# Cohu **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/cohu **Vertical:** Semiconductors & Hardware **Subcategory:** Semiconductor Test & Handling Equipment **Tier:** Growth **Website:** cohu.com **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary Mid-size semiconductor test handler and contactor specialist; ~$500M revenue. ABTS and Neon thermal test handler platforms serve mobility, automotive, and data center SoC testing. ## Company Overview Cohu Inc. was founded in 1947 in Poway, California and has grown into a leading mid-size provider of semiconductor test equipment through organic development and acquisitions. The company focuses on test handlers (which position chips in automated test systems), contactors (which make electrical contact between chips and test sockets), thermal management during test, and integrated test cell solutions. Cohu is a complement to ATE vendors like Teradyne and Advantest, providing the mechanical handling infrastructure that feeds chips into testers at high volume.\n\nCohu's product portfolio includes the ABTS (Automated Burn-in and Test System) platform, the Neon thermal handler for extreme temperature testing (-55°C to +165°C), and a comprehensive contactor library for BGA, QFP, and advanced packaging formats. Key served markets include automotive (ADAS, power management), mobility (smartphone application processors, modem chips), and data center (SoC, memory interface). Automotive reliability testing is a major growth driver, as automotive-grade chips require extensive burn-in and temperature cycling per AEC-Q100 standards.\n\nCohu acquired Xcerra in 2018 to significantly expand its handler product line and global service network. The company reported approximately $500 million in revenue, with margins impacted by semiconductor capital equipment cycles. As automotive electrification and ADAS content per vehicle grow, Cohu's thermal test handler business is expected to see sustained demand growth. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does Cohu make for semiconductor testing? Cohu makes test handlers (robots that position chips for testing), thermal test systems (for burn-in and temperature cycling), and contactors (precision electrical interface between chips and test sockets) used in high-volume semiconductor manufacturing. ### Why is automotive testing important for Cohu? Automotive-grade chips must pass stringent AEC-Q100 reliability testing including temperature cycling from -55°C to +165°C. Cohu's Neon thermal handler is well-suited for this demanding automotive qualification testing market. ### Who are Cohu's main customers? Cohu's customers include major OSAT (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test) companies like ASE, Amkor, and JCET, as well as IDMs such as Infineon, NXP, and STMicro that test chips at their own facilities. ### What is Cohu and what semiconductor test equipment does it make? Cohu is a Poway, California-based semiconductor test equipment company providing test handlers, contactors, thermal management systems, and integrated test cell solutions. Test handlers automatically move chips into test sockets during production testing; contactors make the electrical connection between chips and test equipment. Cohu complements Automated Test Equipment (ATE) vendors like Teradyne and Advantest by providing the mechanical handling infrastructure around their testers. ### What semiconductor markets does Cohu serve? Cohu serves markets including automotive semiconductors (a major growth driver as vehicles add more chips), industrial electronics, consumer electronics, and computing. The company has particularly strong positioning in automotive semiconductor testing, where quality requirements are rigorous and test thoroughness is critical—failures in automotive chips can cause safety incidents. ### What was Cohu's acquisition of Xcerra and what did it add? Cohu acquired Xcerra Corporation in 2018 for approximately $780 million, significantly expanding its test handler and contactor portfolio. The Xcerra acquisition brought complementary products and customer relationships in consumer and automotive test markets, making Cohu a more comprehensive test equipment supplier capable of serving a broader range of chip packaging types and test requirements. ### How does Cohu's business cycle correlate with semiconductor industry cycles? Like all semiconductor equipment companies, Cohu's revenue is highly cyclical—correlated with semiconductor industry capex cycles. When chip demand is strong and manufacturers are expanding capacity, test equipment spending rises; during inventory correction periods, spending contracts sharply. Cohu's revenue swings significantly with these cycles, making its financial performance difficult to predict on an annual basis despite long-term growth tied to chip demand increases. ### How does Cohu compete with Teradyne, Advantest, and National Instruments? Teradyne and Advantest are the dominant ATE (automated test equipment) vendors; Cohu is primarily a test handler and interface hardware vendor that supports these systems rather than competing directly. In the broader test ecosystem, Cohu competes with Xcerra (before its acquisition), Multitest (Advantest subsidiary), and other handler manufacturers. Cohu differentiates through its comprehensive contactor and thermal solution portfolio for precision-critical automotive chip testing. ### What does Cohu do? Cohu is a semiconductor test and inspection equipment company that provides handlers, contactors, thermal subsystems, and test systems used by semiconductor manufacturers and OSATs to test ICs after fabrication — ensuring quality before chips ship to end customers. ### Why is semiconductor testing critical? Untested or improperly tested chips can fail in end products — causing recalls, safety issues, and reputational damage. Semiconductor testing verifies every chip meets specifications, and Cohu's equipment automates this process at production scale. ### What is Cohu's market position? Cohu is a top-three global semiconductor test handler supplier, competing with Advantest and Teradyne in test equipment — serving OSAT companies (Amkor, ASE, JCET) and integrated device manufacturers who test their own chips. ### What semiconductor market segments does Cohu serve? Cohu serves automotive, industrial, and mobile semiconductor test markets — with particular strength in automotive semiconductors, where reliability requirements demand extensive testing and its thermal test expertise is differentiated. ### How does the automotive semiconductor boom affect Cohu? Vehicle electrification and ADAS drive significant growth in automotive semiconductor content per vehicle — increasing demand for Cohu's automotive test equipment as chipmakers ramp production of power management, sensor, and microcontroller ICs for EVs and safety systems. ### What does Cohu do in the semiconductor industry? Cohu is a leading provider of semiconductor test and inspection equipment—including handlers, pick-and-place systems, thermal subsystems, and interface solutions—used by semiconductor manufacturers and OSATs (outsourced semiconductor assembly and test companies) to test chips after fabrication. ### What are the end markets for chips tested on Cohu equipment? Chips tested on Cohu equipment go into automotive electronics, mobility, industrial IoT, 5G infrastructure, consumer electronics, and computing applications. Cohu has a particular strength in automotive-grade semiconductor testing, which requires the highest reliability and temperature range testing standards. ### How does Cohu generate revenue? Cohu generates revenue through equipment sales (handlers, testers, inspection systems), installed base services (maintenance, repairs, upgrades), and consumables (interfaces, contactors) for its large global installed base at semiconductor manufacturers and OSATs. ### What is Cohu's market position? Cohu (NASDAQ: COHU) is one of the top three semiconductor test handler companies globally, alongside Advantest and Teradyne in the broader test equipment market. The company expanded significantly through its 2018 acquisition of Xcerra Corporation. ### How is Cohu affected by the semiconductor cycle? Like all semiconductor equipment companies, Cohu's revenue is cyclical—rising when chip manufacturers invest in new capacity and falling during inventory corrections and demand downturns. Cohu manages this through its recurring services business and focus on the more stable automotive semiconductor test market. ### What does Cohu make for the semiconductor industry? Cohu is a supplier of semiconductor test and handling equipment—the systems that test finished semiconductor chips and integrated circuits after manufacturing to ensure they meet performance and quality specifications before shipping to customers. Cohu's equipment portfolio includes chip test handlers, thermal subsystems, and semiconductor test socket hardware. ### What semiconductor applications are Cohu's test systems used for? Cohu's test equipment is used across semiconductor applications including automotive chips (a major growth area given the rise of ADAS and EV electronics), industrial and IoT chips, consumer devices, 5G communications components, and memory chips. Automotive semiconductor testing is particularly important given automotive-grade reliability requirements and qualification standards. ### What is Cohu's market position in semiconductor test equipment? Cohu is one of the top three suppliers of semiconductor test handling equipment globally alongside Advantest and Teradyne. The company serves many of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers and Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) companies that test chips on behalf of fabless semiconductor designers. ### How does semiconductor test equipment demand correlate with the broader chip market? Semiconductor test equipment demand is highly cyclical—it tracks chip production volumes and capacity investment cycles. When semiconductor companies invest in new manufacturing capacity, they purchase new test equipment. When chip demand softens and capacity utilization falls, test equipment orders decline. Cohu's revenue therefore reflects broader semiconductor cycle dynamics with a capital equipment time lag. ### What has Cohu done to address the automotive semiconductor testing market? Cohu has strategically invested in automotive semiconductor testing capabilities through its acquisition of Xcerra Corporation in 2018 and organic development of automotive-specific test handlers and thermal management systems. Automotive chips require more rigorous testing at a broader range of temperatures and stress conditions than consumer chips, and Cohu's automotive test portfolio is designed to meet AEC-Q100 automotive qualification standards. ## Tags b2b, global, public, hardware, manufacturing, automation, technology, ev --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*