Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp (世界先進), which makes driver integrated circuits (ICs) used in PCs and flat panel TVs, raised its first-quarter outlook yesterday amid an increase in rush orders.
Vanguard has joined major chipmakers in fine-tuning their forecasts over the impact of the global economic recession on electronics demand.
The Hsinchu-based chipmaker said wafer shipments might fall by 35 percent from the fourth quarter of last year instead of the 50 percent drop it forecast in January. Factory usage may drop to around 30 percent this quarter instead of to 25 percent, compared to 46 percent last quarter.
“Due to the rush orders, our previous estimate of the first quarter guidance is revised,” company vice president Robert Hsieh (謝徽榮) said in a statement.
Gross profit margin might fall to minus 35 percent from minus 10 percent last quarter, Hsieh said.
The company had forecast that gross profit margin would range between minus 65 percent and minus 69 percent.
The blended ASP [average selling price] will decrease by a “mid-to-high single digit percentage sequentially because of a change in product portfolio,” Hsieh said.
Vanguard had previously said ASP might drop by a low single-percentage point this quarter from last quarter. It raised its first-quarter forecast after posting a higher sales for last month at NT$538 million (US$15.5 million) on Monday, up 16 percent from NT$464 million in January.
Vanguard shares dropped 1.15 percent to NT$9.47 yesterday, under-performing the benchmark TAIEX, which fell 0.11 percent.
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