Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), the world's biggest motherboard maker, had a 20 percent increase in third-quarter profit after demand for notebook computers tripled its sales.
Net income for the three-month period ending last month rose to NT$5 billion (US$149 million) from NT$4.2 billion a year earlier. Sales, which the Taipei-based company reported earlier, jumped 210 percent to NT$56.3 billion.
The quarterly figures were derived by subtracting first-half earnings from nine-month figures provided by the company.
"Asustek successfully grew its business by using its leading position in motherboards to penetrate areas like notebook computers," Phil Chen, who manages the US$46 million Grand Cathay Hi Tech Fund, said before the release.
Worldwide personal-computer shipments in the third quarter jumped 17 percent to 52.8 million units from a year earlier on better-than-expected sales of notebooks and inexpensive PCs, research firm IDC said in an Oct. 17 report. IDC on Sept. 19 increased its PC shipment growth forecast for this year to 14.1 from 11.4 percent.
Asustek is joining Taiwanese makers such as Acer Inc and BenQ Corp (明基) in moving beyond the role of contract manufacturers for overseas customers.
Profit generated from selling products under its own brand is the most important catalyst for Asustek's growth, analysts including Ellen Tseng, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, said.
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