Versum Leveraged To Chip Volume Growth And Innovation

On the whole, I like pick-and-shovel plays and Versum Materials (VSM) is a good example in the chip space, as this producer of specialty chemicals, gases, and other materials is heavily leveraged to ongoing growth in chip production volume and ever-increasing chip design complexity. Although Versum has some modest exposure to equipment and some volume risk from improving yields, the general outlook for Versum is healthy as a critical supplier to fabs.

Relative to Entegris (ENTG), though, I’m not quite as interested in the value proposition offered by these shares. I do think Versum is modestly undervalued, and it’s more of a play on direct chemical/material demand, but expectations might still be a little high for 2019 and I still see ongoing risk of the market being indiscriminate in selling off semiconductor-related names if (“when”, in my view) the outlook for equipment demand in 2019 worsens.

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Versum Leveraged To Chip Volume Growth And Innovation