Enlisting Capital: Wolfspeed's Defense DealWolfspeed NYSE: WOLF said it is advancing its silicon carbide technology roadmap, expanding its presence in AI data centers and pursuing operating and capital-structure improvements, Chief Executive Officer Robert Feurle said at the company’s 2026 annual shareholder meeting.
The company also said shareholders approved all proposals presented at the virtual meeting, including the election of seven directors, the 2026 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, an advisory vote on executive compensation and the ratification of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as Wolfspeed’s independent auditor for the current fiscal year.
Get Wolfspeed alerts:
Technology and Manufacturing Roadmap These 3 Short-Squeeze Candidates Have Catalysts, But Their Risks Are Just as LargeFeurle said Wolfspeed’s strategy is centered on technology leadership, customer and revenue diversification, operational execution and financial discipline.
He pointed to the company’s June announcement that its fifth-generation silicon carbide MOSFET technology had reached commercial readiness. According to Feurle, the Gen 5 MOSFETs provide what he described as the industry’s best specific on-resistance while maintaining switching behavior introduced with the company’s Gen 4 products.
Power Struggle: Wolfspeed Sues Navitas Over AI ChipsWolfspeed’s 10 kV silicon carbide MOSFET was also recognized at PCIM, a European power-technology conference, as a top innovation at the event, Feurle said.
The CEO said Wolfspeed believes its vertically integrated 200 mm manufacturing capabilities, along with developing 300 mm capabilities, position the company to support growing demand for silicon carbide technology.
AI Data Center Revenue Growth Feurle said Wolfspeed continues to make progress across its core end markets and improve relationships with longstanding customers. He also highlighted AI data centers as an emerging growth market for the company.
Full-year fiscal 2026 revenue from the AI data center end market more than doubled from the prior year, according to Feurle. He said Wolfspeed has expanded its leadership presence with industry veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area and is seeing the benefits in both day-to-day customer interactions and revenue trends.
“We are extremely well-positioned” to support AI data center adoption as it scales, Feurle said, citing the company’s silicon carbide technology and manufacturing platform.
Operations and Financial Discipline Operational execution remains a central priority, Feurle said. Wolfspeed is focused on improving production yields and lowering unit production costs while maintaining speed, quality and cost discipline.
These efforts are intended to support both legacy and new customers and create a stronger foundation for sustainable growth and profitability, he said.
On financing, Feurle said Wolfspeed benefited from a refinancing completed in March that strengthened its capital structure and reduced its cost of capital.
He also discussed the company’s recently announced conditional 30-year, $1.5 billion loan commitment from the U.S. Department of War. The commitment is intended to help advance the domestic wide-bandgap semiconductor supply chain, according to Feurle.
Feurle said the conditional commitment could provide long-term capital to support Wolfspeed’s strategy and further strengthen its capital structure. He said the financing’s pay-in-kind structure during its first five years could reduce intermediate-term cash interest payments, while lower capital costs could benefit customers, shareholders and national security.
Shareholder Votes Approved Melissa Garrett, Wolfspeed’s general counsel and corporate secretary, said a quorum was present at the meeting based on shares represented virtually or by proxy. The company’s inspector of elections reported that each proposal received the votes required for approval and that the advisory vote on executive compensation was favorable.
Wolfspeed expects to report final voting results in a Form 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission within four business days of the meeting.
About Wolfspeed (NYSE:WOLF)Wolfspeed, Inc is a semiconductor company focused on silicon carbide (SiC) technologies. Its products are designed to support the conversion and management of electrical power in applications that require high efficiency, high voltage, and operation at elevated temperatures.
The company develops and manufactures SiC power devices, including metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors, diodes, power modules, and related components. It also produces SiC materials such as wafers and epitaxial substrates used by semiconductor manufacturers.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
Should You Invest $1,000 in Wolfspeed Right Now?Before you consider Wolfspeed, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Wolfspeed wasn't on the list.
While Wolfspeed currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
With the proliferation of data centers and electric vehicles, the electric grid will only get more strained. Download this report to learn how energy stocks can play a role in your portfolio as the global demand for energy continues to grow.
Get This Free Report
Continue following MarketBeat
Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.
Wolfspeed získal podmíněný příslib financování až ve výši 1,5 mld. USD od amerického ministerstva obrany se splatností 30 let. Musí však zajistit nejméně 750 mil. USD souběžného kapitálu a vydat opční listy až na 7,5 % akcií.
Wolfspeed, Inc. NYSE: WOLF recently secured a conditional commitment from the Department of Defense for up to $1.5 billion in 30-year financing. Shares jumped initially as investors digested the headline number, but the deal's mechanics warrant a closer look.
Wolfspeed Today
$27.11 -0.92 (-3.28%)
As of 11:41 AM Eastern
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
$13.48▼
$80.82$25.00
Wolfspeed emerged from a restructuring phase just last year and currently operates with negative margins.
Get Wolfspeed alerts:
A capital injection of this size rewrites Wolfspeed's balance sheet, but it comes with strings attached. Management agreed to equity warrants for the government and strict parallel funding requirements.
Weighing the long-term operational runway against staggered shareholder dilution helps investors understand Wolfspeed's trajectory.
The underlying narrative goes beyond the cash. It centers on the strategic shift from a commercial semiconductor manufacturer to a critical defense asset, creating a unique dynamic for investors tracking the silicon carbide space.
Strategic Reserves: The Department of Defense Steps InThe Department of Defense's Office of Strategic Capital is stepping in with a delayed-draw term loan. This capital does not arrive in a lump-sum grant. Instead, the funding arrives in planned tranches, with the initial $600 million earmarked primarily to refinance existing debt obligations due around 2030.
The 2030 debt overhang previously cast a shadow over Wolfspeed's capital expenditure plans, forcing investors to question whether the business could survive long enough to reach capacity. Refinancing that debt clears a liquidity hurdle for Wolfspeed, which reported earnings per share of negative $15.76 over the trailing 12 months.
The defense establishment is not operating like a traditional bank. The strategic mandate here links domestic manufacturing output to national security priorities. The government requires radiation-hardened gallium nitride components for aerospace, radar, and electronic warfare applications. By acting as the senior secured lender, the defense sector secures a domestic supply chain for critical technologies while giving Wolfspeed a 30-year capital runway.
The agreement requires Wolfspeed to secure at least $750 million in parallel qualifying capital, keeping some execution risk on the table before it can tap the full facility. This contingency ensures Wolfspeed maintains access to private capital markets and does not become solely reliant on federal subsidies to maintain operations.
Tactical Dilution: Weighing the Equity Trade-OffWhen the government provides capital to a distressed company, it usually extracts a toll. The commitment requires issuing volume-weighted average price warrants, allowing the government to purchase up to 7.5% of Wolfspeed's fully diluted equity.
Investors often view dilution as an immediate negative catalyst, but the warrant structure requires context. The equity rights are not granted entirely upfront. They trigger on a pro-rata basis as each funding tranche is disbursed over the drawdown lifecycle. This staggered approach aligns the dilution with actual cash receipts, meaning shareholders give up equity only as the balance sheet strengthens.
Comparing this arrangement to alternative financing methods reveals why the market received the agreement favorably. Securing $1.5 billion through traditional private credit markets with current cash flow constraints would likely carry punitive interest rates and restrictive operational covenants. Giving up 7.5% of equity over time is a manageable cost of capital to avoid liquidity traps and maintain long-term solvency. The market is pricing in the reality that a slightly diluted stake in a fully funded, operational manufacturer is worth more than a concentrated position in an undercapitalized one.
Building the Base: Scaling Siler City ProductionSolving the balance sheet is only half the equation. The operational turnaround hinges on the $5 billion John Palmour Manufacturing Center in Siler City, North Carolina. This facility is tasked with scaling the production of 200mm silicon carbide wafers, a transition necessary to drive down unit costs and reverse severe margin compression.
Currently, net margins sit near negative 159 %. The capital injection helps to de-risk the physical expansion of the Siler City plant, allowing Wolfspeed management to focus on yield improvements rather than cash preservation. The transition to 200mm wafers produces more chips per wafer than the legacy 150mm standard, changing the business's unit economics once operating at scale. Silicon carbide handles higher voltages, switches faster, and offers better thermal management than traditional silicon, making it a required material for next-generation power electronics.
While the defense-mandated gallium nitride upgrades secure the government funding, the broader revenue story relies on commercial tailwinds. Silicon carbide remains a structural requirement for the electric vehicle supply chain, where efficiency translates directly to vehicle range.
Additionally, high-density power systems used in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers increasingly rely on these advanced substrates to manage heat and power consumption. The federal financing bridges the gap between today's cash burn and tomorrow's capacity utilization, positioning Wolfspeed to capture rebounding commercial demand alongside its new defense obligations.
Strategic Positioning: Smart Money Enters the RoomRecent 13F filings show accumulation by institutional asset managers, including T. Rowe Price and Fidelity Management. Smart money appears to be pricing in the long-term viability of the physical manufacturing buildout rather than reacting to the near-term noise of equity warrants. Large funds recognize that aligning with Department of Defense supply chain mandates creates a floor under the Wolfspeed business model that commercial demand alone could not provide during an economic downturn.
At the same time, Wolfspeed carries high short interest. Bears positioned for a potential liquidity crisis are now trapped by a government-backed financial runway. Price volatility after the loan announcement highlighted this tension, as shares briefly spiked to around $39 before retracing back into the $25 range. Any definitive closing of the loan tranches or execution of the required $750 million parallel capital raise could trigger a prolonged short-covering event. When short sellers are forced to buy shares to cover their positions, the resulting buying pressure can drive the stock price significantly higher, especially in a heavily shorted name like Wolfspeed.
Investors tracking the semiconductor sector might view the current valuation as a calculated entry point. The risk profile has shifted from immediate solvency concerns to long-term operational execution. Those with an appetite for manufacturing turnaround stories may want to add Wolfspeed to their watchlist as the initial capital tranches clear and the Siler City facility begins to scale.
Should You Invest $1,000 in Wolfspeed Right Now?Before you consider Wolfspeed, you'll want to hear this.
MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street's top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on... and Wolfspeed wasn't on the list.
While Wolfspeed currently has a Hold rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.
View The Five Stocks Here
Discover the next wave of investment opportunities with our report, 7 Stocks That Will Be Magnificent in 2026. Explore companies poised to replicate the growth, innovation, and value creation of the tech giants dominating today's markets.
Get This Free Report
Continue following MarketBeat
Add MarketBeat as your preferred source on Google to see our latest stories in your feed.
Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE:WOLF – Get Free Report) shares fell 9.1% during trading on Monday. The stock traded as low as $28.08 and last traded at $27.8330. 957,415 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 78% from the average daily volume of 4,297,762 shares. The stock had previously closed at $30.61.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on WOLF shares. Wall Street Zen cut Wolfspeed from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, September 19th. TD Cowen reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $25.00 target price on shares of Wolfspeed in a research note on Thursday, August 20th. Susquehanna cut their target price on Wolfspeed from $40.00 to $30.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 21st. Weiss Ratings upgraded shares of Wolfspeed from a “sell (d)” rating to a “sell (d+)” rating in a report on Thursday. Finally, Zacks Research upgraded shares of Wolfspeed to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, September 25th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $25.00.
View Our Latest Research Report on Wolfspeed
Wolfspeed Price Performance The stock’s 50-day moving average is $28.11 and its 200 day moving average is $35.21. The company has a market cap of $1.44 billion and a PE ratio of -1.72. Wolfspeed (NYSE:WOLF – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 19th. The company reported ($2.26) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($2.45) by $0.19. The firm had revenue of $149.60 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $150.00 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned ($0.77) earnings per share. Wolfspeed’s revenue was down 24.1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that Wolfspeed, Inc. will post -8.27 EPS for the current year.
Institutional Trading of Wolfspeed Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. FNY Investment Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Wolfspeed during the 2nd quarter worth $204,000. AXQ Capital LP acquired a new position in Wolfspeed during the 2nd quarter valued at about $208,000. Concurrent Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Wolfspeed during the 2nd quarter valued at about $229,000. Royal Bank of Canada purchased a new stake in Wolfspeed in the first quarter valued at about $89,000. Finally, WINTON GROUP Ltd purchased a new stake in Wolfspeed in the second quarter valued at about $299,000.
Wolfspeed Company Profile (Get Free Report)
Wolfspeed, Inc (NYSE:WOLF) develops and manufactures semiconductor technologies based primarily on silicon carbide, a wide-bandgap material designed to support efficient power conversion and high-temperature operation. Its products are used in applications where reduced energy loss, higher power density and improved thermal performance are important.
The company’s offerings include silicon carbide wafers and materials, power modules, metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), diodes and other power semiconductor devices.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Wolfspeed China Still Dominates Rare Earths—These 3 U.S. Companies Could Benefit 3 REITs That May Win in a Higher Interest Rate Environment Broadcom’s Anthropic Bet Gets Bigger as $60 Billion Financing Raises the Stakes Insider Buying Signals Opportunity in H.B. Fuller, FocalTherics, Cardinal Receive News & Ratings for Wolfspeed Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Wolfspeed and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
Wolfspeed získal podmíněné schválení od amerického ministerstva války pro úvěr až ve výši 1,5 miliardy USD se splatností 30 let; dohoda ještě vyžaduje konečné schválení.
Wolfspeed Inc (NYSE:WOLF) shares opened 11% higher on Thursday morning after the chipmaker said the US Department of War had conditionally agreed to lend it up to $1.5 billion over 30 years.
The proposed financing would give the department warrants to purchase up to 7.5% of Wolfspeed’s fully diluted equity, providing the company with a potentially significant source of long-term funding.
Shares of Wolfspeed gave up some of its gains as trading went on, with the stock about 1% higher by midmorning.
The company makes silicon carbide chips, which are used in applications requiring high-efficiency power conversion, including electric vehicles, solar inverters and industrial power systems.
Wolfspeed burned $380 million of free cash flow in the year to June 2026 and had $1.8 billion of debt against $1.09 billion of cash and short-term investments.
The proposed loan is not yet final and remains subject to due diligence, definitive agreements, government approvals, appropriations and sign-off from Wolfspeed’s existing lenders.
The financing would be provided through the Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital and is intended to strengthen Wolfspeed’s financial position and support investments in its technology.
The company plans to use the financing to upgrade its gallium nitride technology for next-generation communications infrastructure and electronic warfare systems and to develop radiation-hardening capabilities.
No Investment Advice
Proactive Investors Australia Pty Ltd ACN 132 787 654 (the Company, we or us) provides you with access to the content set out above, including any news, quotes, information, data, text, reports, ratings, opinions, images, photos, graphics, graphs, charts, animations and video (Content) and this website (the Site) on the terms set out in this disclaimer, together with all other terms and conditions, disclaimers and other notices displayed elsewhere on this Site.
It is important for you to know that:
(a) none of the Content is, or is intended to be, general or personal advice
(b) the principal purpose of the Content is to provide factual information only and to comment on news;
(c) the Content does not contain or imply any recommendation or opinion intended to influence your financial decisions, including in respect of any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy, and must not be relied upon by you as such;
(d) in providing you with the Content, we have not considered your objectives, financial situation or needs; and
(e) you should make your own enquiries and obtain your own independent advice prior to making any financial decisions.
The Content contains data (including but not limited to prices, statistics and calculated information) obtained from a variety of third party sources (Third Party Data). The Company does not make any representation or warranty that any of the Content, including the Third Party Data, will be reliable, accurate or complete. The Company disclaims all responsibility and liability arising in any way from any errors or omissions in the Content, including the Third Party Data, including any loss you may incur in connection with any action or decision made by you in reliance upon the Content or Third Party Data.
In certain circumstances the Company, its related bodies corporate, or their affiliates, may have received, or be entitled to receive, financial or other consideration in connection with providing information about certain entities on the Site, which may include the above Content.
Wolfspeed uvedl na trh prémiový 200mm n-type silicon carbide substrát a rozšířil portfolio 200mm SiC. Akcie v reakci na širší rally polovodičů po výsledcích Micronu 1. října vzrostly o více než 10 %.
Wolfspeed Inc. (NYSE:WOLF) had a busy week that included an expansion of its 200mm silicon carbide portfolio and a broader semiconductor rally fueled by Micron’s strong earnings.
Wolfspeed stock is trading at elevated levels. What’s next for WOLF stock? New Premium Substrate LaunchOn September 27, Wolfspeed announced the commercial availability of its new Premium 200mm n-type silicon carbide substrate, expanding its 200mm SiC materials portfolio with a higher-quality starting material designed to improve yield through reduced defects and greater wafer-shape stability. The product delivers fewer than 0.01 micropipes per square centimeter, or fewer than three micropipes per wafer, as validated by X-ray topography, alongside low threading screw dislocations and improved wafer-shape and lot-to-lot consistency.
“Wolfspeed leads in advancing silicon carbide materials technology, and this latest addition to our 200 mm portfolio reflects our expertise behind those efforts,” said Dr. Cengiz Balkas, EVP of the Materials Business Unit at Wolfspeed. “We’re giving customers a stronger foundation for developing increasingly demanding silicon carbide devices, backed by the manufacturing experience and scale to support them as needs grow.”
Micron’s Earnings Lift Semiconductor StocksSeparately, Micron reported fiscal fourth-quarter results on September 30 that beat expectations on both the top and bottom lines, with adjusted earnings per share of $33.42 against a consensus estimate of $45, and revenue of $54.22 billion against an estimate of $50.75 billion. The strong report reinforced confidence that AI infrastructure demand remains intact, lifting semiconductor stocks broadly, including Wolfspeed, which rose more than 10% on October 1.
Read Next
Wolfspeed Shares Edge HigherWOLF Price Action: At the time of publication, Wolfspeed shares are trading 3.63% higher at $32.30, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Image via Shutterstock
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Wolfspeed Expands 200 mm Silicon Carbide Portfolio with New Premium Power Substrates Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF), a global leader in silicon carbide (SiC) technology, today announced the commercial availability of its new Premium 200 mm n-type silicon carbide substrate, expanding its 200 mm SiC materials portfolio with a higher-quality starting material designed to improve yield through reduced defects and greater wafer-shape stability.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260927368960/en/
Wolfspeed expands 200 mm portfolio with premium substrate
As the SiC devices industry pushes toward higher voltages and larger die sizes, material-level quality and wafer consistency have become critical differentiators. Wolfspeed’s Premium 200 mm n-type SiC substrate delivers a multi-metric leap in quality spanning defect density, micropipe count, and wafer shape stability.
By removing variability from the starting material, Wolfspeed’s premium material gives silicon carbide device manufacturers a more predictable, higher-yielding starting material, increasing the probability of first-time design success and reducing qualification delays at a time when the margin for error is shrinking.
“Wolfspeed leads in advancing silicon carbide materials technology, and this latest addition to our 200 mm portfolio reflects our expertise behind those efforts,” said Dr. Cengiz Balkas, EVP, Materials Business Unit at Wolfspeed. “We’re giving customers a stronger foundation for developing increasingly demanding silicon carbide devices, backed by the manufacturing experience and scale to support them as needs grow.”
Wolfspeed’s Premium 200 mm n-type SiC substrate delivers fewer than 0.01 micropipes per square centimeter, or fewer than three micropipes per wafer, as validated by X-ray topography using the industry-standard method, as well as low threading screw dislocations. Combined with Wolfspeed’s proven wafer-shape and lot-to-lot consistency, the higher bare-wafer quality translates directly into better epitaxial performance achieved entirely within customers’ existing epitaxy processes.
Backed by mature manufacturing processes and deep materials expertise, Wolfspeed’s premium material delivers higher yield per lot and improved manufacturing economics. The product is orderable today, with dedicated capacity and a clear product expansion roadmap. Wolfspeed has the manufacturing confidence and ability to quickly ramp new capacity as market demand grows within the company’s established large-scale silicon carbide manufacturing facility.
Wolfspeed’s 200 mm manufacturing operations have been in continuous production since 2022, reflecting more than four years of process refinement and yield improvement and establishing a mature, reliable supply foundation for customers.
The Wolfspeed® Premium 200 mm n-type SiC substrate is available now. View products
About Wolfspeed, Inc.
Wolfspeed (NYSE: WOLF) leads the market in the worldwide adoption of silicon carbide technologies that power the world’s most disruptive innovations. As the pioneers of silicon carbide, and creators of the most advanced semiconductor technology on earth, we are committed to powering a better world for everyone. Through silicon carbide material, Power Modules, Discrete Power Devices and Power Die Products targeted for various applications, we will bring you The Power to Make It Real™. Learn more at wolfspeed.com.
Wolfspeed® is a registered trademark and The Power to Make It Real™ is a trademark of Wolfspeed, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause Wolfspeed’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about Wolfspeed’s strategic plans, priorities, growth opportunities, and ability to achieve profitability. Actual results could differ materially due to factors detailed in Wolfspeed’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings. These forward-looking statements represent Wolfspeed’s judgment as of the date of this release. Except as required under U.S. federal securities laws, Wolfspeed disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260927368960/en/
Disclosures I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and have no plans to buy any new positions in the stocks mentioned within the next 72 hours.
Wolfspeed ve fiskálním 4. čtvrtletí vykázal hrubou marži ve výši -25 % a tržby meziročně klesly z 197 mil. USD na 149,6 mil. USD. Firma zároveň očekává další záporné hrubé marže.
Wolfspeed (WOLF -2.24%) had been one of the hottest stocks in the market this spring, surging on hopes that it could become the next AI winner.
The rise coincided with a bullish report from Substack publication Citrini Research, which had earlier come into prominence after publishing a thought piece about how artificial intelligence (AI) would negatively impact software-as-a-service (SaaS) stocks, helping sink that sector.
However, after its shares reached more than $80, Wolfspeed stock has come crashing back down to earth, retracing the big move it had made in May following Citrini pumping the stock. Its latest pullback coincided with another disheartening earnings report on Aug. 19.
Image source: The Motley Fool
Negative gross margins and weak sales persist Wolfspeed emerged from bankruptcy last fall, wiping out some expensive debt and finding itself on better footing. However, many of the issues that pushed it into bankruptcy in the first place remain. The chief among them is negative gross margins.
Wolfspeed positioned itself as the leader in silicon carbide (SiC) powered chips. The company constructed expensive manufacturing plants to build out a vertically integrated supply chain. SiC has superior heat-conducting properties compared to typical silicon chips, and thus initially was projected to play a major role in the electric vehicle (EV) market.
However, the company ran into severe execution bottlenecks and market headwinds. The move to larger 200mm wafers proved to be more technically challenging than imagined, while EV demand started to slow. Meanwhile, Tesla decided to greatly reduce its use of SiC moving forward.
That left Wolfspeed with severely underutilized, brand-spanking-new plants, which is one of the worst things a semiconductor company can experience. It is also one of the reasons why most traditional silicon-based chipmakers use a fabless model and rely on third-party foundries like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.
Today's Change
(
-2.24
%) $
-0.59
Current Price
$
25.76
Wolfspeed's operational issues persisted in its fiscal fourth quarter, with the company seeing negative gross margins of 25% due to continued plant underutilization. Adjusted gross margins, meanwhile, came in at negative 19.9%, a 70-basis point sequential improvement.
Revenue growth continues to be an issue, with revenue falling 24% year over year from $197 million to $149.6 million. It was also a slight sequential decline from $150.2 million in fiscal Q3 and right in the middle of its $140 million to $160 million outlook.
While auto revenue remained soft, the company did see its AI data center revenue more than double year over year and rise 20% sequentially. It highlighted a few new design wins with power supply companies, while saying SiC content was increasing in data centers due to the transition to 800-volt architectures.
Given its negative gross margins and $600 million in net debt, cash flow remains an issue. The company has negative operating cash flow of $180.3 million over the past nine months after exiting bankruptcy, and negative free cash flow of $253.7 million. It will look to retire some high-interest debt to help with its cash flow moving forward.
Looking ahead, the company once again guided for quarterly revenue to be in the $140 million to $160 million range and for gross margins to remain negative. It said it would likely need revenue to reach $800 million in revenue for its adjusted gross margins to break even.
Even after coming out of bankruptcy, Wolfspeed still finds itself in a precarious position. Negative gross margins and free cash flow are never great signs for a business, and the company will need to see a meaningful acceleration in sales just to get to breakeven gross margins, which isn't exactly a huge accomplishment.
That said, the transition to 800-volt architectures in AI data centers is a legitimate structural shift, and the opportunity for SiC is both real and accelerating. So, there is the potential for a big turnaround in the stock. This makes Wolfspeed an interesting, but highly speculative, stock to buy at this point.
Wolfspeed ve 4. čtvrtletí překonal odhad ztráty na akcii, ale tržby 149,6 milionu USD zaostaly za očekáváním 224,48 milionu USD. Pro 1. čtvrtletí čeká tržby 140 až 160 milionů USD.
Wolfspeed Inc (NYSE:WOLF) posted mixed fourth-quarter results after Wednesday’s closing bell, missing the Street’s revenue estimate. Here’s a look at the details inside the report.
WOLF stock is moving. Watch the price action here. Wolfspeed Q4 Details Wolfspeed reported a quarterly adjusted loss of $2.26 per share, which beat the consensus estimate for losses of $2.45, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Quarterly revenue came in at $149.6 million, which missed the $224.48 million Street estimate.
“We continued to expand our device business, highlighted by strong growth in AI data center applications and the launch of our fifth-generation SiC MOSFET. These achievements strengthen our technology leadership and confidence in our long-term growth opportunities,” said Wolfspeed CEO Robert Feurle.
Looking AheadWolfspeed expects first-quarter revenue in a range of $140 million to $160 million, versus the $150.4 million analyst estimate.
Read Next
WOLF Stock Price Activity: According to data from Benzinga Pro, Wolfspeed stock was down 6.33% to $27.25 in Wednesday’s extended trading.
Photo: Shutterstock
Latest Private Market Opportunities
Join 400,000+ Investors
Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Wolfspeed a LITEON oznámily strategické partnerství pro 800 VDC napájecí řešení pro nové datové centrum s umělou inteligencí. Spolupráce využije MOSFETy z karbidu křemíku od Wolfspeed v platformách LITEON.
Wolfspeed and LITEON announce strategic partnership to enable 800 VDC power solutions for next-generation AI data center deployments LITEON is collaborating with Wolfspeed to leverage silicon carbide MOSFETs for its next-generation 800 VDC sidecar power platform, targeting leading hyperscale customers and future design opportunities Leverages Wolfspeed's industry-leading 200mm silicon carbide manufacturing platform to provide supply chain resilience and scalable volume production for AI infrastructure deployments DURHAM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF), a global leader in silicon carbide technology, and LITEON Technology Corporation, a leading provider of AI power solutions, today announced a strategic partnership and the successful qualification of Wolfspeed's silicon carbide technology for deployment within LITEON's 800 VDC power sidecar and compute rack PSU platforms. These platforms are designed to support next-generation AI data centers for leading hyperscale customers, with the potential for broader adoption across multiple cloud service provider (CSP) platforms and future deployments.
AI-driven growth is accelerating the industry's transition to 800 VDC power architectures as data centers prioritize energy efficiency, power density, scalability, and total cost of ownership in critical applications such as power supply units (PSUs) and battery backup units (BBUs). Wolfspeed's family of silicon carbide MOSFETs enables more efficient power delivery across a wide range of operating conditions, helping power system designers maximize efficiency while reducing bill of materials (BOM) costs and simplifying procurement.
LITEON is collaborating with Wolfspeed to leverage silicon carbide technology and its 200mm silicon carbide manufacturing platform, in support of hyperscale AI infrastructure deployments. The partnership reflects both companies' commitment to delivering highly reliable 800 VDC power solutions that can be rapidly deployed at scale while meeting the demanding performance and durability requirements of next-generation AI data centers.
"Our partnership with LITEON demonstrates Wolfspeed's commitment to enabling the rapidly growing AI data center market through advanced silicon carbide technology and a robust, scalable supply chain," said Robert Feurle, Chief Executive Officer of Wolfspeed. "As hyperscale customers accelerate investments in AI infrastructure, Wolfspeed is uniquely positioned to support the industry's transition to higher-efficiency power architectures."
"Integrating Wolfspeed's silicon carbide technology into our 800V VDC power architecture strengthens LITEON's ability to meet the performance, efficiency, and reliability requirements of next-generation AI infrastructure," said John Chang, General Manager, Cloud Infrastructure Platform & Solution SBG, LITEON Technology. " As demand for AI infrastructure continues to accelerate, this collaboration strengthens our ability to support next-generation data center platforms."
About Wolfspeed, Inc.
Wolfspeed (NYSE: WOLF) leads the market in the worldwide adoption of silicon carbide technologies that power the world’s most disruptive innovations. As the pioneers of silicon carbide, and creators of the most advanced semiconductor technology on earth, we are committed to powering a better world for everyone. Through silicon carbide material, Power Modules, Discrete Power Devices and Power Die Products targeted for various applications, we will bring you The Power to Make It Real™. Learn more at wolfspeed.com.
Wolfspeed® is a registered trademark and The Power to Make It Real™ is a trademark of Wolfspeed, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, that may cause Wolfspeed’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about Wolfspeed’s strategic plans, priorities, growth opportunities, and ability to achieve profitability. Actual results could differ materially due to factors detailed in Wolfspeed’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings. These forward-looking statements represent Wolfspeed’s judgment as of the date of this release. Except as required under U.S. federal securities laws, Wolfspeed disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release.