- Benchmark analyst Mark Miller observed how the Russia -Ukraine crisis affected the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
- Coherent Inc (NASDAQ:COHR) and MKS Instruments Inc (NASDAQ:MKSI) (MKS) felt the pinch as gas lasers producers, which play an essential role in semiconductor manufacturing.
- ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ:ASML), the producer of excimer lasers used in EUV lithography tools, has also felt the pinch.
- Semiconductor manufacturing efforts consumed ~75% of the worldwide neon supply. Interestingly, Ukraine provided ~50% of the world's neon, 70% of semi-grade neon, and about 40% of the world's krypton.
- The gas supply crisis could boil down to the chip manufacturers and equipment companies, and automotive industries.
- Miller has a Hold rating on Coherent and a Buy rating on MKS Instruments.
- Price Action: MKSI shares traded lower by 3.87% at $145.93 on the last check Thursday.
