Chipmaking equipment supplier BE Semiconductor (BESI) reported 72.8 percent increase in revenue to €749.3 million in 2021 due to demand for mobile applications from 5G smartphone cycle, recovering automotive and computing markets and investment by Chinese customers.

BE Semiconductor said orders of €939.1 million grew by 98.9 percent as a result of broad-based demand across end-user markets, customers and geographies.

Gross margin of BE Semiconductor has reached 59.6 percent, equal to 2020. BE Semiconductor reported net income of €282.4 million (+113.5 percent). Net margin also rose to 37.7 percent vs. 30.5 percent.

BE Semiconductor’s Q4 revenue fell 17.6 percent to €171.7 million vs Q3-21 primarily due to deferral of shipments caused by flood at one of Besi’s Malaysian production facilities and lower revenue from mobile applications as per typical Q4 seasonal patterns.

Q4 revenue increased 56.5 percent vs. Q4-20 primarily related to significantly increased demand for automotive and computing applications.

BE Semiconductor’s orders increased 28.8 percent to €202.6 million due to broad based demand by IDM customers, particularly for mobile and automotive applications.

BE Semiconductor’s Q1-22 revenue is estimated to rise 15 percent vs. Q4-21 and 38 percent vs. Q1-21. I said timing of Q1-22 quarterly shipments influenced by supply chain issues affecting production at Besi and customer manufacturing sites. Gross margin anticipated to range between 59 percent-61 percent, BE Semiconductor said.

BE Semiconductor designs and manufactures semiconductor equipment. BE Semiconductor’s customers include chipmakers like Infineon, STMicroelectronics and Micron Technology, among others.

BE Semiconductor CEO Richard Blickman said in a news statement that the company achieved strong full-year results despite global supply chain disruptions, ongoing U.S.-China trade tensions and flooding at one of its production facilities, which affected the fourth-quarter results.