Direct Answer
60 SEC filers are classified under the Standard Industrial Classification code that describes the automotive semiconductors industry, and their latest annual reports show $542.8 billion of combined revenue and a median operating margin of -2.3%. Investors should still evaluate its revenue model, industry-specific KPIs, valuation framework and the risks that can change the group's economics.
Industry Overview
Automotive semiconductor companies produce chips for powertrains, safety systems, infotainment and driver assistance, with qualification cycles of years. Content per vehicle is rising with electrification and advanced features. The first numbers to compare across companies here are automotive revenue and content per vehicle, design wins and gross margin.
Key Industry Metrics
- Automotive revenue and content per vehicle: Chip revenue from the car business and the dollar value of chips in each vehicle. Content per vehicle rises with electrification and driver assistance, which can grow sales faster than vehicle output.
- Design wins: Selections of a chip for a future car model. Wins turn into revenue years later after qualification, so they signal long-term share more than near-term results.
- Gross margin: Revenue left after wafers, assembly and test. Automotive qualification and long product lives support margins, but price pressure and underused plants reduce them.
- Inventory at customers: Chips and parts held by carmakers and suppliers. After shortages, over-ordering can leave excess stock, so high customer inventory suggests orders may fall below real consumption.
- Capacity: The ability to produce chips for cars. Automotive demand requires long-term capacity and quality control, so additions support growth but need matching customer commitments.
Primary Macro Drivers
- Vehicle production: Each new vehicle carries chips, so car and truck output sets the unit base for automotive revenue, shown in revenue and content per vehicle.
- EV and driver assistance content: Electric powertrains and driver-assistance systems use far more chips per vehicle than older designs, raising content per vehicle and design wins.
- Software-defined vehicles: Cars with centralized computing and updates need more processors and memory, raising chip content and the share of higher-value parts.
- Supply chain security: Automakers building buffer stock or localizing chip sources change order patterns and supplier choice, affecting capacity and long-term supply agreements.
Major Risks
- Automotive production cycles: Chip demand follows vehicle assembly, so production cuts reduce orders directly; watch automotive revenue and customer production commentary.
- Inventory corrections: Automakers and suppliers that stocked up pause orders until stock clears, causing revenue to fall below consumption; watch inventory at customers and book-to-bill.
- Pricing pressure: Automakers negotiate hard and annual price-downs are common, squeezing gross margin; watch gross margin and design-win mix.
- Customer concentration: A few automakers and suppliers account for much volume, so a platform change can move revenue; watch top-customer share and design-win conversion.
Industry Characteristics
| Characteristic | Profile |
|---|---|
| Cyclicality | Cyclical |
| Capital Intensity | Medium |
| Regulatory Intensity | Medium |
| Industry Maturity | Growth |
| Geographic Importance | Global |
Automotive Semiconductors Filers in the SEC Record
60 companies with annual reports in the dataset are classified by the SEC in the Standard Industrial Classification code 3674. Their latest fiscal years end between 2025 and 2026, and together they reported $542.8 billion of revenue. Median revenue growth over the prior year was 20.3%. Median operating margin was -2.3% and median net margin -1.7%. Median total liabilities were 34% of total assets, and 27 of 60 reported a profit in their latest year.
| Company | Revenue | Growth | Operating margin | Net margin | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nvidia Corp | $215.9 billion | 65.5% | 60.4% | 55.6% | FY 2026 |
| Broadcom Inc. | $63.9 billion | 23.9% | 39.9% | 36.2% | FY 2025 |
| Intel Corp | $52.9 billion | -0.5% | -4.2% | -0.5% | FY 2025 |
| Micron Technology Inc | $37.4 billion | 48.9% | 26.1% | 22.8% | FY 2025 |
| Advanced Micro Devices Inc | $34.6 billion | 34.3% | 10.7% | 12.5% | FY 2025 |
| Applied Materials Inc | $28.4 billion | 4.4% | 29.2% | 24.7% | FY 2025 |
| Texas Instruments Inc | $17.7 billion | 13.0% | 34.1% | 28.3% | FY 2025 |
| Nxp Semiconductors N.V. | $12.3 billion | -2.7% | 24.8% | 16.5% | FY 2025 |
The 8 largest of 60 by revenue. Source: each company's own annual report as filed with the SEC (XBRL data), figures in U.S. dollars. A company's SIC code reflects its main business as the SEC records it, so it can differ from how an index provider or analyst classifies the company, and a diversified group appears under only one code.
Where to Go Next
The Automotive Semiconductors guide describes how the industry earns money, what to measure and what can go wrong. To see how it compares, read the neighbouring industries in the same sector, then apply the same checks to a specific company.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main KPIs for the Automotive Semiconductors industry?
Key performance indicators for the Automotive Semiconductors industry include: Automotive revenue and content per vehicle, Design wins, Gross margin, Inventory at customers, Capacity. Which matter most depends on the company's model, so compare them across several companies rather than relying on one.
How cyclical is the Automotive Semiconductors industry?
The Automotive Semiconductors industry is cyclical, meaning its revenues and earnings tend to expand during economic expansions and contract during downturns. Investors should monitor leading economic indicators and interest rate trends when evaluating timing.
What are the biggest risks in the Automotive Semiconductors industry?
The primary risks for Automotive Semiconductors companies include: Automotive production cycles, Inventory corrections, Pricing pressure, Customer concentration. Investors should assess each company's exposure to these factors and its track record of navigating them.