Quanta Computer Inc (廣達) chairman Barry Lam (林百里) is expected to share his views about the artificial intelligence (AI) industry’s prospects during his speech at the company’s 37th anniversary ceremony, as AI servers have become a new growth engine for the equipment manufacturing service provider.
Lam’s speech is much anticipated, as Quanta has risen as one of the world’s major AI server suppliers. The company reported a 30 percent year-on-year growth in consolidated revenue to NT$1.41 trillion (US$43.35 billion) last year, thanks to fast-growing demand for servers, especially those with AI capabilities. The company told investors in November last year that server revenue would more than double this year.
Strong growth momentum boosted Quanta’s revenue last quarter to another high at NT$485.67 billion, surging 87.56 percent from the same period last year.
Photo: CNA
Servers have overtaken notebook computers as Quanta’s biggest revenue source during the third quarter last year. Revenue contribution from notebook computers dropped to about 30 percent of the company’s total revenue during the September quarter, it said.
Quanta’s net profit also soared 50.5 percent annually last year to NT$59.7 billion, or earnings per share of NT$15.49, the highest in company history.
Lam, who just turned 76 this year, originally planned to retire at the age of 70, but he changed his mind and now plans to retire at 80 due to the arrival of the AI era.
Born in Shanghai in 1949, Lam studied at National Taiwan University’s Department of Electrical Engineering, building his career with a low-profile but steadfast approach. He cofounded Quanta Computer Inc with his friend C. C. Leung (梁次震), and the company has since risen to the top in three major sectors — notebook computers, cloud computing and AI servers.
Shares in Taiwan closed at a new high yesterday, the first trading day of the new year, as contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) continued to break records amid an artificial intelligence (AI) boom, dealers said. The TAIEX closed up 386.21 points, or 1.33 percent, at 29,349.81, with turnover totaling NT$648.844 billion (US$20.65 billion). “Judging from a stronger Taiwan dollar against the US dollar, I think foreign institutional investors returned from the holidays and brought funds into the local market,” Concord Securities Co (康和證券) analyst Kerry Huang (黃志祺) said. “Foreign investors just rebuilt their positions with TSMC as their top target,
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