evaluation have been also in progress for 3D NAND and advanced Logic. Next, I will present the financial estimates for fiscal 2024. The financial estimates remain unchanged from the previous announcement in May. As reported earlier, in calendar 2023, minus 25% to 30% growth from calendar 2022 is expected in WFE market. Our financial performance will be affected by this WFE market trend, but we are planning record high R&D investment of JPY 200 billion in order to be prepared for WFE market growth in 2024 and 2025 and our business recovery by stepping up our R&D activities. This slide shows the SPE New Equipment Sales Forecast in this fiscal year. As shown here, we expect to generate JPY 580 billion in the first half and JPY 690 billion in the second half of this fiscal year. The diagram on the right shows a quarterly breakdown on the sales forecast for the first half of this fiscal year, though there have been some changes in the timing of customers' WFE investment, there will be no major change in Logic memory composition. This shows our plan for R&D Expenses and CapEx. This plan again remains unchanged. FY 2024, both R&D expenses and CapEx are expected to hit record high. As I said earlier, we are planning R&D expenses of JPY 200 billion and CapEx of JPY 124 billion. Depreciation is expected to be JPY 57 billion. Last month, construction of a new development building in Yamanashi was completed as planned. This new building was built for the purpose of developing film deposition systems, gas chemical etching systems, patterning technologies and process integration to address expanding market and fulfill increasingly diversified leading-edge technology needs. We will continue active R&D and capital investment. This slide shows the dividend forecast. This also remains unchanged. Based on the financial estimate of this fiscal year and payout ratio of 50%, the full year dividend per share is expected to be JPY 320. This shows total return amount over the past few years. As Mr. Kawamoto described earlier, as of July 31, we purchased 3,069,200 shares worth of about JPY 60.9 billion. If we are able to accomplish share repurchase as planned, total return amount in this fiscal year, including dividend payment based on payout ratio of 50% is expected to be JPY 270.3 billion. We will make continuous efforts to enhance shareholders' value. This concludes my presentation. Thank you very much for your kind attention. Now we will have a question-and-answer session until 6:30 Japan Time.

[Operator Instructions] I will call a name of a person who asked a question one by one, our secretariat will contact you in advance. So please check the WebEx chat box. [Operator Instructions] We will refrain from answering questions if your name and affiliations are not given. On the Japanese channel, we will translate your English question, and I will read it out in Japanese and the speakers will answer in Japanese on the English channel. The question and answer will be simultaneously interpreted into English on the real-time basis. As we're trying to take as many questions as possible, we will take one question per person. If time allows, we will take additional questions. So the first question from CLSA Securities Japan, Mr. Yoshida.

I am Yoshida from CLSA Securities. Can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you.

For WFE forecast, I have a question regarding forecast for the WFE market 2024 and '25, you said $200 billion. In the previous meeting, 2024 should be the same level of 2022, that's what you said. But if you divide into 2 years, '24 and '25, what happens to 2024? What about the changes in your forecast for 2024. If possible, from this year to 2024 and from 2024 to 2025, so I'd like you to give us some application drivers to fuel the growth of the market.

So let me answer to your question. So recently, the macro economy dynamics have been changing. So as I said in my presentation earlier, leading-edge logic/foundry business has been in the adjustment, it takes a bit long time. For customers, the Fab start-up timing is shifted by 6 months. That sort of plan is also announced by the customers. When you think about this kind of trend, I think WFE market in 2025 will be higher. So maybe plan has been shifted by 3 months or 6 months in some customers. So I'm sure you can see the very rapid recovery. However, the recovery is more drastic in 2025 than 2024. The primary driver should be servers. As I said in my presentation earlier, in this year 2023, toward the second half of this year to 2027, the number of servers will be increased by 8% on the CAGR basis. This will be the primary driver of the growth of the market. And PCs and smartphone demand will be recovering. Inflation is easing, and also there is a replacement purchase of the products which are purchased in COVID-19. So company also invests in the IT. And Windows 10 support will come to the end. And that will trigger the demand increase, and various applications will be emerging. For semiconductor innovation, we can see various emerging applications. So you can see new functions in the smartphone or PCs to be developed in the future. And also so-called MAGIC market, powered semiconductors-related EV and commodity chips, taking care of various products, all those devices will see -- we will have a very solid growth.

For semiconductor applications, for example, for 2024, the leading-edge logic should be the leader in recovery and 2025. In addition to the expansion of leading logic memory will be also increasing. So how do you view the growth in 2024 and 2025 for logic and memory?

So let me answer to your question on behalf of IR Department. For this fiscal year, memory adjustments have a great impact, especially NAND flash adjustments or rather inferential, however, from the viewpoint of Tokyo Electron, the memory is expected to recover from 2024. DRAM recover first and followed by NAND. For the time being the things are, well, dynamics. So we cannot tell when the memory start recovering in 2024, we shouldn't say anything which might mislead the market. But for 2025, we do have the great expectations.

Next question is from Mr. Nakamura of Goldman Sachs Japan.

Can you hear me?

Yes.

I am Nakamura. As generative AI is expected high in the stock market. So could you let me know the business opportunities for your company triggered by the generative AI? You talked about the HBM for the DRAM. Could you just show us your prospect for generative AI in terms of your business expansion.

So the leading edge area, devices for servers and PCs, and smartphones, that accounts for about 70%. So far, when you look at the server, AI server proportion is about 8% at this moment in terms of unit. But 2% annual increase is expected for AI. That's how I view the future market growth. The materials that I used in my presentation, there is some information there. The orange portion 2025, over here, WFE $5 billion portion should be affected, the logic related and GPU and HBM. So there are some business opportunities in those 3 devices, logic, [ JMP ] and HBM. Did I answer to your question? Mr. Nakamura? Can you hear me -- can you hear us?

I'm sorry, I was not able to unmute myself. Thank you very much for your answer. So for your systems, which system will be positively affected by the generative AI?

So customers are now increasing the utilization of the existing systems. So frontline, we can observe the demands. So after the adjustment of the inventory, the front end demand can be expected to grow furthermore. In most recent days, the bonding process is rather significant, so bonders -- the inquiries are bonders -- inquiries for bonder, well, we take orders for bonders right now rather than inquiry.

So next question is from Mr. Shimamoto of Okasan Securities.

I have a question regarding China market. The sales proportion to China is increasing. And you said also that China customers are rather strong in the mature nodes. So how do you view the continuity of the investment to the mature node, especially in 2024 and '25.

The China elements are incorporated into your expected recovery in 2024 and '25 rather than leading edge nodes, but for IoT, IoT-related devices, the volatility is much less in this area, especially the Chinese customers' proportion is rather significant. And continuously, the amount is expected to grow little by little. That's how we view the China market.

I have one follow up question. You said there are some acceleration in the Chinese customers' investment, although this leading-edge logic/foundry, the investment has been declined. So Chinese customers are now shifting to the mature node in the first quarter from the leading-edge node. Is that correct?

Yes. So there are various restrictions, regulations. So for customers in China, some of the American tools are now restricted or regulated. So now the diversified semiconductors will be necessary for the digital economy. Therefore, the China customers can have a very good strategy for the further growth, capitalizing on the market trend. Therefore, a very active investment is going on, and you can see increasing number of new customers in China. So this trend will not be temporary. I'm sure this trend will remain unchanged. You can see the continued active investment in China.

Next question is from Mr. Yasui of UBS Securities.

I am Yasui from UBS Securities. I have one question. So year 2025, generative AI demand, you said $5 billion. Thank you very much for the figure, and I have a question regarding this. So I have two specific questions. The first question is, when you say $5 billion, by chance, actually, we did some calculation, we came up with a very similar figure, $5 billion. In our company, NVIDIA capacity was estimated based on the DRAM HBM, we came up with the estimate of $5 billion. But how did you live up the estimate of $5 billion? Could you let us know about your factors? And also, maybe you said $200 billion. So $100 billion per year driven by the generative AI, $5 billion is too small to achieve $100 billion. So maybe in order for generative AI to achieve $10 billion or $15 billion? what sort of thing is necessary, the lower price? Or are there expecting demand turns in applications?

So the quantitative analysis is not so easy for us. So, number of servers, AI proportion in the market, and we also come up with proportion of generative AI in the total AI. So these are the factors we are looking at when we do the estimates. As I said earlier, the annual growth rate of AI server -- now maybe AI server proportion is expected to grow by 2% every year. For example, 8% in 2023, 16% in 2027. So that will be doubled from 2023 to 2027. So we are trying to collect the information as much as possible, and we try to get communication. And based on that factors, we came up with the estimates and our competitors, they also conduct analysis. The AI server proportion increased by 1%, then WFE is supposed to increase by $1 billion to $1.5 billion. That's how our competitor's view. So that sort of estimates are now in good line with our analysis. Semiconductor evolution will be accelerated through the implementation of generative AI. So semiconductor demand is expanding because of the generative AI or on the other hand, the innovation of semiconductor will prompt the further expansion of generative AI and other applications, leading-edge applications. Therefore, not only generative AI, but in other areas, there should be very high potential in the leading-edge applications. I hope my answer was satisfactory. So this is how we view the future trend of the market.

So you are just focusing on AI server, so PC or smartphones incorporate rather than PC or smartphone incorporate AI, but you are just focusing on AI server when you came with the forecast of $5 billion.

Yes, we are focusing on AI server.

Next question is from Mr. Ishino, Tokai Tokyo Research Center.

I'm Ishino from Tokyo Tokai Research Center. Can you hear me?

Yes, we can hear you.

So Nakamura.San and Yasui.San asked a very similar question that I wanted to ask. When it comes to generative AI, you said AI server accounts for 8% in this fiscal year. According to our estimate, this is only 2%. 8% is rather a big proportion of AI. So I have a question. So if there is a demand of 8%, you can see better recovery. So Lam Research, you talked about Lam research. I wonder the 8% is a bit too high according to my understanding. I would like to get some justification, but now explosive growth of the memory demand, so HBM3 or HBM4 in your company, your processes, what are the most promising equipment of your company, which is prompted by the HBM? So you said 8% and 2%. There is a big difference between the two forecasts.

So what you are focusing on is, AI related servers. So we're just focusing on all AI servers. That's why we said 8%. But when you just focus on generative AI, the percentage dropped to 1%. So difference in our understanding should be -- whether we are looking at total AI servers or we are just focusing on generative AI only. So that could be the reason for the difference in our estimates. When you just focus on generative AI year 2023 comes to only 1% among all the servers.

Okay. If we just focus on generative AI servers, there are only 200,000 units, so the proportion should be 1.4% and HBM is expected to grow further more. So memory, I think you are very strong in memory area. So as for Europe products, which are more promising for the HBM application.

So the HBM is part of DRAM. So front-end process tools, all of them do have the opportunity for HBM coater developer, specifically cleaning system, etching system, film deposition system, all of them do have the opportunity triggered by HBM. As of today, the customers' utilization rate has to do some margin for further increase. Therefore, the existing machines may not be able to cover the process of bonding for HBM. So that's where we receive a lot of inquiry, the bonding for HBM. In the previous memory, we did have very strong product portfolio. We should maintain that. But for the new opportunities, now bonders are expected to grow further triggered by HBM.

Next question is from Mr. Yamamoto from Mizuho Securities.

I am Yamamoto. Page 14. I have a question regarding cryogenic. So your competitor, the etch manufacturer, you said when they use the gas, then achieve the temperature of minus 60 degrees centigrade rather than the minus 40 degrees centigrade and also double the etching rate. Is that what you mean or even if they change the gas, the Europe competitor is not able to catch up with TEL'S technology because of the patent that you have. Could you let us know the story, please?

Let me answer to your question. As for the cryogenic etching and low tempering etching, in terms of hardware, those two are totally different. The design for cryogenic etching was simply for that hardware composition, all of those things are very difficult, totally different from the low temperature etching. So we need to have dedicated design for cryogenic etching. So under the cryogenic conditions, gas flexibility gets very high. Therefore the gas chemistry, which cannot be achieved by the normal gas -- low temperature etching can be achieved by cryogenic etching. So we need to come -- we are not able to achieve the cryogenic etching, if we have the appropriate design. So the conventional low-temperature etching has very limited options. So only by changing the gas, they are not able to achieve minus 60 degrees. When you say low temperature, normal one, there is opportunity of minus 40 degrees centigrade.

Next question is from Mr. Hirakawa of BoA Securities.

I have one question again for generative AI 2025 WFE basis, the $5 billion, that's what you said for the generative AI. And you are now receiving orders for bonders. So what is the proportion of bonding or bonders out of $5 billion? And could you also let me just know the condition of your competitors in this area?

Rather than in 2025, up until the middle of next year, when you look at the near-term future, for bonders 2-digit billion yen business is expected. That's the current condition of our business.

In the area, your company, Tokyo Electron, is in the dominant position. Is that correct understanding?

Yes, we expect we can achieve very high market share.

The next question is from Mr. Yoshioka of Nomura Securities.

I am Yoshioka from Nomura Securities. I have a question regarding most recent -- this quarter's plan of Tokyo Electron. So at the end of last fiscal year, the first half and second half, you said you are going to increase the sales in the first half of this year for the bottom out. But in reality, when I look at your plan, the third quarter -- sorry, second quarter sales will be higher than the first quarter. So that means the first quarter should be a kind of bottom according to your plan presented today. My question is about -- for the second half of this fiscal year for logic and DRAM, the sales are expected to grow very strongly, especially for DRAM that you were forecast. So I want to understand the confidence level. For example, rather than -- based on the order backlog, do you have the higher probability to achieve that level of the sales for the second half of this year? Or are there any potential risks to achieve the planned sales of the second half of this year?

As of today, we may -- there have been no changes in our announcement to the market. Therefore, this is most likely or high probability. And that's the reason why we didn't change our forecast. When you look at the details, as I said in the beginning, there have been some changes in breakdown. So some of the leading-edge technology because of the dynamics of the macro economy, they may have some delay in recovery by one quarter. For logic foundry customers, when I look at the announcement, that sort of delay is expected. However, on the other hand, as someone asked earlier, the mature node devices, that we do have the inquiries from China, mainly from Chinese customers, and the inquiries are increasing. And for that, we can have the highly likely good business. In that area, probability is rather high, and we now see very tangible business for the mature node, for the customers in China. So as for the current plan, I think the confidence level is very high. So that's what we have announced this time. Mr. Yoshioka, are you happy?

I'm sorry. That was very clear. Thank you very much for your answer.

So there have been some changes in breakdown or contents, but the confidence level is rather high.

Next question is from Mr. Nakanomyo of Jefferies Japan Limited.

I am Nakanomyo from Jefferies Japan. So my question is rather close to Mr. [Indiscernible] question for HBM, for bonder business, if it's possible, could you let us know advantage of your product compared with your competitions? Probably your competitions, do you have some alliance strategy? Your competitors do have some alliance strategy, but could you just let us know your advantage as for the bonding technology.

So our competitor, actually, there is one competitor in Europe. We are very confident of having good performance in terms of accuracy of bonding. I think that's where our customers like and appreciate. As for bonding not only bonding accuracy, throughput productivity should be one of the factors. We should -- we have been enhancing and these are the areas that our customers appreciate.

So your major customers are investing in HBM and your share is rather high in those customers working on HBM.

The market itself is not so big yet. But in the future, the HBM market is expected to grow more and more. So we want to increase our sales in this area. For bonder, CMOS image sensor, we did have the experience in that application. And also, we do have a good relationship with the major leading memory customers, and they are evaluating our products. So for leading customers in HBM, they really appreciate the high accuracy of bonding. And that's the reason why we take -- we are receiving orders from those leading customers.

My last question for bonder, by taking orders for bonders, you can get the orders for the surrounding processes. Is that what you expect for the future?

So I don't know there is any direct impact or not, but with not only bonding technology, but I think there might new changes after bonding process, etching might be necessary or [ stacking ] should be also necessary, and we do have the broad product portfolio. So if customers come up with a new needs or demand, I think we can provide the appropriate solution to those emerging customer needs. So we can make a comprehensive proposal, and there is a great business opportunities over there.

I talked about alliance earlier. So your competitor etching manufacturer does not have bonder technology. So they have some alliance with the European competitor of yours. But compared with that, you can take care of those two things by yourselves. Is that correct?

Yes. We can provide the multiple technologies. Last year in SEMICON Japan, and this year in SEMICON West in San Francisco, we introduced our technology. So that product is a kind of fusion between the front-end and back-end. In the case of Tokyo Electron, we can make proposal for the fusion between the front-end and back-end, so served available market, we'd like to show our value to our customers by -- through the fusion of front-end and back-end technologies.

Next question is from Mr. Hanaya, SMBC Nikko Securities.

I am Hanaya. Can you hear me?

Yes.

So cryogenic etching, you said 400-layers is a target of this technology. So chronologically, maybe that technology will become emerging 2 to 3 years from now. Is my understanding correct?

Right. In general, your understanding is correct. In that sense, for the future, 400-layers should be the future target. And even before 400-layers, a little by little. I hope our customers will adopt this technology even before 400-layer era. That's the area we also expect. But in general, what you said is correct.

I have one follow-up question. The American applied material will provide not only the tool, but also develop the gases, that's what I understand. In your company, in -- as for the approach of design and development, do you also develop not only process too, but also gas so that you can incorporate the area. Do you have such kind of concept for design.

So we are not gas supplier. However, we do have a very strong alliance with gas vendors for cryogenic etching, for example, gas itself, we just selected the gas with very low carbon footprint. Therefore, we can provide the hardware, and we also developed the processes, but we have a strong collaboration with gas supplier so that we can select the most favorable or optimal gases.

Next question is from Mr. Sugiura of Daiwa Securities.

I am Sugiura of Daiwa Securities. I have a question regarding gross margin. In the first quarter, 41% -- a little bit higher than 41%. Your plan for the first half of this year is 42.2%. So you have a plan to increase gross profit margin in the second half of this year. So for the second half of this year, sales will be increasing. That will have positive impact on gross margin, but the pricing -- product mix, what sort of factors do you expect to drive up the gross margin for the second half of this year?

Let me answer to your question. In the first quarter, as you pointed out, 41.4% of the gross profit margin was reported, but product profitability has been improving and our net sales is not so big. Therefore, the gross profit margin of 41% looks rather weak. However, as we move through the second quarter, you can see some contribution of this profit. Ultimately, as I -- we can -- we hope we can achieve the figure that you mentioned earlier.

I have one follow-up question. In the second quarter, so the sales should be around JPY 400 billion, so sales will be increased from the first to second quarter, but there is not a drastic increase. However, we expect a higher gross profit margin, so are there any pricing technology or reduction of the raw material costs? Are there any other factors such as product mix?

So slightly, product mix will be changed. That's one thing. In the second half of this year, those positive factors will be increasing. Therefore, you can see higher improvement of the gross profit margin, along with the gradual increase of the gross net sales. Yes, we expect the increase of the net sales. Accordingly, we can see the increase of the gross profit margin as well.

The next question is from Mr. DongJin Han of Point72.

Mr. DongJin Han of Point72. I have additional question regarding the cryogenic etch. Probably for one tier, 128 layers should be a kind of limitation. And you might be able to address the multi-tiers, but or with your cryogenic etch, you may be able to achieve more than 128 layers for single tier. And there are some articles talking about the adoption of the major NAND players. And I believe your company might start selling this technology this year or early next year. However, NAND market itself is rather sluggish. So the market achieve certain volume only in 3, 4 or 5 years' time. But in short time, I think we can see some changes in the market share. So could you give us your view regarding market share change in the near term?

I think we can have high expectation for this technology, a number of tiers should be reduced while the number of layers is increasing, which is really important. When we can reduce the number of tiers that will become very big value. We can demonstrate the performance up to until 10 micron for channel hole application, the big market is expected. For example 2023, $0.5 billion is the level. By 2027, $2 billion should be the size of the market. According to expectation, year 2023, maybe the number of layers should be 200 layers, but by 2027, the number of layers will be increasing to 400. So TAM will be increased by 4x. I mean those circumstances, this development is really good to contribute the market share enhancement of our company.

We'd like to conclude today's conference. Lastly, we'd like to continuously improve our IR activities based on your precious feedbacks. So we would like -- appreciate your kind cooperation in filling up the questionnaire before you exit the Webex. Thank you very much for taking time to join this conference despite your very busy schedule today. Thank you very much. [Statements in English on this transcript were spoken by an interpreter present on the live call.]