Clean room supplier Acter Group Corp (聖暉) yesterday said that it was cautiously optimistic about this year’s business outlook as the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed customers’ installations.
The outbreak has dampened short-term customer demand as some orders have been postponed, the Taichung-based company said in a statement.
However, most semiconductor companies and passive component manufacturers have not reduced their capital expenditure, bolstering Acter’s confidence regarding longer-term prospects.
Growth momentum is expected to be fueled by Taiwanese manufacturers shifting production back home from China, or expanding into Southeast Asian countries amid the US’ tightened restrictions on the global supply of chips to Huawei Technologies Co (華為), Acter said.
“The company expects the US restrictions will spur China to speed up efforts to build its own semiconductor supply and deployment of 5G technology, which should help boost demand for Acter’s clean rooms and related equipment,” it said.
“As electronics and semiconductor clients are resuming installation, growth momentum is picking up in the second half,” the company added.
Acter expects revenue to be flat this year, compared with last year.
Last year, Acter made NT$12.68 billion (US$422.24 million) in revenue, more than half of which came from its clean room business.
Acter shareholders yesterday approved a proposal to distribute a cash dividend of NT$15 per common share, which represents a payout ratio of about 78 percent based on the company’s earnings per share of NT$19.16 last year.
It would be the ninth consecutive year that Acter delivers a payout ratio of more than 65 percent.
The payout also represents a dividend yield of 7.16 percent, based on the company’s closing price of NT$209.50 in Taipei trading yesterday.
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