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☆ ‘Substantial upside’: Morgan Stanley portfolio manager loves this memory stock — and it's among analysts' top picks for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

One investor, however, has set his sights on another company offering a "value angle" on both semiconductors and artificial intelligence. Micron makes dynamic random access memory chips and NAND flash memory chips. DRAM, or dynamic random access memory, is a type of semiconductor memory needed for data processing. Micron is the third-largest player in the memory sector, coming after just South Korea's SK Hynix and Samsung , he added. Wolfe Research said Micron will likely benefit from a strong recovery in 2025 in both the DRAM and NAND space.

Persons: Aaron Dunn, CNBC's, Dunn, Morgan Stanley, you've, Goldman Sachs, Wolfe Organizations: Nvidia, Google, Micron Technology, Micron, Morgan, Value, South Korea's SK Hynix, Samsung, MU, UBS, Bank of America, Wolfe Research Locations: Morgan Stanley's

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Fed rate cut timing in focus
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A trader reacts as a screen displays the Fed rate announcement on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., December 13, 2023. This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. [PRO] SK Hynix analysts' top callSouth Korea's SK Hynix, the world's second-largest memory chipmaker, is getting a lot of attention. Analysts are bullish on the stock and expect SK Hynix to drive the next generation of AI growth.

Persons: Dow, Elon Musk's Tesla, Erek Barron Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, CNBC, CSI, Big Tech, Nasdaq, China EV, DOJ, SEC, of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission, SK Hynix, South Korea's SK Hynix Locations: New York City, U.S, Hong Kong, Asia, China, Maryland

☆ SK Hynix swings to fourth-quarter profit on strong AI chip demand
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The SK Hynix Inc. logo is displayed on a glass door at the company's office in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday, Jan. 27, 2014. SK Hynix aims to select a U.S. site for its advanced chip packaging plant and break ground there around the first quarter of next year. South Korea's SK Hynix on Thursday posted its first quarterly profit in a year on robust demand for high-end chips used in artificial intelligence and restocking orders from Chinese mobile clients. The results compared with expectations for a 192 billion won operating loss, according to 23 analysts' views compiled by LSEG SmartEstimate, weighted toward analysts who are more consistently accurate. SK Hynix last posted an operating profit in the third quarter of 2022.

Persons: LSEG SmartEstimate Organizations: SK Hynix Inc, SK Hynix, South Korea's SK Hynix, Revenue Locations: Seoul, South Korea, U.S

☆ Japan's Advantest lowers profit outlook as smartphone softness lingers
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Japanese chip testing equipment company Advantest Corp (6857.T) on Tuesday downgraded its full-year operating profit forecast by 24% compared to July as recovery in the smartphone market takes longer than expected. Advantest sees operating profit of 80 billion yen ($532 million) in the year ending in March, down 52%, pointing to softer demand for leading-edge test systems and higher costs. The company said it expects investment in generative artificial intelligence to boost tester demand over the medium term. "We will sustain our investment to address future technologies," CEO Yoshiaki Yoshida told an earnings briefing. Industry bright spots include demand for high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips which has boosted South Korea's SK Hynix (000660.KS) with rivals circling.

Persons: Advantest, Yoshiaki Yoshida, Douglas Lefever, Sam Nussey, Jason Neely Organizations: Advantest Corp, South Korea's SK Hynix, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, HBM

☆ Japan Inc is only winner in nixed chip deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Anshuman Daga | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But this failed tie-up does have a winner of sorts: Japan Inc.That’s precious little consolation for the others involved. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsThe nixed deal also complicates Bain Capital’s exit strategy from Kioxia. Yet Western Digital was set to be the majority partner in the proposed deal. The Nikkei business daily also said that Kioxia and Western Digital were unable to agree on conditions with top Kioxia shareholder Bain Capital. The news sent Western Digital shares down 9%.

Persons: Elliot, Bain, Nobuo Hayasaka, –, Antony Currie, Thomas Shum Organizations: Reuters, Japan Inc, Western Digital, Elliot Investment Management, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Toshiba, SK Hynix, Western Digital’s, Development Bank of Japan, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial, –, Western, South Korea's SK Hynix, U.S, Nikkei, Bain Capital, Thomson Locations: HYDERABAD, India, Japan, Tokyo

☆ SK Hynix says AI boom will drive profits after third-quarter loss narrows
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SK Hynix logo displayed on a phone screen as seen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland on January 30, 2023. South Korea's SK Hynix said a boom in artificial intelligence will drive chip profits after posting a sharply narrower third quarter loss than it did in the previous quarter. Strong demand for advanced chips used in AI helped ease the impact of a prolonged slowdown in demand for commodity chips used in smartphones and computers in the three months to the end of September, the world's second-biggest memory chipmaker said on Thursday. SK Hynix said it swung to a 1.8 trillion won, or $1.33 billion, third-quarter operating loss from a profit of 1.7 trillion won a year earlier. It was its fourth consecutive quarterly loss, but improved from a trough of a 3.4 trillion won loss in the first quarter and a 2.9 trillion won loss in the second quarter.

Persons: South Korea's SK Hynix, chipmaker, SK Hynix, LSEG SmartEstimate Organizations: SK Hynix, South Korea's SK, SK, Revenue Locations: Krakow, Poland

The logo of SK Hynix is seen at its headquarters in Seongnam, South Korea, April 25, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Oct 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix (000660.KS) said a boom in artificial intelligence will drive chip profits after posting a sharply narrower third quarter loss than it did in the previous quarter. SK Hynix said it swung to a 1.8 trillion won ($1.33 billion) third-quarter operating loss from a profit of 1.7 trillion won a year earlier. It was its fourth consecutive quarterly loss, but improved from a trough of a 3.4 trillion won loss in the first quarter and a 2.9 trillion won loss in the second quarter. SK Hynix was ahead of rivals in developing HBM3 chips and securing AI-chip leader Nvidia (NVDA.O) as a client.

Persons: Kim Hong, chipmaker, SK Hynix, LSEG SmartEstimate, 1,351.6200, Joyce Lee, Heekyong Yang, Shri Navaratnam, Jamie Freed Organizations: SK Hynix, REUTERS, Rights, Korea's SK Hynix, SK, Revenue, Samsung Electronics, Analysts, SK Hynix's, Nvidia, Thomson Locations: Seongnam, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, KS

☆ SK Hynix denies report about approaching SoftBank on Kioxia merger
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Memory chips by South Korean semiconductor supplier SK Hynix are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Oct 18 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS), the world's second-largest memory chip maker, said on Wednesday it has not approached Japan's SoftBank Group (9984.T) to partner up in a possible deal with memory chipmaker Kioxia Holdings Corp.A Nikkei report earlier on Wednesday said SK Hynix is reluctant to back a merger between U.S. rival Western Digital's memory chip operations and Kioxia, in which SK Hynix holds a stake. The report went on to say that SK Hynix had sounded out SoftBank for a partnership in case the merger falls through. "SK Hynix denies Nikkei's report that the company approached SoftBank for collaboration with regard to the Kioxia-Western Digital deal," the company said in a statement, without commenting on its stance on the merger. Kioxia and Western Digital Corp (WDC.O) are pursuing a merger as a global chip glut and weak demand for flash memory chips strengthens pressure for chipmakers to consolidate.

Persons: Florence Lo, Japan's, SoftBank, Kioxia, Joyce Lee, Anton, Simon Cameron, Moore, Louise Heavens Organizations: SK Hynix, REUTERS, Rights, Korea's SK Hynix Inc, Japan's SoftBank, Kioxia Holdings Corp, Nikkei, Wednesday, U.S, Western, SoftBank Group, Western Digital Corp, Thomson Locations: Rights SEOUL

☆ US allows Samsung, SK Hynix to keep getting US tools in China
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Flags of China and U.S. are displayed on a printed circuit board with semiconductor chips, in this illustration picture taken February 17, 2023. The authorization allows them to continue their Chinese chipmaking operations without the headache of applying for U.S. licenses to get new equipment, after new rules issued last October curbed Chinese chipmakers' access to the coveted tools. The October 2022 rules restricted shipments of advanced chips and chipmaking equipment to China as part of a U.S. bid to slow China's technological and military advances. Samsung Electronics makes about 40% of its NAND flash chips at its plant in Xian, China, while SK Hynix makes about 40% of its DRAM chips in Wuxi and 20% of its NAND flash chips in Dalian. The companies together controlled nearly 70% of the global DRAM market and 50% of the NAND flash market as of the end of June, data from TrendForce showed.

Persons: Florence Lo, Karen Freifeld, Chris Sanders, Alexandra Alper, Susan Heavey, Doina Chiacu, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United, South Korea's SK Hynix, Samsung, U.S, Commerce Department, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Thomson Locations: China, U.S, Nanjing, Xian, Wuxi, Dalian, TrendForce

The Mate 60 is priced from 5,999 yuan ($817.70), the same as Apple's iPhone 14 in China. Huawei's launch also comes days before Apple is expected to launch its new iPhone 15 on Sept. 12.WHO ARE THE MATE 60'S SUPPLIERS? The Mate 60 Pro contains more Chinese-made chip components than previous models, TechInsights also said. WHAT COULD IT MEAN FOR APPLE IN CHINA'S SMARTPHONE MARKET? And cumulative shipments of Mate 60 Pro could reach at least 12 million units 12 months after launch, according to Kuo.

Persons: TechInsights, Chi Kuo, Kuo, Yelin Mo, Brenda Goh, Emelia Sithole Organizations: China's Huawei Technologies, Apple, Huawei, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp, HK, WHO, South Korea's SK Hynix's, SK Hynix, Dongguan Chitwing Technology, ., Visionox Technology, Reuters, TF International Securities, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, SHANGHAI, China, Kirin, SMIC, South, United States, Dongguan, Suzhou, U.S, Washington, Beijing

☆ Stocks stumble as 'dollar juggernaut' on a roll
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Passersby are reflected on an electric stock quotation board outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan April 18, 2023. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) fell 0.2% in early trade and is down 1.4% for the week. "China’s partial ban on Apple products put trade wars and U.S.-China decoupling back on the agenda," said Capital.com analyst Kyle Rodda. U.S. suppliers' shares had fallen overnight and helped drag the S&P 500 (.SPX) 0.3% lower and the Nasdaq (.IXIC) down by 0.9%. The Australian dollar is down more than 1% on the week and traded at $0.6384 on Friday.

Persons: Issei Kato, TSMC, Kyle Rodda, Masato Kanda, Hirokazy Matsuno, Brent, Heekyong Yang, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Japan's Nikkei, South Korea's SK Hynix, Huawei Technologies, Tokyo, Apple, Nasdaq, ANZ Bank, European Central Bank, Treasury, Brent, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Rights SINGAPORE, U.S, Asia, Pacific, Hong Kong, China, South Korea's, Europe, Seoul

Hong Kong/Seoul CNN —SK Hynix, a South Korean chipmaker, is investigating how two of its memory chips mysteriously ended up inside the Mate 60 Pro, a controversial smartphone launched by Huawei last week. “The significance of the development is that there are restrictions on what SK Hynix can ship to China,” G Dan Hutcheson, vice chair of TechInsights, told CNN. The big question is whether any laws were violated.”A Hynix spokesperson told CNN Friday that it was aware of its chips being used in the Huawei phone and had started investigating the issue. “SK Hynix is strictly abiding by the US government’s export restrictions,” the company said. Industry insiders said it was possible that Huawei had purchased the memory chips from the secondary market and not directly from the manufacturer.

Persons: ” G Dan Hutcheson, It’s, TechInsights, Mike Gallagher, Michael McCaul Organizations: Seoul CNN — SK Hynix, Huawei, SK Hynix, CNN, “ SK Hynix, US, Industry, 5G Kirin, chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, White Locations: Hong Kong, Seoul, Korean, Hynix, Canada, China, United States, Shenzhen

People walk past a Huawei store with advertisements for the Mate 60 series smartphones, at a shopping mall in Beijing, China August 30, 2023. REUTERS/Yelin Mo/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSHANGHAI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Huawei Technologies' new high-end smartphone contains more China-made chip components than previous models in a sign of Beijing's advances in the semiconductor sphere, according to research firm TechInsights, which is taking the device apart. That's another really big advance they've made," Dan Hutcheson, an analyst with TechInsights, told Reuters. "The significance is that it shows that China has been able to stay 2-2.5 nodes behind the world's best (chip) companies. "China's been buying tools like crazy so they probably have the capability to do this and yield ok with it."

Persons: Yelin, they've, Dan Hutcheson, TechInsights, chipmaker SMIC, Hutcheson, Gina Raimondo's, it's, China's, Brenda Goh, Joyce Lee, David Kirton, Miyoung Kim, David Evans Organizations: Huawei, REUTERS, Rights, Huawei Technologies, Reuters, The, HK, U.S . Commerce, SMIC, Apple, South Korea's SK Hynix Inc, SK Hynix, U.S, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, The Ottawa, Huawei's, U.S, Seoul, Shenzhen

People walk past a Huawei store with advertisements for the Mate 60 series smartphones, at a shopping mall in Beijing, China August 30, 2023. That's another really big advance they've made," Dan Hutcheson, an analyst with TechInsights, told Reuters. "The significance is that it shows that China has been able to stay 2-2.5 nodes behind the world's best (chip) companies. "China's been buying tools like crazy so they probably have the capability to do this and yield ok with it." Huawei and SMIC did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In particular, memory chip demand from corporate buyers stocking AI data centres as well as gaming personal computers is expected to increase in the second half of the year, the world's second-biggest memory chip maker said. SK Hynix reported a 2.9 trillion won ($2.28 billion) operating loss in the June quarter, down from 4.2 trillion won profit a year earlier on weak memory chip pricing and demand. AI CHIPSSK Hynix said demand for AI server memory had more than doubled in the second quarter compared to the first quarter. SK Hynix leads the market in high bandwidth memory (HBM) DRAM used in the fast-growing field of generative AI. Samsung, the world's biggest memory chip maker, will report its detailed second-quarter financial results on Thursday.

Persons: SK Hynix, Greg Roh, Nam Dae, 1,274.1300, Joyce Lee, Heekyong Yang, Christopher Cushing, Jamie Freed Organizations: Korea's SK Hynix, Microsoft, SK Hynix's, SK, SK Hynix, Revenue, Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor Securities, eBEST Investment, Securities, Samsung, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, KS, HBM

SEOUL, July 26 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix (000660.KS) on Wednesday posted a worse-than-expected quarterly operating loss on weak memory chip pricing and demand, but said the market was beginning to recover from a deep downturn. In particular, memory chip demand from corporate buyers and gaming personal computers is expected to increase in the second half of the year versus the first, the world's second-biggest memory chip maker said in a statement. This compared with expectations for a 2.7 trillion won operating loss, according to 22 analyst views compiled by Refinitiv SmartEstimate, weighted toward analysts that are more consistently accurate. SK Hynix has reported losses each quarter since the fourth quarter of 2022, although the June quarter loss narrowed from a record of 3.4 trillion won loss in the March quarter. A boom in artificial intelligence, however, helped SK Hynix boost sales of high-end DRAM chips in the second quarter and narrow losses from the previous quarter.

Persons: Refinitiv SmartEstimate, 1,274.1300, Joyce Lee, Heekyong Yang, Christopher Cushing, Jamie Freed Organizations: Korea's SK Hynix, SK Hynix, Revenue, Thomson Locations: SEOUL

☆ TrendForce says SK Hynix to raise China legacy chip output capacity
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Memory chips by South Korean semiconductor supplier SK Hynix are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration/File PhotoSEOUL, May 4 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) plans to expand its legacy chip production capacity at its chip manufacturing facilities in China, market research firm TrendForce said. The world's second-biggest memory chip maker's long-term strategy involves shifting its capacity expansion back to South Korea, while its China chip production site caters to domestic demand in China and the legacy DRAM memory chip market, the TrendForce report said. SK Hynix did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Thursday. Last year, SK Hynix said it had received authorisation from the U.S. Commerce Department for a year to supply equipment needed for chip production in facilities in china, without seeking additional licensing requirements.

The firm's loss widened as a global economic slowdown worsened a memory chip glut during the first quarter, prompting sluggish demand and falling prices, SK Hynix said. However, "we expect revenue to rebound in the second quarter after bottoming out in the first, driven by a gradual increase in sales volume," SK Hynix said. Such cuts will reduce inventory across the industry and improve market conditions from the current quarter, SK Hynix said. The loss is the biggest since SK Group acquired Hynix in 2012, and is the second in a row after the fourth quarter's 1.9 trillion won loss. SK Hynix shares traded up 2.1% versus a 0.2% decline in the wider market (.KS11), after the firm flagged a market rebound.

The money will be used for operational funds such as buying chip production materials, SK Hynix said in regulatory filing on Tuesday. SK Hynix's deal was the largest convertible bond in the Asia-Pacific region, excluding Japan, in a year, according to Refinitiv data. SK Hynix did not respond immediately to a request for comment on the demand. Shares in SK Hynix fell as much as 4% in Tuesday trade, while the wider market (.KS11) rose 0.4% as of 0238 GMT. SK Hynix posted a record quarterly operating loss of 1.7 trillion won ($1.38 billion) in the September-December quarter.

☆ SK Hynix to seek further exemption from US chip curbs against China -CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, March 29 (Reuters) - South Korea's SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) will ask the United States for a year's further exemption from chip curbs against China, the chief executive of the world's No. In October last year, SK Hynix said it had received authorisation from the U.S. commerce department for a year to supply equipment needed for chip production in facilities in China, without seeking additional licensing requirements. The United States announced curbs on exports of chip-making equipment to China, requiring licenses for U.S. companies to export advanced chips and chip-making equipment in a bid to slow China's technological advance. On Wednesday, the company it would pursue previously announced plans to build an advanced chip packaging plant in the United States as the review process ends. Reporting by Hyunsu Yim; Additional Reporting by Heekyong Yang; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: Chinese chipmaking equipment manufacturers filling void left by U.S. export restrictions
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Naura's most advanced etching machine supports 55 nm and 28 nm chipmaking technology, well behind the leading edge of chip manufacturing. The firm also makes deposition machines, which apply chemicals and gases to silicon wafers throughout the chipmaking process. It produces machines that can service the 14 nm to 28 nm process nodes of its deposition machines. ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC CHINA (AMEC) (688012.SS)AMEC makes etching equipment used to remove excess material from the surface of silicon wafers. BEIJING E-TOWN SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY CO LTD (BEST)BEST produces degumming equipment used to remove photoresist chemicals during the lithography process.

[1/2] Memory chips by South Korean semiconductor supplier SK Hynix are seen on a circuit board of a computer in this illustration picture taken February 25, 2022. SK Hynix flagged lower chip prices in the current quarter. For the fourth quarter ended December, SK Hynix swung to a worse-than-expected 1.7 trillion won ($1.38 billion) operating loss, from 4.2 trillion won profit a year earlier. Analysts had expected a 1.3 trillion won operating loss, according to Refinitiv SmartEstimate. On its earnings call, SK Hynix said it will focus its resources on advanced chips to prepare for a market upturn in 2024.

☆ Morgan Stanley has a ‘simple’ tech playbook, names TSMC and others as stocks to buy right now
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Despite the recent rally, few believe the downturn in tech has bottomed — but Morgan Stanley believes investors should not sit on the sidelines. Stay invested even if a recession strikes Morgan Stanley believes investors should continue to selectively own Asia tech names even if a widely anticipated recession materializes, given the sector's historical resilience. Stock picks Morgan Stanley recommends investing in commodity and consumer cyclical companies "that will likely be first to come out of the downturn." Morgan Stanley also likes Samsung Electronics on the back of its market share gains, dividend support and potential for growth through M & A. Morgan Stanley has a price target of 700 Taiwan dollars ($23.10) on TSMC, which implies an upside of around 40%.

☆ Chipmaker STMicro sees sales growth slowdown in fourth quarter
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Mathieu Rosemain | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Bigger rival Texas Instruments Inc (TXN.O) earlier this week that it expected demand across most of its end markets to decline, while South Korea's SK Hynix Inc (000660.KS) warned of an "unprecedented deterioration" in memory chip demand. STMicro said it expected fourth-quarter sales to edge up by 1.8% from the previous quarter to about $4.4 billion. Co-controlled by the Italian and French governments, STMicro said demand rose across all its products in the third quarter, beating market expectations. Net revenue in the third quarter rose to $4.32 billion, above the company's own guidance and the $4.24 billion analyst consensus compiled by Visible Alpha. Reporting by Mathieu Rosemain; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman, Subhranshu Sahu and Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Investors looked beyond the bleak outlook to welcome the aggressive investment cut, sending SK Hynix shares 1.7% higher in a bet the scale of the action would help control chip oversupply and prop up chip prices. SK Hynix said its operating profit fell to 1.66 trillion won ($1.16 billion) in the July-September quarter, from 4.2 trillion won a year earlier. The result was below analysts' expectations of a 1.87 trillion won profit, according to Refinitiv SmartEstimate. SK Hynix said its 2022 investment is expected to be at the "upper range of 10-20 trillion won ($7-14 billion)", meaning 2023 investments could fall below 10 trillion won. SK Hynix also warned of uncertainties involving its chip plants in China due to U.S. export restrictions on advanced chip equipment to China aimed at slowing Beijing's technological advances.

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