Key messages and Q&A on half-year financial report January-June 2025
Canatu published its Half-year financial report for January-June 2025 on Friday 29 August 2025. Here are the key messages and Q&A on the report.
Read the whole Half-year financial report here.
Key messages – Operational performance and competitive position strengthened, despite delay in revenue
- After five consecutive years of approximately 100% annual growth, Canatu reported disappointing results for H1/2025, along with a less optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year. This was primarily due to three factors: 1) delayed market adoption of high-power scanners, 2) longer than expected customer approvals, and 3) general market uncertainties.
- Despite delayed revenue, we believe our competitive edge in CNT pellicles and inspection membranes has remained strong or even improved. These are part of our semiconductor business, which is expected to remain the largest contributor to our results.
- The market outlook remains strong, as rapid AI growth is fueling demand for advanced chips and accelerating the adoption of CNT pellicles. The advanced chips segment is growing at nearly 20% annually, twice the pace of the overall semiconductor industry.
- The first CNT100 SEMI reactor and post-processing equipment are customer-approved (Site Acceptance Test, SAT) and ready for mass production of CNT pellicle membranes. We are negotiating new orders in Semiconductor with existing and prospective customers across the ecosystem.
- Canatu has accelerated investments in future growth and diversification by 1) doubling premises in Finland, enabling further growth, 2) making strategic, long-term commitment to Medical Diagnostics, 3) re-establishing new business development, aiming for faster time-to-market of high-value applications.
Q&A
How fast is advanced chip manufacturing growing and how does it affect CNT pellicle adoption?
• In the semiconductor industry, explosive growth of AI is driving demand for advanced chips, making EUV lithography increasingly critical. Advanced chips (< 7nm features) are the fastest growing segment in the semiconductor industry, projected to grow at roughly 20% annually, with logic chips growing at 10–20% and DRAM 15–25% annually between 2025–2030. (ASML). CAPEX on advanced process tools is projected to exceed USD 50Bn by 2028 (CAGR 18%) (SEMI).
• As high-power tools emerge, CNT pellicles become essential. Industry sources anticipate that advanced chip manufacturing with 600W power scanners will start by 2027. This is expected to be the inflection point for wider usage of CNT pellicles. We expect some usage of CNT pellicles also with 500W scanners due to high transmission and productivity gains.
You told about your strong or even improved competitive edge in CNT pellicles. What supports this claim?
• Our strengthened market position is supported by progress with existing customers, including the successful customer approval of our first reactor. In addition, we are engaging with new prospects, expanding our CNT pellicle market coverage even further. Notably, we haven’t faced much competition for CNT technology adoption, which highlights the exceptional strength and potential of our offering in this market.
What were the main reasons behind financial development?
• The decrease in revenue was primarily caused by 1) the semiconductor industry’s delay to adopt high-power scanners, 2) slower-than-anticipated customer approvals of CNT100 SEMI reactors, which delayed both revenue recognition and potential follow-on reactor orders from existing customers, and 3) general market uncertainty.
• Gross profit as a percentage of revenue increased by 5.3 percentage points to 67.3% (62.1%). The increase in gross profit as a percentage of revenue was driven by changes in the product mix.
• The development of adjusted EBIT margin, -66.4% (-20.6%), was primarily attributable to the decrease in revenue and secondarily to the increase in headcount.
What is the status of the CNT100 SEMI reactors’ customer acceptance test process?
• The first CNT100 SEMI reactor and post-processing equipment received customer approval and are now ready to start mass production of CNT pellicle membranes. Before pilot and risk mass production, the customer must secure approval for the complete coated CNT pellicle product.
• For the second reactor, customer approval (Site Acceptance Test, SAT) is still ongoing. The timeline for obtaining SAT is not fully within Canatu’s control and the risk of delays cannot therefore be excluded.
Are you negotiating new reactor orders too?
• We are negotiating new orders with existing and prospective customers across the ecosystem.
• Regarding existing customers, we expect that any potential follow-on CNT100 SEMI reactor orders will likely be subject to the successful completion of the final SATs for the first two CNT100 SEMI reactors Canatu shipped in 2024.
• Once our first two reactors receive customer approval, we expect follow-on orders from existing customers to be delivered faster.
In the spring, you announced a joint development agreement with DENSO. Could you explain what the agreement is about?
• This one-year JDA aims to improve CNT performance. It focuses on optimizing the sheet resistance-to-transmittance ratio of CNTs to achieve high electrical conductivity while maintaining excellent light transmission.
• This collaboration enhances current applications, such as ADAS camera heaters, and paves the way to new high-value opportunities for our advanced CNTs, including next-generation solar cells.
Can you describe other advancements within the Automotive Business?
• In the Automotive Business, our focus has been on starting mass production of ADAS camera heaters. The timing of the start of the mass production ramp-up depends on customers and their processes.
How is Canatu accelerating new business development?
• We have reinforced our strategic, long-term commitment to Medical Diagnostics. Our focus continues to be on point-of-care in infectious diseases and hormone monitoring.
• We have recreated our new business development by deploying enhanced resources and a dedicated team, with the goal of systemic assessment of new high-value applications for our advanced CNT and bringing them to market faster.
• For example, the development work of next-generation solar panel applications aims at generating power using CNT electrodes. In another area, we are producing sensors protecting advanced electronic devices in the defense industry. These initiatives demonstrate Canatu’s ability to serve demanding, emerging applications and highlight both the versatility of our CNT technology and the reliability of our manufacturing.
• As part of new business development, Canatu was selected as a Leading Company (Veturi) by Business Finland and awarded up to EUR 10 million in funding. This support enables Canatu to lead the creation of an industrial ecosystem focused on innovation and growth in the Carbon Age, with total ecosystem funding reaching up to EUR 20 million.
Is Canatu exploring opportunities to expand into new business areas beyond its current focus? Can the defense industry become a new business area for Canatu?
• We are actively working on our strategy to assess possibilities beyond our current three focus areas. While our primary efforts remain on delivering value in these core areas, we continuously monitor market developments and evaluate new opportunities where our CNT technology could provide a competitive advantage.
• Producing sensors to protect advanced electronic devices in the defense industry showcases Canatu’s potential to serve emerging and demanding applications, underlining the adaptability of its CNT technology. Although the current supply is industry-specific and not part of the company’s long-term strategic focus, the project illustrates the breadth of use cases supported by the company’s materials and engineering expertise.
Investments in H2 are expected to be higher than in the first half of the year. What do the investment plans look like?
• Investments to implement the growth strategy are underway and expected to grow significantly in H2.
• After the reporting period, Canatu ordered a PELMIS EUV pellicle inspection system from Lasertec to improve quality control and metrology capabilities. This investment is a key enabler for the long-term development of our CNT SEMI reactor and pellicle membrane business, strengthening our competitiveness, raising quality standards, and ensuring we meet the stringent requirements of semiconductor customers.
How do you expect Canatu’s business to develop in the financial year 2025 and beyond?
• For 2025, we expect a revenue delay due to slower-than-anticipated market deployment of high-power scanners. However, we remain confident in our path forward and firmly believe that Canatu is well-positioned for sustained growth in the long-term.
• We expect that the revenue for the financial year 2025 will decline compared to the 2024 unaudited pro forma revenue of EUR 22 million. If no new CNT100 SEMI reactor orders are received during H2/2025, the revenue for the financial year 2025 is expected to decline significantly compared to the unaudited pro forma revenue of EUR 22 million.
What is the company’s long-term outlook? Do you think you will achieve your 2027 goals?
• We see that Canatu’s long-term potential in the three business focus areas—semiconductor, automotive, and medical diagnostics—has remained unchanged.
• Our long-term financial targets are:
Over EUR 100 million revenue in 2027, EBIT margin (adjusted for goodwill amortization in accordance with the Finnish Accounting Standards) over 30% in 2027.
• Uncertainty concerning the timeline for achieving the long-term financial targets has materially increased, based mainly on the semiconductor industry’s delay in adopting high-power scanners.
• Canatu monitors its long-term financial targets on a continuous basis and reviews them at least annually in connection with its annual strategy process. Canatu will provide an update on its next annual strategy process at the Capital Markets Day scheduled to be held in March 2026.
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