TSMC had Q4 revenue 1.7% down on Q3 at $3.47bn for net income of $1.07bn and expects a ‘stronger than seasonal’ Q1 which will be about the same as Q4 in trerms of revenue and net profit. It expects to invest $6bn this year in capex.
Q4 gross margin for the quarter was 44.7%, operating margin was 31.4%, and net margin was 30.2%. TSMC expects a Q1 gross profit margin is of between 42.5% and 44.5% and operating margin of between 28.5% and 30.5%.
28nm accounted for 2% of total wafer revenues, 40nm was 27%, and 65nm accounted for 30%. These advanced technologies accounted for 59% of total wafer revenues.
“Although the outlook of the global economy remains uncertain, we expect the demand for our wafers to be stronger than seasonal for the first quarter,” says Lora Ho, TSMC’s CFO.
Capacity utilisation, said to be between 80 – 85% in Q1, is expected to rise to 90 – 95% in Q2
