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Circuit board materials and tiny capacitors shortage: Stage 1, Starting
Stage 1 · StartingGlass cloth for chip boards (one maker holds about 90%) and MLCC capacitors. Prices up 30% to 140%.
- What is short
- Glass cloth for chip boards (one maker holds about 90%) and MLCC capacitors. Prices up 30% to 140%.
- Fear holding it back
- Most makers trade in Japan and Taiwan; US exposure is thin.
- What could change it
- New glass cloth capacity mid-2027 at the earliest.
- What the stage means
- Stage 1, Starting: supply is tight and prices just began to rise, but the stocks have not moved yet.
Six shortage signals
5/6- Prices rising: yes
- Lead times over a year: yes
- Sold out or long contracts: yes
- New supply 18+ months away: yes
- Stock below its high: yes
- A dated catalyst: no
More signals means a tighter squeeze. How the signals work.
Stocks tied to this shortage
| TTMI TTM Technologies | Stage 1 · Starting | $122.80 | $53.36 – $223.83 | 45% | $203.00 | $165.31 | $46.25 |
| VSH Vishay | Stage 1 · Starting | $32.46 Sep 29 | $11.77 – $69.47 | 53% | $40.00 | $123.23 | $55.00 |
Range bar: the dark tick is the price between the 12-month low (left) and high (right). The green tick is the analysts' average 12-month target, capped at the high. Good case uses that target. Bad case is a 2022-style slump: a 25% market drop scaled by the stock's beta (floor 0.5; 2.5 where beta is missing). Event stocks use an "event fails" estimate. These are what-if numbers, not predictions.
Dates to watch
Mid-2027First new glass cloth capacity for chip boardsTTMI
Questions
What is short in circuit board materials and tiny capacitors?
Glass cloth for chip boards (one maker holds about 90%) and MLCC capacitors. Prices up 30% to 140%.
What stage is the circuit board materials and tiny capacitors shortage in?
Stage 1, Starting: supply is tight and prices just began to rise, but the stocks have not moved yet. It scores 5 of 6 shortage signals.
What is holding circuit board materials and tiny capacitors stocks back?
Most makers trade in Japan and Taiwan; US exposure is thin.
What could change the circuit board materials and tiny capacitors story?
New glass cloth capacity mid-2027 at the earliest.
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