Swiss earnings call, October 2026: VAT Group says third-quarter orders hit a record

VAT Group said its orders far exceeded its own earlier outlook

On its call on 30 October 2026, an executive of VAT Group said the company's order volume in the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 reached a record. The executive said orders tripled year on year. The executive also said this was substantially above the flat third-quarter pattern the company had previously indicated.

VAT Group expects sales above its earlier guidance

• VAT Group expects sales of CHF 420 million to CHF 450 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026. CHF stands for Swiss francs.
• VAT Group said it is preparing for sales volume in fiscal year 2027 significantly above its previously communicated guidance of CHF 1.5 billion to CHF 1.7 billion.

VAT Group said it is adding capacity and may need to decide on more sooner

• VAT Group said it is on track to reach a quarterly factory output run rate of CHF 450 million by the end of fiscal year 2026.
• The company said it is on track with internal targets to add about 30% capacity quarter over quarter during the ramp.
• An executive said stronger demand may require the next capacity decision earlier than originally anticipated, rather than relying on current capacity to last into 2030.
• VAT Group expects to give an update on its longer-term manufacturing roadmap during 2027.

VAT Group described a stronger outlook for the chip industry

An executive said the semiconductor industry is now expected to reach $1 trillion in revenue 3 to 4 years earlier than originally anticipated. The executive said estimates for wafer fab equipment (WFE), the machines used to make chips, increased 35% for 2026 and more than 66% for 2027, compared with the company's May 2025 capital markets day. The executive said the gap between supply and demand for advanced semiconductors is expected to persist well into 2027. Analysts asked about order strength at Chinese versus non-Chinese original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), the makers of chip-making machines. They also asked about domestic China demand and the timing of price increases. Management gave partial answers to these questions.