TSMC sales up 18% y/y

By Ann Steffora Mutschler, Senior Editor -- Electronic News, 11/9/2007

The world’s leading semiconductor foundry Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) today reported that its net sales for October on an unconsolidated basis were $984 million (31.7 billion New Taiwanese dollars), an increase of 11.3 percent over September and 18.2 percent above October 2006.

Revenues for the Hsinchu, Taiwan-based foundry for January through October totaled $7.9 billion (254.4 billion NT), down 4.7 percent from the same period last year.

On a consolidated basis, TSMC’s net sales for October were $1 billion (32.6 billion NT), a 10.7 percent sequential increase, and a 20.6 percent year-over-year increase. Consolidated revenues for January through October totaled $8.1 billion (261.377 billion NT), down 3 percent from the same period in 2006.

TSMC’s VP and CFO Lora Ho reiterated that the company’s guidance for Q4 remains unchanged.

On October 25 in its Q3 results, TSMC said it expects Q4 revenue is expected to be between $2.82 and $2.88 billion (92 and 94 billion NT), while gross profit margin is expected to be between 46 and 48 percent.

Comparatively, number two foundry United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) didn’t fare as well as its rival when it reported Thursday that its sales results for October showed a near 4 percent slide from its September numbers, although it ended its Q3 by topping its guidance.

For its Q3, TSMC's sales were also strong.