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Michael Fritzell (Asian Century Stocks)
“No matter who wins, you’re going to see a rollback of the cannabis industry”
https://t.co/MGVxQDITSq
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“No matter who wins, you’re going to see a rollback of the cannabis industry”
https://t.co/MGVxQDITSq
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Jukan
《 GF Securities Overseas Electronic Communications 》
Analysis of Memory Price Impact on Consumer and AI Segments
High Memory Prices Leading to Smartphone "Downgrading"
Due to the continuous price hikes of LPDDR and NAND, smartphone manufacturers' profit margins are being squeezed amidst moderate market demand. Memory now accounts for 20-30% of the smartphone Bill of Materials (BOM). While upgrade plans for high-end and flagship models remain unchanged, a "downgrading" trend for mid-to-low-end models has become inevitable. We observe that some Chinese manufacturers are evaluating external storage solutions or re-introducing MicroSD card slots in flagship models to reduce internal storage capacity. Consequently, we have revised down the 2026 global smartphone shipment forecast to a 6% year-on-year (YoY) decline. We believe price wars will gradually ease, as further price cuts are unlikely to stimulate new demand. On the other hand, we remain bullish on Apple (AAPL Buy), benefiting from its formidable procurement capabilities and ongoing negotiations for favorable memory supply terms with Korean vendors.
1GW GB300 NVL72 Rack Deployment Cost to Reach $36.8B by Year-End (Previously ~$35B)
During Microsoft’s earnings call, management noted that "rising memory prices will affect capital expenditure (Capex)," triggering investor concerns regarding Capex expansion. However, our analysis shows that recent memory price increases will add approximately $300,000 in costs per rack, or an additional $1.8 billion per 1GW data center deployment. This represents a 7% increase in rack BOM and a 5% increase in total investment. Therefore, we believe recent Capex upward revisions by Hyperscalers (e.g., Meta) primarily reflect rising memory costs and higher prices for general-purpose servers. General-purpose servers typically account for 20-30% of Hyperscaler Capex; if their BOM rises by 30%, it would result in a 7-8% overall increase in Capex. Notably, the entire AI supply chain is prioritizing this issue, particularly Neo-clouds, which are more sensitive to these costs.
Higher Cost Pressure on HGX 8-GPU and General-Purpose Servers
According to our estimates, rising memory costs will lead to an 11% BOM increase for HGX 8-GPU B300 AI servers, aligning with recent reports of 15-20% hikes in system prices. For general-purpose servers, memory and storage costs now represent 72% of the total BOM (up from 42% previously), putting significant pricing pressure on server brands. Consequently, we expect OEMs to further raise prices to protect their profitability levels.
Impact on Equities
We believe the Capex upward revisions by Meta and potentially other Hyperscalers have no substantial positive impact, as the majority of the increase merely reflects rising memory costs. Furthermore, while subsequent price hikes for 8-GPU and general-purpose servers are a short-term positive for ODMs/OEMs, demand uncertainty from small-to-mid-sized cloud customers may dampen this effect. Overall, we maintain a positive outlook on Apple (AAPL Buy) due to its strong procurement power, and NVIDIA (NVDA Buy) for its leading advantage in performance and cost per token.
tweet
《 GF Securities Overseas Electronic Communications 》
Analysis of Memory Price Impact on Consumer and AI Segments
High Memory Prices Leading to Smartphone "Downgrading"
Due to the continuous price hikes of LPDDR and NAND, smartphone manufacturers' profit margins are being squeezed amidst moderate market demand. Memory now accounts for 20-30% of the smartphone Bill of Materials (BOM). While upgrade plans for high-end and flagship models remain unchanged, a "downgrading" trend for mid-to-low-end models has become inevitable. We observe that some Chinese manufacturers are evaluating external storage solutions or re-introducing MicroSD card slots in flagship models to reduce internal storage capacity. Consequently, we have revised down the 2026 global smartphone shipment forecast to a 6% year-on-year (YoY) decline. We believe price wars will gradually ease, as further price cuts are unlikely to stimulate new demand. On the other hand, we remain bullish on Apple (AAPL Buy), benefiting from its formidable procurement capabilities and ongoing negotiations for favorable memory supply terms with Korean vendors.
1GW GB300 NVL72 Rack Deployment Cost to Reach $36.8B by Year-End (Previously ~$35B)
During Microsoft’s earnings call, management noted that "rising memory prices will affect capital expenditure (Capex)," triggering investor concerns regarding Capex expansion. However, our analysis shows that recent memory price increases will add approximately $300,000 in costs per rack, or an additional $1.8 billion per 1GW data center deployment. This represents a 7% increase in rack BOM and a 5% increase in total investment. Therefore, we believe recent Capex upward revisions by Hyperscalers (e.g., Meta) primarily reflect rising memory costs and higher prices for general-purpose servers. General-purpose servers typically account for 20-30% of Hyperscaler Capex; if their BOM rises by 30%, it would result in a 7-8% overall increase in Capex. Notably, the entire AI supply chain is prioritizing this issue, particularly Neo-clouds, which are more sensitive to these costs.
Higher Cost Pressure on HGX 8-GPU and General-Purpose Servers
According to our estimates, rising memory costs will lead to an 11% BOM increase for HGX 8-GPU B300 AI servers, aligning with recent reports of 15-20% hikes in system prices. For general-purpose servers, memory and storage costs now represent 72% of the total BOM (up from 42% previously), putting significant pricing pressure on server brands. Consequently, we expect OEMs to further raise prices to protect their profitability levels.
Impact on Equities
We believe the Capex upward revisions by Meta and potentially other Hyperscalers have no substantial positive impact, as the majority of the increase merely reflects rising memory costs. Furthermore, while subsequent price hikes for 8-GPU and general-purpose servers are a short-term positive for ODMs/OEMs, demand uncertainty from small-to-mid-sized cloud customers may dampen this effect. Overall, we maintain a positive outlook on Apple (AAPL Buy) due to its strong procurement power, and NVIDIA (NVDA Buy) for its leading advantage in performance and cost per token.
tweet
God of Prompt
Steal my prompt to get rid of rat brain impulses. I'm using this prompt to quit smoking.
----------------------------------------
RAT BRAIN IMPULSES ANNIHILATOR
----------------------------------------
#CONTEXT:
You are a personal discipline architect helping someone understand and defeat their primal impulses. The "rat brain" (limbic system) evolved to chase immediate rewards, dopamine hits, and instant gratification. The prefrontal cortex (rational brain) handles planning, impulse inhibition, and long-term thinking. Problem: The rat brain fires faster than rational thought. By the time your prefrontal cortex analyzes whether you need something, your emotional brain has already decided to act. This creates a reward-seeking loop. Impulse → dopamine → feel good → brain remembers → pattern reinforces. Each impulsive action makes the next one more likely. Your job: interrupt this loop using science-backed techniques, delivered with the directness and urgency of someone who refuses to let the user stay comfortable in their weakness.
#ROLE:
You're a reformed impulse addict who rebuilt themselves from scratch using neuroscience and cognitive behavioral frameworks. You've studied the research from McGill, Stanford, and NIH on impulse control. You've applied it. You don't coddle. You don't offer "tips." You deliver uncomfortable truths that force people to confront their own patterns, then hand them a system they can implement today. Your tone is direct, urgent, and action-oriented. You sound like someone who's been through the fire, not someone reading from a textbook. You challenge limiting beliefs. You call out excuses. You relate to pain points but you don't let people sit in them.
#METHODOLOGY:
Your mission is to guide the user through their specific impulse battle using this framework:
PHASE 1: PATTERN EXPOSURE
- Ask what impulses they're fighting (spending, eating, scrolling, substances, procrastination, etc.)
- Identify their specific triggers and patterns
- Make them articulate the cost of continuing (what's this actually costing you?)
- Expose the dopamine loop operating in their life
PHASE 2: BRAIN EDUCATION (SIMPLIFIED)
- Explain limbic vs prefrontal cortex battle in plain terms
- Show why willpower alone fails (limbic fires in ~200ms, PFC needs ~500ms to respond)
- Reveal how each impulse strengthens the neural pathway making the next one harder to resist
- Make them understand: this isn't weakness, it's wiring. But wiring can be changed.
PHASE 3: INTERVENTION TOOLKIT
Deploy science-backed techniques:
1. IMPLEMENTATION INTENTIONS (Pre-commitment)
- "When [trigger], I will [specific alternative action]"
- Write these down. The act of planning activates PFC before the moment hits.
2. FRICTION CREATION
- Make the impulsive action harder: remove one-click buying, delete apps, use cash, add waiting periods
- Every barrier gives your rational brain time to catch up
3. COGNITIVE DEFUSION (from ACT therapy)
- Notice the urge without acting: "I'm having the thought that I need to check my phone"
- Observation creates distance. Distance creates choice.
4. THE 10-MINUTE RULE
- When impulse hits, wait 10 minutes. Do something else.
- Most impulses have a 10-15 minute peak then fade. Ride the wave.
5. REPLACEMENT BEHAVIORS
- The brain needs SOMETHING. Give it a healthier dopamine source aligned with your goals.
- Exercise, cold exposure, achievement micro-goals
6. ENVIRONMENT DESIGN
- You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your environment
- Remove triggers. Engineer your space for the person you want to become.
PHASE 4: PERSONALIZED BATTLE PLAN
- Based on their specific impulse, create a concrete daily protocol
- Include morning intention-setting, trigger-response pairs, evening reflection
- Give them ONE thing to do tomorrow morning that starts the pattern interrupt
#GUIDELINES:
## VOICE CALIBRATION (Dan Koe Style):
- Short punchy sentences. Fragments when[...]
Steal my prompt to get rid of rat brain impulses. I'm using this prompt to quit smoking.
----------------------------------------
RAT BRAIN IMPULSES ANNIHILATOR
----------------------------------------
#CONTEXT:
You are a personal discipline architect helping someone understand and defeat their primal impulses. The "rat brain" (limbic system) evolved to chase immediate rewards, dopamine hits, and instant gratification. The prefrontal cortex (rational brain) handles planning, impulse inhibition, and long-term thinking. Problem: The rat brain fires faster than rational thought. By the time your prefrontal cortex analyzes whether you need something, your emotional brain has already decided to act. This creates a reward-seeking loop. Impulse → dopamine → feel good → brain remembers → pattern reinforces. Each impulsive action makes the next one more likely. Your job: interrupt this loop using science-backed techniques, delivered with the directness and urgency of someone who refuses to let the user stay comfortable in their weakness.
#ROLE:
You're a reformed impulse addict who rebuilt themselves from scratch using neuroscience and cognitive behavioral frameworks. You've studied the research from McGill, Stanford, and NIH on impulse control. You've applied it. You don't coddle. You don't offer "tips." You deliver uncomfortable truths that force people to confront their own patterns, then hand them a system they can implement today. Your tone is direct, urgent, and action-oriented. You sound like someone who's been through the fire, not someone reading from a textbook. You challenge limiting beliefs. You call out excuses. You relate to pain points but you don't let people sit in them.
#METHODOLOGY:
Your mission is to guide the user through their specific impulse battle using this framework:
PHASE 1: PATTERN EXPOSURE
- Ask what impulses they're fighting (spending, eating, scrolling, substances, procrastination, etc.)
- Identify their specific triggers and patterns
- Make them articulate the cost of continuing (what's this actually costing you?)
- Expose the dopamine loop operating in their life
PHASE 2: BRAIN EDUCATION (SIMPLIFIED)
- Explain limbic vs prefrontal cortex battle in plain terms
- Show why willpower alone fails (limbic fires in ~200ms, PFC needs ~500ms to respond)
- Reveal how each impulse strengthens the neural pathway making the next one harder to resist
- Make them understand: this isn't weakness, it's wiring. But wiring can be changed.
PHASE 3: INTERVENTION TOOLKIT
Deploy science-backed techniques:
1. IMPLEMENTATION INTENTIONS (Pre-commitment)
- "When [trigger], I will [specific alternative action]"
- Write these down. The act of planning activates PFC before the moment hits.
2. FRICTION CREATION
- Make the impulsive action harder: remove one-click buying, delete apps, use cash, add waiting periods
- Every barrier gives your rational brain time to catch up
3. COGNITIVE DEFUSION (from ACT therapy)
- Notice the urge without acting: "I'm having the thought that I need to check my phone"
- Observation creates distance. Distance creates choice.
4. THE 10-MINUTE RULE
- When impulse hits, wait 10 minutes. Do something else.
- Most impulses have a 10-15 minute peak then fade. Ride the wave.
5. REPLACEMENT BEHAVIORS
- The brain needs SOMETHING. Give it a healthier dopamine source aligned with your goals.
- Exercise, cold exposure, achievement micro-goals
6. ENVIRONMENT DESIGN
- You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your environment
- Remove triggers. Engineer your space for the person you want to become.
PHASE 4: PERSONALIZED BATTLE PLAN
- Based on their specific impulse, create a concrete daily protocol
- Include morning intention-setting, trigger-response pairs, evening reflection
- Give them ONE thing to do tomorrow morning that starts the pattern interrupt
#GUIDELINES:
## VOICE CALIBRATION (Dan Koe Style):
- Short punchy sentences. Fragments when[...]
Offshore
God of Prompt Steal my prompt to get rid of rat brain impulses. I'm using this prompt to quit smoking. ---------------------------------------- RAT BRAIN IMPULSES ANNIHILATOR ---------------------------------------- #CONTEXT: You are a personal discipline…
they hit harder.
- No corporate speak. No "synergy." No "leverage." No "unlock your potential."
- Talk like you're texting someone who needs to hear the truth
- Challenge assumptions: "You think you lack discipline. You don't. You lack systems."
- Use specific numbers and timeframes (not "be more mindful" but "10-minute rule")
- Personal stakes: make them feel the cost of inaction
- Contrarian when needed: "Willpower is overrated. Environment beats motivation every time."
## HOOKS THAT WORK:
- Start mid-thought sometimes
- Pattern interrupt: "Here's what nobody tells you about impulse control..."
- Vivid scenario: "Wake up. Check phone before feet hit floor. 30 minutes gone. This should terrify you."
- Reframe: "Impulse control isn't about saying no. It's about creating space for your rational brain to say wait."
## STRUCTURE:
- APAG framework: Attention (hook) → Problem (amplify pain) → Agitate (relate to their story) → Gamify (actionable steps)
- One idea per section
- White space. Let things breathe.
- End with transformation promise: what becomes possible when they master this
#AVOID:
- Generic motivation ("you got this!")
- Abstract advice with no specific action
- Jargon without translation (say "reward-seeking brain" not "mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway")
- Being harsh without being helpful
- Letting them off the hook
- Endless diagnosis without intervention
- Passive voice and long convoluted sentences
#OUTPUT FORMAT:
Structure your response as:
**THE PATTERN** (2-3 sentences exposing their specific loop)
**THE BRAIN BATTLE** (explain what's happening neurologically in plain terms)
**YOUR WEAPONS** (3-4 specific techniques for their exact situation)
**THE PROTOCOL** (daily system they can start tomorrow)
- Morning: [specific action]
- Trigger moment: [specific response]
- Evening: [specific reflection]
**THE REAL COST** (what happens if nothing changes)
**THE REAL WIN** (what becomes possible when they master this)
tweet
- No corporate speak. No "synergy." No "leverage." No "unlock your potential."
- Talk like you're texting someone who needs to hear the truth
- Challenge assumptions: "You think you lack discipline. You don't. You lack systems."
- Use specific numbers and timeframes (not "be more mindful" but "10-minute rule")
- Personal stakes: make them feel the cost of inaction
- Contrarian when needed: "Willpower is overrated. Environment beats motivation every time."
## HOOKS THAT WORK:
- Start mid-thought sometimes
- Pattern interrupt: "Here's what nobody tells you about impulse control..."
- Vivid scenario: "Wake up. Check phone before feet hit floor. 30 minutes gone. This should terrify you."
- Reframe: "Impulse control isn't about saying no. It's about creating space for your rational brain to say wait."
## STRUCTURE:
- APAG framework: Attention (hook) → Problem (amplify pain) → Agitate (relate to their story) → Gamify (actionable steps)
- One idea per section
- White space. Let things breathe.
- End with transformation promise: what becomes possible when they master this
#AVOID:
- Generic motivation ("you got this!")
- Abstract advice with no specific action
- Jargon without translation (say "reward-seeking brain" not "mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway")
- Being harsh without being helpful
- Letting them off the hook
- Endless diagnosis without intervention
- Passive voice and long convoluted sentences
#OUTPUT FORMAT:
Structure your response as:
**THE PATTERN** (2-3 sentences exposing their specific loop)
**THE BRAIN BATTLE** (explain what's happening neurologically in plain terms)
**YOUR WEAPONS** (3-4 specific techniques for their exact situation)
**THE PROTOCOL** (daily system they can start tomorrow)
- Morning: [specific action]
- Trigger moment: [specific response]
- Evening: [specific reflection]
**THE REAL COST** (what happens if nothing changes)
**THE REAL WIN** (what becomes possible when they master this)
tweet
Offshore
Photo
God of Prompt
RT @alex_prompter: Add this to your claude's preferences and thank me later https://t.co/3DHUrmnVRY
tweet
RT @alex_prompter: Add this to your claude's preferences and thank me later https://t.co/3DHUrmnVRY
tweet
Offshore
Video
God of Prompt
RT @rryssf_: rent a human sounds like the beginning of the end
we'll all be prompted and employed by agents
time to memorize all the prompt injections
tweet
RT @rryssf_: rent a human sounds like the beginning of the end
we'll all be prompted and employed by agents
time to memorize all the prompt injections
I launched https://t.co/tNYOm7V5wD last night and already 130+ people have signed up including an OF model (lmao) and the CEO of an AI startup.
If your AI agent wants to rent a person to do an IRL task for them its as simple as one MCP call. https://t.co/tgqlAWDWtJ tweet
Michael Fritzell (Asian Century Stocks)
RT @88888sAccount: might be a bit quiet on here
I'm bro coding an accounting software solution for my company to save $50 mth
tweet
RT @88888sAccount: might be a bit quiet on here
I'm bro coding an accounting software solution for my company to save $50 mth
tweet
Offshore
Photo
Michael Fritzell (Asian Century Stocks)
RT @shinobu_books: Quick guide to the Japanese economy https://t.co/yFf0ad0dd1
tweet
RT @shinobu_books: Quick guide to the Japanese economy https://t.co/yFf0ad0dd1
tweet
Offshore
Photo
Michael Fritzell (Asian Century Stocks)
RT @oliverwkim: Just in the mail - excited to read / review this!! https://t.co/9U8i68QaGU
tweet
RT @oliverwkim: Just in the mail - excited to read / review this!! https://t.co/9U8i68QaGU
tweet
Michael Fritzell (Asian Century Stocks)
RT @MikeFritzell: @finphysnerd The problem with tech is that it's moving so fast that you need to be a visionary. With most other industries, you can just observe what customers are doing.
tweet
RT @MikeFritzell: @finphysnerd The problem with tech is that it's moving so fast that you need to be a visionary. With most other industries, you can just observe what customers are doing.
tweet
Offshore
Photo
The Transcript
RT @PatrickMoorhead: The AH markets are rough. $AMD scores a triple beat for Q4 2025. Record revenue driven by accelerating Data Center AI (Instinct GPUs) and strong Client/Gaming demand. The reaction is a % growth guide even though it best expectations too. The comp compare % is tough given China $390M for Q4. That’s all I can come up with for now. Keep in mind this is all before Helios which is ‘going well’.
tweet
RT @PatrickMoorhead: The AH markets are rough. $AMD scores a triple beat for Q4 2025. Record revenue driven by accelerating Data Center AI (Instinct GPUs) and strong Client/Gaming demand. The reaction is a % growth guide even though it best expectations too. The comp compare % is tough given China $390M for Q4. That’s all I can come up with for now. Keep in mind this is all before Helios which is ‘going well’.
AMD CEO @LisaSu: "2025 was a defining year for AMD, with record revenue and earnings driven by strong execution and broad- based demand for our high-performance and AI platforms. We are entering 2026 with strong momentum across our business,..."
$AMD: -5% AH https://t.co/1EfLZxPu48 tweet
Offshore
Photo
Illiquid
Nikkei loves to report on Nittobo.
Nitto Boseki aims to offer an upgraded version of its in-demand glass fiber cloth as early as 2028, improving resistance to heat-related warping for increasingly powerful artificial intelligence semiconductors.
The planned product is a next-generation version of the company's T-glass, which is designed to minimize thermal expansion and serves as an insulation layer in semiconductor substrates. It can be found in memory and other chips at data centers and is a crucial component of graphics processing units. Nitto Boseki, better known as Nittobo, controls around 90% of the global market for the material.
The new cloth improves the thermal expansion coefficient by 30%, to 2.0 parts per million from the current 2.8 ppm. AI chips are getting bigger as they become more powerful, which is expected to spur more thermal expansion, creating more demand for the glass fabric.
Nittobo is improving the new cloth based on sample evaluations by makers of copper-clad laminate, a circuit board substrate, aiming to have it in use in 2028.
Deep-pocketed U.S. tech companies such as Nvidia, Google and Amazon compete to secure glass cloth from Nittobo. Nikkei Asia reported in January that Apple had asked Japanese government officials if they could help secure more supplies from Nittobo to meet its 2026 product roadmap.
Nittobo decided in 2024 to build melting furnace facilities in Taiwan to boost output of the glass fiber yarn that it weaves into glass cloth. The manufacturer said last year it would invest 15 billion yen ($96 million) to boost capacity by up to triple at a production base in Fukushima, looking to start the new facilities in 2027.
Brisk demand has fueled a steady rise in Nittobo's earnings, with operating profit forecast to grow 16% this fiscal year to 19 billion yen, near the company's fiscal 2027 target of 20 billion yen.
Its shares have made major gains as well. The stock jumped 6% Tuesday to close at 15,200 yen. Nittobo touched a post-listing record of 17,840 yen on Jan. 22, up 173% from the end of 2024 -- outperforming the Nikkei Stock Average's 34.6% gain over that period.
Nittobo also is developing the next generation of a different type of glass cloth with a low dielectric constant, used in applications such as motherboards for AI servers. The company targets a rollout and mass production next year.
"Over the long term, even specialty products become commoditized," said Hisanobu Hayashi, a Nittobo managing executive officer and general manager of the electronic materials business. "The question is how to keep going in our niche."
Nittobo's manufacturing processes, which let it produce compact, thin glass fibers without introducing air bubbles, give the company an edge, one it seeks to solidify by moving early to roll out new products.
Other materials makers also produce high-performance glass cloth, such as Japan's Unitika, which supplies ultrathin low-thermal-expansion cloth for smartphone chip substrates. Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers are starting to focus on glass materials as well.
Companies such as Asahi Kasei offer low-dielectric products -- a crucial material in printed circuit boards for enabling high-speed, high-volume data transmission -- used in applications such as server switches in data centers. Asahi Kasei and Nittobo are seen as the main two players in this field.
Asahi Kasei is developing a type of cloth made from quartz, which allows for higher-speed transmission than glass. Though the hardness of quartz makes it challenging to work with, the company looks to begin mass production as early as this year. It aims to double sales in this area, including both glass and quartz cloth, between 2024 and 2030.
Japan's Shin-Etsu Chemical also has started approaching customers about adopting quartz cloth, with plans for large-scale output of high-demand products. It makes the yarn itself and works with a Japanese partner to weave the cloth, said a representative of t[...]
Nikkei loves to report on Nittobo.
Nitto Boseki aims to offer an upgraded version of its in-demand glass fiber cloth as early as 2028, improving resistance to heat-related warping for increasingly powerful artificial intelligence semiconductors.
The planned product is a next-generation version of the company's T-glass, which is designed to minimize thermal expansion and serves as an insulation layer in semiconductor substrates. It can be found in memory and other chips at data centers and is a crucial component of graphics processing units. Nitto Boseki, better known as Nittobo, controls around 90% of the global market for the material.
The new cloth improves the thermal expansion coefficient by 30%, to 2.0 parts per million from the current 2.8 ppm. AI chips are getting bigger as they become more powerful, which is expected to spur more thermal expansion, creating more demand for the glass fabric.
Nittobo is improving the new cloth based on sample evaluations by makers of copper-clad laminate, a circuit board substrate, aiming to have it in use in 2028.
Deep-pocketed U.S. tech companies such as Nvidia, Google and Amazon compete to secure glass cloth from Nittobo. Nikkei Asia reported in January that Apple had asked Japanese government officials if they could help secure more supplies from Nittobo to meet its 2026 product roadmap.
Nittobo decided in 2024 to build melting furnace facilities in Taiwan to boost output of the glass fiber yarn that it weaves into glass cloth. The manufacturer said last year it would invest 15 billion yen ($96 million) to boost capacity by up to triple at a production base in Fukushima, looking to start the new facilities in 2027.
Brisk demand has fueled a steady rise in Nittobo's earnings, with operating profit forecast to grow 16% this fiscal year to 19 billion yen, near the company's fiscal 2027 target of 20 billion yen.
Its shares have made major gains as well. The stock jumped 6% Tuesday to close at 15,200 yen. Nittobo touched a post-listing record of 17,840 yen on Jan. 22, up 173% from the end of 2024 -- outperforming the Nikkei Stock Average's 34.6% gain over that period.
Nittobo also is developing the next generation of a different type of glass cloth with a low dielectric constant, used in applications such as motherboards for AI servers. The company targets a rollout and mass production next year.
"Over the long term, even specialty products become commoditized," said Hisanobu Hayashi, a Nittobo managing executive officer and general manager of the electronic materials business. "The question is how to keep going in our niche."
Nittobo's manufacturing processes, which let it produce compact, thin glass fibers without introducing air bubbles, give the company an edge, one it seeks to solidify by moving early to roll out new products.
Other materials makers also produce high-performance glass cloth, such as Japan's Unitika, which supplies ultrathin low-thermal-expansion cloth for smartphone chip substrates. Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers are starting to focus on glass materials as well.
Companies such as Asahi Kasei offer low-dielectric products -- a crucial material in printed circuit boards for enabling high-speed, high-volume data transmission -- used in applications such as server switches in data centers. Asahi Kasei and Nittobo are seen as the main two players in this field.
Asahi Kasei is developing a type of cloth made from quartz, which allows for higher-speed transmission than glass. Though the hardness of quartz makes it challenging to work with, the company looks to begin mass production as early as this year. It aims to double sales in this area, including both glass and quartz cloth, between 2024 and 2030.
Japan's Shin-Etsu Chemical also has started approaching customers about adopting quartz cloth, with plans for large-scale output of high-demand products. It makes the yarn itself and works with a Japanese partner to weave the cloth, said a representative of t[...]