TECHNOLOGY
Asustek to sell ASMedia stock
Asustek Computer Inc (華碩) yesterday said it plans to sell 1.5 million shares of subsidiary ASMedia Technology Inc (祥碩科技) in a bid to increase the IC designer’s liquidity in the stock market. ASMedia shares dropped 2.53 percent to close at NT$270 in Taipei trading yesterday, underperforming the TAIEX, which edged down 0.22 percent. Asustek said in a statement that after selling the shares, its holdings in ASMedia would decline from 56.23 percent to 53.57 percent. The company might further reduce its holding in ASMedia to below 50 percent in the foreseeable future, it said.
BANKING
Tong Yang bid approved
The Philippine central bank has approved Yuanta Commercial Bank’s (元大銀行) plan to acquire 100 percent of Tong Yang Savings Bank shares, making it the first foreign subsidiary of the Taiwanese bank, according to a statement issued by Yuanta. Tong Yang Savings Bank is a subsidiary of Tongyang Group of South Korea, with a 0.14 percent market share there. In November last year, Yuanta Bank’s board approved a proposal to acquire the South Korean group’s Philippine lender for 12.2 billion won (US$10.86 million).
TECHNOLOGY
Ennoconn sales up 149%
Computer peripheral device supplier Ennoconn Corp (樺漢) yesterday reported sales of NT$938.67 million, up 16.02 percent month-on-month and 149 percent year-on-year, thanks to support from parent company Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) and synergy from its recent merger-and-acquisition activities. That enabled the company to report record-high quarterly sales of NT$2.61 billion in the second quarter. Ennoconn president Chu Fu-chuan (朱復銓) said sales in the second half should be better than the NT$4.999 billion it made in the first six months, with a sales split of 45-55 or even 40-60 for the first and second halves of the year. The company supplies POS/ATM systems, network products, industrial automation systems, as well as game consoles.
TELECOMS
Arima monthly sales pick up
Following disappointing sales in April and May, contract handset maker Arima Communication Corp (華冠通訊) saw its sales momentum recover last month after major clients launched new models. Arima counts big firms such as Sony Corp and LG Electronics Co among its clients. The company yesterday reported revenues of NT$1.79 billion for last month, up 23.2 percent from a year ago and 54.6 percent from the prior month. In the first half of the year, cumulative revenue totaled NT$9.15 billion, down 27.03 percent from the same period last year.
GAMING
X-Legend sales up 23.3%
Online game publisher X-Legend Entertainment Co (傳奇網路) yesterday reported stronger-than-expected sales of NT$115.47 million last month, in which the company’s MMORPG skill/stat points generated about NT$980 million and royalty revenues abroad came in at NT$170 million. Last month’s sales rose 23.3 percent year-on-year and 18.89 percent from the previous month, which the company attributed to the launch of new game title Astral Realm on June 11. The company’s sales for the first six months of the year totaled NT$589.39 million, down 12.1 percent from a year earlier. However, X-Legend said it is looking to the upcoming publication of several new titles to boost its sales in the second half of the year.
Taiwan will prioritize the development of silicon photonics by taking advantage of its strength in the semiconductor industry to build another shield to protect the local economy, National Development Council (NDC) Minister Paul Liu (劉鏡清) said yesterday. Speaking at a meeting of the legislature’s Economics Committee, Liu said Taiwan already has the artificial intelligence (AI) industry as a shield, after the semiconductor industry, to safeguard the country, and is looking at new unique fields to build more economic shields. While Taiwan will further strengthen its existing shields, over the longer term, the country is determined to focus on such potential segments as
UNCERTAINTY: Innolux activated a stringent supply chain management mechanism, as it did during the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure optimal inventory levels for customers Flat-panel display makers AUO Corp (友達) and Innolux Corp (群創) yesterday said that about 12 to 20 percent of their display business is at risk of potential US tariffs and that they would relocate production or shipment destinations to mitigate the levies’ effects. US tariffs would have a direct impact of US$200 million on AUO’s revenue, company chairman Paul Peng (彭雙浪) told reporters on the sidelines of the Touch Taiwan trade show in Taipei yesterday. That would make up about 12 percent of the company’s overall revenue. To cope with the tariff uncertainty, AUO plans to allocate its production to manufacturing facilities in
COLLABORATION: Given Taiwan’s key position in global supply chains, the US firm is discussing strategies with local partners and clients to deal with global uncertainties Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) yesterday said it is meeting with local ecosystem partners, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), to discuss strategies, including long-term manufacturing, to navigate uncertainties such as US tariffs, as Taiwan occupies an important position in global supply chains. AMD chief executive officer Lisa Su (蘇姿丰) told reporters that Taiwan is an important part of the chip designer’s ecosystem and she is discussing with partners and customers in Taiwan to forge strong collaborations on different areas during this critical period. AMD has just become the first artificial-intelligence (AI) server chip customer of TSMC to utilize its advanced
Chizuko Kimura has become the first female sushi chef in the world to win a Michelin star, fulfilling a promise she made to her dying husband to continue his legacy. The 54-year-old Japanese chef regained the Michelin star her late husband, Shunei Kimura, won three years ago for their Sushi Shunei restaurant in Paris. For Shunei Kimura, the star was a dream come true. However, the joy was short-lived. He died from cancer just three months later in June 2022. He was 65. The following year, the restaurant in the heart of Montmartre lost its star rating. Chizuko Kimura insisted that the new star is still down
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