[Core News] MLCC Is Rumored To Be Rising Again, Texas Instruments Acquires Coreco, And Renesas Timing Business Is Sold

1. The spot price of MLCC has increased by up to 20%, and the industry is facing a period of rising volume and price.

According to Taiwan's "Economic Daily" news, following the successive price increases of tantalum capacitors last year, chip resistors and magnetic beads in early 2026, multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC), the largest volume in the market, have officially started a price increase mode. Mainland China channel dealers have taken the lead in raising spot prices, with a maximum increase of 20%.The industry generally expects that Taiwanese MLCC leaders such as Yageo and Huaxin Technology will follow up and adjust their prices. It is a foregone conclusion that subsequent contract prices will rise simultaneously. The MLCC industry will usher in a full-scale explosion of both volume and price.

2. Q1 MLCC market is polarized, high-end demand explodes against the trend

The latest research from TrendForce shows that the global MLCC industry will show an extremely differentiated pattern in the first quarter of 2026.Driven by the implementation of physical AI applications, demand for high-end MLCCs has exploded against the trend; while mid- and low-end MLCCs have been affected by the off-season effect and soaring raw material costs, putting pressure on traditional consumer electronics demand and causing manufacturers to face greater operating pressure.

At present, the utilization rate of high-end MLCC production capacity of major Japanese and Korean manufacturers such as Murata, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Taiyo Yuden remains above 80%, and orders continue to be strong.Among them, Murata, relying on its advantage in key material sources for advanced packaging, estimates that Q1 high-end MLCC orders will increase by 20%-25% quarter-to-quarter, and the production line will continue to be fully loaded.

3. Texas Instruments acquires Silicon Labs for US$7.5 billion

On February 4, local time, Texas Instruments (TI) announced the acquisition of Silicon Labs in an all-cash transaction of US$7.5 billion.This acquisition will integrate Xinke Technology's product portfolio and expertise in the field of mixed-signal solutions, combined with TI's leading analog and embedded processing products and its own manufacturing capabilities, to create a global leader in embedded wireless connectivity solutions.

TI Chairman, President and CEO Haviv Ilan said that this acquisition is an important milestone in strengthening the company's long-term embedded processing strategy. TI's technology and manufacturing capabilities will be adapted to Xinke Technology's product portfolio to provide global customers with more reliable supply guarantees.

4. SiTime acquires Renesas Electronics’ timing business to expand high-growth application areas

SiTime and Renesas Electronics jointly announced that SiTime will acquire Renesas’ timing business. The two parties also signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to explore integrating SiTime’s MEMS resonators into Renesas’ embedded computing products.The transaction was completed in the form of US$1.5 billion in cash and SiTime common shares, and is expected to complete regulatory approvals and other delivery conditions before the end of 2026.

SiTime Chairman and CEO Rajesh Vashist said that after the acquisition, the company's clock product portfolio will increase by more than 10 times, further expanding coverage in high-growth areas of the timing market such as communications, enterprises, and data centers. These areas are expected to account for more than 60% of the company's revenue after the acquisition.Renesas said that the transaction will allow it to focus more on its leadership position in the field of embedded computing.

5. Infineon acquires part of ams-Osram’s sensor business for 570 million euros

On February 3, Infineon announced that it would acquire the non-optical analog/mixed-signal sensor product portfolio from ams Osram Group for 570 million euros.This fabless asset transaction covers sensor products, R&D capabilities, intellectual property and test laboratory equipment. It is expected to complete regulatory approval and other closing conditions in the second quarter of 2026.