Infineon Technologies AG, the German semiconductor giant, reported a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss yesterday owing to poor performance by its memory chip affiliate Qimonda.
Infineon, which runs its business year from October to September, recorded a net loss of 197 million euros (US$268 million) in the third quarter. In the same period last year it made a loss of 23 million euros.
Operations switched into a loss of 280 million euros from an operating profit of 49 million euros last year.
Infineon's turnover slumped by 11 percent on an annualized basis in the third quarter to 1.75 billion euros, which is a slightly bigger drop than analysts had predicted.
Infineon chief executive officer Wolfgang Ziebart told reporters that the company planned to dispose of Qimonda completely but did not plan to sell it off to a single investor.
Separately, Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd (
The net loss for the three-month period to last month compared with a US$12.9 million net profit in the second quarter last year, said the company, which is listed in Singapore and on New York's NASDAQ high-tech market.
Chartered, one of the world's leading semiconductor foundries, said revenues of US$324.3 million were down 11.1 percent in the second quarter, primarily on weakness in the consumer sector.
Chartered makes built-to-order chips in competition with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電).
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