Global logic semiconductor foundries capital intensity ratio 2010-2024

The capital intensity ratio can be used as a base to measure a fab's expansion for future business. In this case, a foundry's wafer fab equipment (WFE) spending is divided by its annual revenue. In 2021, industry-wide capital intensity of fabs is expected to reach 20 percent, while that of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Samsung Foundry is set to surpass 40 percent.

The lower the ratio, the lesser the likelihood of new capacity or technology being added or implemented in the near future. As a result, it is forecast that TSMC and Samsung Foundry will continue to invest, particularly as they look to meet the growing demand from 5G smartphones and high performance computers (HPCs). In previous years, the capital intensity ratio suggests there has been under-investment by the industry, a factor that had an influence on the chip shortage and imbalance observed in 2021.