Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), which supplies the processors used in Apple Inc’s iPhones, yesterday posted record-high quarterly revenue of NT$293.05 billion (US$9.5 billion) for the third quarter amid robust sales of the new iPhone 11.
That surpassed the Hsinchu-based chipmaker’s forecast in July that revenue would climb to between US$9.1 billion and US$9.2 billion in the third quarter.
Last quarter’s revenue represented quarter-on-quarter growth of 21.6 percent and a year-on-year increase of 12.56 percent.
IC Insights Inc forecast that TSMC would post US$9.15 billion in revenue for the third quarter and US$10.5 billion this quarter, according to a report released by the US-based market advisory firm on Sept. 25.
TSMC chief executive C.C. Wei (魏哲家) in July told investors that the company’s business would be driven by the launch of new premium smartphones, an acceleration of 5G development and increased adoption of its cutting-edge 7-nanometer technology by high-performance applications.
Meanwhile, United Microelectronics Co (UMC, 聯電) yesterday posted revenue of NT$37.74 billion for last quarter, a 1.65 percent year-on-year decline compared with last year’s NT$39.39 billion.
On a quarterly basis, revenue expanded 4.75 percent.
The result matched the chipmaker’s expectation after it estimated that wafer shipments would increase by between 2 and 4 percent quarter-on-quarter.
UMC in July said that the wireless communications segment would show the strongest growth in the third quarter.
Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp (世界先進), which makes power management ICs and driver ICs used in flat panels, posted revenue of NT$7.13 billion for last quarter, an increase of 3.03 percent from NT$6.92 billion in the second quarter.
That was in line with Vanguard’s expectation after it had estimated that revenue would be between NT$6.9 billion and NT$7.3 billion.
The chipmaker had predicted that increasing demand for power management ICs used in 5G base stations and driver ICs used in smartphone panels would fuel growth.
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