Powering Ahead: How Automotive and Industrial Boost Power IC Market

Matt Lo
From Silicon to Stories: Matt’s Moments
6 min readDec 17, 2023

The semiconductor industry is experiencing robust growth, particularly in the Power IC market, driven by significant advances in the Automotive and Industrial sectors. This upward trend is not merely a lucky break; it reflects deliberate strategic shifts by leading Power IC manufacturers.

Snapshot: Insights from Revenue Distribution

This chart offers a strategic overview of the revenue distribution across different sectors within the Power IC market, underscoring the substantial impact of the Automotive and Industrial sectors on overall market growth.

By analyzing this revenue distribution, we can conclude where investments result in substantial returns and identify high-growth areas. This visual representation reflects the current market landscape and provides valuable insights into emerging trends, enabling us to benchmark our performance and align our growth directions accordingly.

Purpose of this Study

The purpose of this study is to leverage industry data for strategic development.

1. Identify High-Growth Sectors and Trends:

We can use this data to identify where these top players excel, evaluate if these sectors align with our strengths, and determine potential areas for entry or expansion. Additionally, analyzing revenue trends over an extended period can help anticipate future movements and make well-informed strategies.

2. Benchmark Performance:

Comparing our growth directions across different sectors with peers to identify opportunities for improvement and investment.

In this research, I focused on nine key players in the Power IC market, delving into their revenue breakdown to understand their performance trends over time. The data revealed that the Automotive and Industrial sectors have become pivotal, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) demonstrating strong growth.

Texas Instruments (TI)

After reviewing TI’s revenue distribution, here are the insights:

  • Automotive and Industrial sectors have experienced a notable revenue surge, more than doubling from $6B to over $13B from 2015 to 2022.
  • A steady annual growth of 12% in these sectors indicates a strong market demand and potential for continued expansion.
  • The decline in Communication, Personal Electronics, and Other sectors by 1% CAGR indicates a shift in focus or market saturation.

STMicroelectronics (STM)

STM has demonstrated a significant focus on the Automotive and Industrial sectors, which is evident in the substantial revenue of $10 billion achieved in 2022. This strategic emphasis has resulted in an impressive year-over-year growth rate of 62% in these combined sectors. Such robust growth reflects the company’s alignment with the high-demand market areas and indicates a strong position in pivotal sectors.

In addition, STMicro has also shown considerable growth in the Personal Electronics, Communications, and Computer sectors, with a year-over-year revenue growth of 38%. This indicates that the company has not only capitalized on the accelerated Automotive and Industrial markets but has also maintained a healthy expansion across its other business segments. The balanced growth across diverse sectors showcases STM’s ability to navigate the varied demands successfully.

Infineon Technologies

Infineon’s performance in the market is characterized by a balanced growth pattern. Unlike other industry peers who may show skewed growth towards specific sectors, Infineon maintains a consistent revenue distribution across all segments. This indicates a strategic approach that leverages stable growth opportunities across a broad spectrum of technologies rather than relying heavily on a single sector.

This diversified growth strategy positions Infineon distinctively in the Power IC market, demonstrating the company’s adaptability and resilience.

NXP Semiconductors

NXP has sharpened its focus on the growth momentum in the Automotive and Industrial sectors, achieving an 11% CAGR. Concurrently, they’ve maintained a steady 5% CAGR in more established and saturated markets. This strategy underlines NXP’s pragmatic and balanced approach, adeptly meeting market demands while ensuring stable growth.

Analog Devices

ADI’s revenue trends from 2015 to 2022 indicate an aggressive growth pattern in the Automotive and Industrial sectors, with revenues climbing impressively to 4.3 times the original figures — from $2.0 billion to $8.7 billion, with quantified by a 23% CAGR, showcases ADI’s solid capabilities and expanding influence in these sectors. Simultaneously, the Communications and Consumer segments have also experienced growth, although at a more moderate rate of 14% CAGR, reflecting ADI’s capacity to sustain its market share in established markets while capitalizing on the accelerated growth of emerging sectors.

Renesas Electronics

Renesas’ financial analysis from 2017 to 2022 indicates a strategic expansion within the Industrial, Infrastructure, and IoT sectors, evidenced by a 20% CAGR and a doubling of revenue from ¥762B to ¥1491B. Meanwhile, the Automotive sector maintains a healthy growth rate of 9% CAGR, showcasing Renesas’ sustained commitment and competitiveness in the automotive industry, which continues to evolve with the integration of advanced products and technologies.

ON Semiconductor

Onsemi’s strategy from 2015 to 2022 showcases a decisive shift towards high-growth areas, with revenue in the Automotive and Industrial sectors expanding more than three times, from $1.8 billion to $5.7 billion, marked by an 18% CAGR. This strategic result is highlighted by the reduced revenue proportion in the Communications, Consumer, and Computing sectors, which has decreased from 48% to 32%, reflecting a deliberate reallocation of focus towards more profitable market segments.

Monolithic Power Systems

MPS has exhibited staggering success in the Automotive and Industrial sectors, with an 11.7 times increase in revenue from $66M to $520M from 2015 to 2022. This phenomenal growth, with a CAGR of 34%, is strong evidence of MPS’s strategic excellence and ability to capitalize on these sectors. Their achievement not only reflects a successful business strategy but also positions MPS as an outstanding performer in the power IC market, surpassing expectations and setting a benchmark for success.

Silergy

Silergy’s approach emphasizes expanding its market share in the communications sector, a move they have progressively built up since 2015. More recently, they have directed efforts to increase their revenue in the automotive market, starting from 2021. This strategy reflects a deliberate expansion into high-potential areas while maintaining a solid growth rate of 26% CAGR across critical sectors.

Key Takeaways

This study offers several key takeaways.

1. Diversification and Resource Reallocation

A balanced growth strategy, as seen with Infineon, exemplifies the resilience that comes from diversification. Meanwhile, NXP and Onsemi’s focused reallocation towards high-growth sectors while maintaining a stable base in established markets showcases a deliberate and pragmatic approach to maximizing growth opportunities.

2. Benchmarking Excellence

MPS and ADI’s extraordinary growth sets a high standard, demonstrating that targeted strategies in high-growth sectors can result in remarkable success. Their performance is a benchmark for strategic ambition in the Power IC market.

In summary, agility in resource allocation, strategic focus on emergent market segments, and a diversified portfolio are the keys to maintaining a leading position in the rapidly evolving Power IC market.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a message.

Enjoy your day! :)

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Matt Lo
From Silicon to Stories: Matt’s Moments

Program Manager with MBA, PMP, NPDP & MCTS-MS Project in Semicondutor Industry