HTC Corp’s (宏達電) consolidated sales for last year fell 35 percent from the previous year, hitting their lowest level in 12 years.
In a statement issued yesterday, the company reported consolidated sales of NT$78.16 billion (US$2.44 billion) last year, the lowest level since it posted annual sales of NT$72.77 billion in 2005.
HTC’s annual sales had not fallen below NT$100 billion since then.
Last month, HTC’s sales reached NT$6.41 billion, down 16.42 percent from the NT$7.67 billion posted in November and 1.7 percent from the same period the previous year.
Analysts said HTC, which is the sole contract manufacturer of Google’s Pixel smartphone series aside from marketing its own brand, saw its sales peak in September and October last year when it reported revenue of NT$9.33 billion and NT$8.17 billion respectively.
HTC is expected to unveil its new smartphone models on Thursday next week.
Local media reports have said the new models would have larger screens in a bid to seize the niche market vacated by Samsung Electronics Co after the Galaxy Note 7 was pulled from the market because of exploding batteries.
HTC shares fell 0.12 percent to close at NT$81.3 in Taipei trading yesterday.
Over the past 12 months, the company’s shares have risen 5.86 percent, underperforming the broader market, which has gained 17.12 percent over the same period.
Meanwhile, shares in smartphone camera lens supplier Largan Precision Co (大立光) continued to set records yesterday as foreign institutional investors returned from the New Year holiday and resumed buying local equities.
Largan shares closed up 2.35 percent at NT$4,145 on the Taiwan Stock Exchange, while the TAIEX closed 0.15 percent higher at 9,372.22.
Largan’s closing price was the highest since it was listed on the main board in March 2002.
The stock soared 7.14 percent to pass the NT$4,000 mark for the first time on Thursday.
The domestic unit of the Chinese-owned, Dutch-headquartered chipmaker Nexperia BV will soon be able to produce semiconductors locally within China, according to two company sources. Nexperia is at the center of a global tug-of-war over critical semiconductor technology, with a Dutch court in February ordering a probe into alleged mismanagement at the company. The geopolitical tussle has disrupted supply chains, with some carmakers reportedly forced to cut production due to chip shortages. Local production would allow Nexperia’s domestic arm, Nexperia Semiconductors (China) Ltd (安世半導體中國), to bypass restrictions in place since October on the supply of silicon wafers — etched with tiny components to
Taiwan is open to joining a global liquefied natural gas (LNG) program if one is created, but on the condition that countries provide delivery even in a scenario where there is a conflict with China, an energy department official said yesterday. While Taiwan’s priority is to have enough LNG at home, the nation is open to exploring potential strategic reserves in other countries such as Japan or South Korea, Energy Administration Deputy Director-General Chen Chung-hsien (陳崇憲) said. While the LNG market does not have a global reserve for emergencies like that of oil, the concept has been raised a few times —
AI-FUELED DEMAND: The company has been benefiting from the skyrocketing prices for DRAM chips amid the AI frenzy, especially its core product — DDR4 DRAM chips DRAM chipmaker Nanya Technology Corp (南亞科技) yesterday reported that its revenue for the first quarter surged 582.91 percent to NT$49.09 billion (US$1.54 billion) from NT$7.19 billion a year earlier, as the supply crunch caused chip price spikes. Last quarter’s figure is the highest on record. On a quarterly basis, revenue jumped 63.14 percent from NT$30.09 billion, the company said. In January, Nanya Technology expected global DRAM supply scarcity to continue through the first half of 2028, thanks to strong demand for artificial intelligence (AI) applications. Market researcher TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) forecast prices of standard DRAM chips would rise between 58 percent and 63
HIGHER PRICES: Given rising energy costs, CPC raised natural gas prices for generators by 41.58%, which Taipower said would raise its power generation costs by NT$10 billion State-run CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) has activated its fourth naphtha cracker to boost ethylene supply, aiming to ease concerns over plastic material shortages amid tensions in the Middle East, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said yesterday. The move is expected to add 19,000 tonnes of supply this month and 30,000 tonnes next month, Deputy Minister of Economic Affairs Ho Chin-tsang (何晉滄) said at a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee in Taipei. CPC on Tuesday held talks with major polyethylene producers, including Formosa Plastics Corp (台塑), Asia Polymer Corp (亞聚) and USI Corp (台聚), and pledged to supply ethylene feedstock
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