- Achieves 182% QoQ growth in new orders, pushing order backlog to an all-time high of KRW 245.5 billion
- Drives ASIC Service new orders to KRW 136.9 billion, up 705% YoY, fueled by global turnkey projects in North America
- Diversifies its advanced-node AI mass production portfolio, strengthening the foundation for long-term growth
SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — SEMIFIVE, a leading global provider of custom AI semiconductor (ASIC) solutions, today announced record-breaking order performance for the third quarter of 2026, securing KRW 178.4 billion in new orders and driving its order backlog to an all-time high of KRW 245.5 billion on a consolidated basis.
SEMIFIVE achieved a remarkable 437% year-over-year (YoY) surge in third-quarter new orders, up from KRW 33.2 billion in the same period last year. The quarterly total was approximately 2.8 times the KRW 63.3 billion recorded in the previous quarter, representing a 182% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) increase, and 1.5 times the company’s total new orders of KRW 118.9 billion for the first half of 2026. Capitalizing on surging global demand for custom ASIC solutions, SEMIFIVE accelerated its expansion into key international markets, including North America and Japan, fueling exceptional order growth.
The company pushed its order backlog to a record KRW 245.5 billion, a 75% increase from KRW 140.3 billion in the previous quarter. As these orders progressively convert into revenue, the expanding backlog is expected to serve as a powerful engine for sustained mid- to long-term growth.
SEMIFIVE generated order growth across all business segments, including ASIC development, mass production, and intellectual property (IP), with its ASIC Service business spearheading overall performance.
SEMIFIVE drove strong growth in its ASIC Service business by securing high-margin advanced-node turnkey projects. Third-quarter new orders in this segment soared 705% YoY to KRW 136.9 billion, compared with KRW 17.0 billion in the same period last year. A major high-performance computing (HPC) project win in North America reinforced the company’s position as a trusted provider of advanced-node turnkey solutions for large global customers. SEMIFIVE has also gained strong traction in the sovereign AI markets of South Korea and Japan, delivering tangible revenue growth.
SEMIFIVE leveraged the maturity of the 4nm process and its proven mass production track record to sharpen its competitive edge. As demand accelerates for AI inference chips built on the cost-effective, high-performance 4nm process, the company is actively capturing new opportunities through its established 4nm design and mass production capabilities.
In mass production, SEMIFIVE continued to secure a steady flow of purchase orders (POs) while accelerating the diversification and advancement of its product portfolio. The company is shifting its portfolio from smaller chips built on legacy process nodes for domestic customers toward advanced-node AI devices and dedicated AI HPC chips. Backed by exclusive mask production rights, stable shipments and an expanding AI mass production portfolio are expected to drive revenue growth beginning in 2027.
SEMIFIVE sustained steady growth in its IP business by securing additional orders for its off-the-shelf, silicon-validated IP offerings. The company supplies silicon-validated IP, originally developed for specific customers, to additional customers, maximizing the value of its proven IP assets. SEMIFIVE is also expanding into leading-edge 2nm and 3nm process technologies and HPC applications. By strengthening its IP portfolio based on Samsung Foundry’s 2nm and 3nm processes, the company aims to unlock additional order opportunities in the high-performance AI semiconductor market.
For the first nine months of 2026, SEMIFIVE recorded cumulative revenue of KRW 146.1 billion, up 62% YoY. Notably, as shipments of high-value AI chips gained momentum, product revenue surged 167% QoQ to KRW 12 billion, up from KRW 4.5 billion in the previous quarter, marking the beginning of a new growth phase. The company also continued to improve profitability, achieving a cumulative gross profit margin of 28%, up 11 percentage points YoY, and improving its operating margin to -14%, up 25 percentage points YoY. Looking ahead, SEMIFIVE expects to accelerate its financial performance in the fourth quarter as its KRW 245.5 billion order backlog begins converting into revenue at a faster pace, supported by increasing mass production volumes.
“Our latest performance proves that SEMIFIVE has entered a new phase of accelerated growth in the global AI ASIC market,” said Brandon Cho, CEO and Co-Founder of SEMIFIVE. “With our record-high order backlog and high-value mass production pipeline serving as powerful turbo engines, we are poised to further accelerate our growth.”
SOURCE SEMIFIVE