IQE has released its results for the year to December ’17. While the results themselves are strong, these were largely flagged at the trading update in December, and we see the FY’18 and FY’19 outlook as more important for the share price from here. The group expects continued growth in wafer sales, driven by both the expansion of existing business and qualifications of new business streams. Given the group’s strong operational gearing, we expect this to lead to a steady expansion in group margins. The group has given explicit forward guidance for the first time, which is in-line with our FY’18 revenue and EBIT forecasts, although a higher non-cash tax charge is likely to lead to EPS downgrades. With further high growth expected in FY’18 and the potential for more strong growth in FY’19 and beyond, we retain our positive stance.
