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.
Real estate agent and property developer JSL Construction & Development Co (愛山林) led the average compensation rankings among companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) last year, while contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) finished 14th. JSL Construction paid its employees total average compensation of NT$4.78 million (US$159,701), down 13.5 percent from a year earlier, but still ahead of the most profitable listed tech giants, including TSMC, TWSE data showed. Last year, the average compensation (which includes salary, overtime, bonuses and allowances) paid by TSMC rose 21.6 percent to reach about NT$3.33 million, lifting its ranking by 10 notches
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