Semiconductor Equipment Shipments Hit Record High; How Beginners Can Verify the Data

I spent two days breaking down SEMI's Q2 shipment data into a local verification checklist. The method isn't complex, but it really helps prevent misinterpretations.

Semiconductor equipment refers to the machines and tools used to manufacture chips, such as those involved in lithography, etching, and thin-film deposition. Shipment value is the revenue from selling these equipment to customers, measured in USD. Year-over-year (YoY) growth compares against the same quarter last year, while quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) growth compares against the previous quarter. The news figures state that global semiconductor equipment shipment value for Q2 2026 was $40.53 billion, up 23% YoY and 11% QoQ, marking a record high for the second consecutive quarter.

First, open your browser and find this report on IT Home or the SEMI report summary page. Press Ctrl + F, type 405.3 in the search box, and see the amount highlighted. Then type 23% and 11% to confirm all three numbers are present.

Next, open spreadsheet software, create a new blank workbook, and you'll see an empty grid. In A1 enter Metric, B1 Value, C1 Unit, D1 Scope, E1 Notes. Here, "Scope" refers to statistical rules, such as time period, currency, and which equipment types are included.

Then in A2 to E2 enter: Global Semiconductor Equipment Shipment Value, 405.3, Billion USD, SEMI Global Semiconductor Equipment Market Report, Q2 2026, Approx. RMB 272.946 Billion. In A3 to E3 enter: YoY Growth, 23, %, Compared to Q2 last year, Avoid mixing with QoQ. In A4 to E4 enter: QoQ Growth, 11, %, Compared to previous quarter, Do not back-calculate if previous quarter value is missing.

Select A1 to E4, click Insert, find Table or Create Table, and filter arrows will appear in the header (small arrows allowing column filtering). Click File, select Save As, name it SEMI_2026Q2_Shipment_Verification, and save successfully.

The benefit of doing this is that units are strictly separated; USD and RMB won't get mixed in one cell. YoY and QoQ are also less likely to be confused. With the scope recorded, you can compare figures when seeing different institutions' data later. This table is reusable; next quarter, just update three rows.

The drawbacks are obvious too. Public reports have a lag; by the time you see them, a procurement cycle may have passed. Shipment value does not equal installed base, nor does it reflect actual chip fab capacity ramp-up. Exchange rate fluctuations affect RMB-based figures; the RMB conversion in the news is just for reference. It only gives total volume, not whether etchers saw more growth than testers.

Pitfalls: I found three common mistakes during testing. First, searching for 23% might fail because some pages write YoY growth 23% and others 23%, with different spaces and punctuation. Try searching 23, then 11, and visually confirm the unit. Second, entering 272.946 directly into B2 while leaving C2 as Billion USD is a common error. Fill the Unit column first, and keep the Value column purely numeric to avoid this. Third, seeing QoQ growth 11% can lead to misinterpreting it as equipment becoming cheaper. Higher shipment value could mean higher sales volume or higher unit prices. When working on robot hardware, I care more about lead times and prices for controllers, sensors, and power devices, rather than total volume hype.

This table's purpose is to lock down several easily overlooked numbers from the news.

Field	News Figure	Common Novice Misinterpretation
Shipment Value	$40.53 Billion	Mistaken for unit sales volume
YoY Growth	23%	Mistaken for increase over previous quarter
QoQ Growth	11%	Mistaken for annual trend

After learning this, try expanding the same table to cover the last four quarters. When SEMI releases new data, just update the value, YoY, and QoQ rows. If equipment shipments hit another record next quarter but quotes for robot joint controllers haven't dropped, I'd look at lead times for controllers, sensors, and power devices first.