Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) remained the world’s largest contract chipmaker in the second quarter of the year with a 53.4 percent share of the global pure-play foundry market, the Taipei-based market information advisory firm TrendForce Corp (集邦科技) said in a research report on Tuesday.
Despite TSMC’s market share dipping slightly from 53.6 percent in the first quarter, it was still far ahead of its rivals, TrendForce said.
TSMC continued to benefit from emerging technologies, such as high-performance computing devices, the Internet of Things and automotive electronics, as it posted US$18.15 billion in sales in the second quarter, up 3.5 percent from a quarter earlier, it said.
Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE
The mild quarter-on-quarter sales growth during the period from April to June reflected a relatively high comparison base in the first quarter, when TSMC raised chip prices amid a global supply shortage, TrendForce said.
South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co placed second with a 16.5 percent global market share, as it posted US$5.59 billion in sales, up 4.9 percent from a quarter earlier, the report showed.
Taiwan’s United Microelectronics Corp (UMC, 聯電) took third spot with US$2.45 billion in sales and a 7.2 percent global share in the second quarter, TrendForce said.
UMC’s second-quarter sales rose 8.1 percent from a quarter earlier on the back of support from its 22 and 28 nanometer processes, it added.
US-based GlobalFoundries Inc was the fourth-largest contract chipmaker with a 5.9 percent global market share after posting US$1.99 billion.
China’s Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC, 中芯國際), which posted US$1.90 billion in sales and held a 5.6 percent global market share, placed fifth, TrendForce said.
China’s Hua Hong Semiconductor Ltd (華虹半導體) came in sixth with a 3.1 percent global market share after posting US$1.06 billion in sales, followed by Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (力積電) with US$656 million in sales and 1.9 percent in market share, Taiwan’s Vanguard International Semiconductor Corp (世界先進) with US$520 million in sales and 1.5 percent in market share, South Korea’s Nextchip Co with US$463 million in sales and 1.4 percent in market share, and Israel’s Tower Semiconductor Ltd with US$426 million in sales and 1.3 percent in market share, TrendForce said.
The top 10 contract chipmakers posted US$33.2 billion in combined sales in the second quarter, up 3.9 percent from a quarter earlier, accounting for 98 percent of global revenue, it said.
Sales growth momentum of the 10 largest contract chipmakers showed signs of slowing in the second quarter, as global demand for consumer electronics gadgets weakened, it added.
Inventory adjustments are expected to continue to affect the pure-play foundry business in the third quarter, TrendForce said, adding that Apple Inc’s launch of a new iPhone model is expected to lend support to the sector in the third quarter.
After several years flying high as Asia’s best Nvidia Corp proxy, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is increasingly vying with other artificial intelligence (AI) stocks for investor attention. Stock traders are chasing a wider array of beneficiaries as mainstream usage of AI creates demand for hardware beyond the most-advanced chips TSMC makes for Nvidia. Subthemes from the deepening memory crunch to advances in robotics are also luring bids. At the same time, investment caps on single stocks are pushing funds to diversify, while retail investors long familiar with TSMC through its US depositary receipts are being offered a broader set of
UNDER MICROSCOPE: Taiwan detained three people who allegedly conspired to buy servers in Taiwan and export them using fraudulent documentation, prosecutors said Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) on Saturday urged Super Micro Computer Inc to tighten up on compliance after Taiwan detained three people this week for allegedly making fraudulent declarations about artificial intelligence (AI) servers made by its US partner. The development marked the nation’s first crackdown on semiconductor smuggling, which grew after the US slapped restrictions on exports of high-end chips such as Nvidia AI accelerators to China. Nvidia is “rigorous” in explaining regulations to all of its partners, Huang told reporters after arriving in Taipei. “Ultimately Super Micro has to run their own company,” he said in response to
TECH RELIANCE: Growth is increasingly reflecting an unequal K-shaped distribution, where technology sectors outperform and other industries struggle, an expert said Standard Chartered Bank has significantly raised its forecast for Taiwan’s economic growth to 9.5 percent this year, up from 7.6 percent previously, citing surging artificial intelligence (AI) demand driving exports, semiconductor production and investment. The upgrade reflects a sustained AI supercycle that continues to fuel demand for advanced chips and technology infrastructure, which form the backbone of Taiwan’s exports, the bank said in a report this week. “We raise our 2026 growth forecast to reflect a much stronger-than-expected first-quarter GDP figure,” Standard Chartered senior economist for greater China and Asia Tommy Wu (胡東安) said in the report. Driven largely by a 35.3 percent
Two of Taiwan’s international carriers, Starlux Airlines Co (星宇航空) and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空), have retained the five-star airline rating awarded by international airline review organization Skytrax. Starlux was awarded the distinction for a second consecutive year, while EVA Air received it for the 11th straight year, Skytrax said in statements released yesterday and on Thursday last week, respectively. The five-star rating is considered one of the airline industry's highest honors and is awarded following professional audits of airline product and frontline service standards, Skytrax said. The ratings are based on in-depth assessments using unified global quality standards rather than customer review scores
RSS