Serenity (@aleabitoreddit): I'm long shares on $AXTI. We're seeing the HBM/NAND supercycle with $SNDK, $MU,
- Source: https://x.com/aleabitoreddit/status/2018559372033708259?s=46
- Mirror: https://x.com/aleabitoreddit/status/2018559372033708259?s=46
- Published: 2026-02-03T05:37:11+00:00
- Saved: 2026-02-04
Content
I'm long shares on $AXTI.
We're seeing the HBM/NAND supercycle with $SNDK, $MU, Sk Hynix, and Samsung today.
With constant price hikes due to extreme demand.
The next? -> Photonics | CPO | Optical Interconnects.
Demand scale up looks parabolic. (Lightcounting)
My thesis was on on AXT was that they're the material bottleneck from InP Substrates to the precursor supply chain. And LightCounting's projections tripled the demand forecast in the past few months.
This is a physics/material problem.
In the future, Western supply chains can engineer away less InP substrates/feedstock usage with SiPh or $POET interposers. But hyperscalers can't get around it.
Currently, midstream bottlenecks like $LITE, $COHR, $AVGO, and others rely on Western supply chains like Sumitomo | JX (Japan).
But many precursors that companies these companies originated from China. After China's most recent export controls, the Japanese companies have some production, but without raw precursors, they are likely using inventory (maybe 1 year, there is no public information).
But as hyperscaler demand ramps up, the inventory will disappear, leaving more control of the supply chain to $AXTI.
We've already see $NVDA secure EML capacity (which uses InP). CPO CW lasers, SOA, and other components also use InP.
The "shortage" bottleneck is the same InP wafer lines that $AXTI chokepoints.
Judging from the projections, I expect hyperscalers to start securing inventory for the 2028 ramp in 2026, leading to supply shortages H2 2026.
$AXTI's main issue is export controls + 60D administrative delays. China is likely playing their hand with $AXTI to force American hyperscalers to become dependent on their supply chain over Japan.
This has been a double edged sword as seen with their pre-earnings release with delayed revenue recognition. But these export controls hurt their competitors in Sumitomo the most.
Even if we don't see 100% monthly price hikes upstream, the base-case is ramped up demand for InP substrates and precursors increasing AXT's bottom line revenue.
AXT remains my most bullish material chokepoint play for the impending hyperscale photonics ramp in 2027 -> onward.
Before I expected this to be a short few month play for risk management, but after looking new data and architectures involving photonics, I think $AXTI will likely be a critical player for the AI buildout moving forward.
My thesis might be early, or perhaps this may very well be the inflection point.
