AEM denies allegations of patent infringement from US semiconductor firm; shares dive 9.3%
The company says the patents relate to a specific wafer level test system that it does not practice
[SINGAPORE] US semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest Test Solutions has made allegations of patent infringement against AEM and its subsidiaries – AEM Singapore and AEM Americas – which the company denies.
Following the news, shares of AEM plunged on Monday (Oct 6) morning. As at 10.53 am, the counter was down 9.3 per cent or S$0.19 at S$1.85, with some 12.3 million shares changing hands.
The infringements relate to US patents relating to a specific wafer level test system, the company said. It added that Advantest has filed a complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of California.
However, AEM said that it does not practice the wafer level test system in question and that the complaints “lack merit”.
“AEM has its own extensive patent portfolio and respects the intellectual property of others. It strongly denies the allegations in Advantest’s complaint. AEM has already retained US counsel to defend itself against Advantest’s claims, which lack merit,” the company said.
AEM and Advantest were previously involved in an arbitration case that was resolved via settlement on Jul 28, 2023. The agreement involved AEM making two payments – worth US$9 million and US$11 million – to the complainants.
The group said that the latest complaint does not affect its business operations.
It added that its revenue guidance for H2 2025 remains unchanged. On Aug 13, it projected that revenue for the latter half of 2025 would be in the range of S$170 million to S$190 million, as a major customer is expected to ramp up production in late 2025 or early 2026.
Shares of AEM closed on Friday at S$2.04, up 6.3 per cent or S$0.12.
