Largan Precision Co (大立光), the world’s largest handset camera lens supplier, yesterday said that sales rose to a record high of NT$3.18 billion (US$107 million) last month on the back of strong demand for Apple Inc’s new iPhone and iPad products.
The number was up 8.82 percent from NT$2.92 billion in the previous month and 5.74 percent from NT$3 billion a year ago, according to company data.
Cumulative sales during the first 11 months of the year amounted to NT$24.23 billion, up 43.3 percent from NT$16.91 billion during the same period of last year.
Deutsche Bank analyst Birdy Lu (呂家霖) said by telephone yesterday that Largan’s results met his expectations as the company’s sales usually peaked in November after Apple launched new products.
Apple is Largan’s biggest client, accounting for nearly half of Largan’s total orders of camera modules.
“While there is a likelihood for Largan to post another record-high in sales for this month, records show that Largan’s sales usually slide after peaking in November,” Lu said.
Seperately, Catcher Technology Co (可成科技), which supplies metal casings for Apple’s MacBooks and iPads, also reported yesterday that its sales hit a record high of NT$4.65 billion last month.
Sales last month increased 2.15 percent from NT$4.55 billion in the previous month and 49.89 percent from NT$3.1 billion a year ago, Catcher said in an e-mailed statement.
Cumulative sales in the 11-month period added up to NT$39.33 billion, up 18.22 percent from NT$33.27 billion during the same period last year, the company said.
“Apple’s iPad mini and Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle Fire tablets are Catcher’s main sales drivers,” Horizon Securities Co (宏遠證券) analyst Cheng Kai-ming (鄭開明) said.
The company also supplies metal casings for Dell Inc’s laptop products, Cheng said.
“Compared with competitors like Casetek Holdings Ltd (鎧勝), Catcher has a greater capacity for new orders, particularly of Apple’s iPhone 5 series of smartphones,” Cheng said.
Largan’s shares closed up 0.47 percent at NT$1,080 yesterday, while Catcher’s ended up 0.28 percent at NT$181.5.
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