TSMC, UMC post strong September sales

TSMC, UMC post strong September sales
By Peter Clarke, Silicon Strategies
October 9, 2003 (11:02 a.m. EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20031009S0013

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Foundry leaders Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC) eached posted strong sales for September, the companies said Thursday (Oct. 9).

TSMC said net sales for September 2003 totaled NT$18,911 million (about $560 million), a record high.

September net sales increased 3.2 percent from August, and increased 48.3 percent compared to September 2002. Revenues for the first nine months of 2003 totaled NT$144.12 billion (about $4.26 billion), an increase of 20.3 percent over the same period in 2002.

In August, TSMC's sales were up 35.2 percent compared with August 2002.

Lora Ho, TSMC spokesperson and vice president, said the company's increased sales resulted from higher wafer shipments compared to August. She declined to comment on average sales prices per wafer.

UMC said its September net sales totaled NT$7,521 million (about $220 million), up 7.3 percent from A ugust sales and up by 25 percent over September 2002.

In the first nine months of 2003 UMC achieved net sales of NT$61,143 (about $1.81 billion), an advance of 22.5 percent over the same period in 2002.

UMC's sales followed a similar pattern, but less extreme, to those of its rival TSMC.