Robinhood shares gain on Q2 beat, as user and crypto growth accelerate
Investing.com -- Comet Holding AG (SIX:COTNE) shares surged more than 15% on Thursday after the Swiss technology group reported a 37.5% rise in first-quarter sales and a sharp increase in new orders, driven by solid demand in the semiconductor sector.
The company posted net sales of CHF 111.2 million for the first three months of 2025, up from CHF 80.9 million a year earlier.
Incoming orders rose to CHF 118.5 million, marking a 30.2% year-over-year increase from CHF 91 million in the same quarter last year.
Revenue growth was recorded across all of Comet’s divisions, with the Plasma Control Technologies (PCT) unit leading the gains.
The company said demand remained steady from the end of 2024, supported by increased investment in artificial intelligence applications and data center infrastructure. Demand in the memory market remained subdued.
Comet said traditional industrial markets such as automotive and manufacturing showed resilience despite broader economic pressures.
It noted that capital spending in these sectors appeared to have stabilized, with a growing focus on digitalization, automation, and electrification.
The PCT division expanded its product portfolio in the first quarter with higher-frequency and higher-power solutions, which the company said are helping drive further market penetration.
Comet said it continues to see growth in its pipeline through new design wins and product qualifications.
The X-Ray Systems (IXS) division is collaborating with several customers to introduce its CA20 system for non-destructive semiconductor inspections.
Commercial agreements for the technology are expected later this year. Meanwhile, the X-Ray Modules (IXM) division posted steady growth in core markets, though it noted slower activity in emerging sectors due to a more cautious investment climate.
Comet projects that the semiconductor sector will remain a primary contributor to its future performance, driven by the ongoing influence of AI, edge computing, and high-performance processing.
The company observes continued strength in advanced foundry and high-bandwidth memory, alongside a more protracted recovery in consumer electronics and NAND memory products.
Comet said it expects limited growth across non-semiconductor industrial sectors in 2025. The company added that recent shifts in global trade policy have made the economic outlook more volatile.
Still, Comet believes its technological focus and global footprint position it to respond quickly to changing conditions.
The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance and said it would continue to monitor macroeconomic risks.
It plans to maintain a focus on product development and operational efficiency to stay ahead of broader market trends.