TSMC's Q1 Revenue Rise Beats Market Expectations on AI Boom

FILE PHOTO: A logo of Taiwanse chip giant TSMC can be seen in Tainan, Taiwan December 29, 2022.REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A logo of Taiwanse chip giant TSMC can be seen in Tainan, Taiwan December 29, 2022.REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
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TSMC's Q1 Revenue Rise Beats Market Expectations on AI Boom

FILE PHOTO: A logo of Taiwanse chip giant TSMC can be seen in Tainan, Taiwan December 29, 2022.REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A logo of Taiwanse chip giant TSMC can be seen in Tainan, Taiwan December 29, 2022.REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo

Taiwan chipmaker TSMC reported a 16.5% rise in first-quarter revenue on Wednesday, beating market expectations and at the high end of the company's own guidance as its sales boom on demand for artificial intelligence applications.
The world's largest contract chipmaker, whose customers include Apple and Nvidia, has benefited from a surge towards AI that has helped it weather the tapering off of pandemic-led demand and pushed TSMC's stock to a record high, Reuters reported.
Revenue in the first three months of this year came in at T$592.64 billion ($18.54 billion), up from $16.72 billion in the year-ago period.
That was towards the higher end of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's (TSMC) previous prediction for first-quarter revenue to range between $18 billion and $18.8 billion.
The result beat an LSEG SmartEstimate of T$581.45 billion drawn from 23 analysts, weighted toward those who are more consistently accurate.
The first half of the year is traditionally quieter for Taiwanese tech firms, coming after the end-of-year holiday rush for goods like tablets and smartphones in major Western markets, but the AI trend is boosting demand even in the off season.
For March alone, TSMC reported revenue rose 34.3% year-on-year to T$195.21 billion and was up 7.5% from the previous month.
TSMC, Asia's most valuable publicly listed company with a market capitalization of $662 billion, did not provide any details or forward guidance in its brief revenue statement.
It is scheduled to report first quarter earnings on April 18, where it will also update its outlook for the current quarter and the year.
TSMC is expected to report a 4% rise in first quarter net profit, according to an LSEG SmartEstimate.
TSMC's Taipei-listed shares closed down 0.5% on Wednesday ahead of the release of the sales data. The broader market ended down 0.2%.
The chipmaker's shares have surged 37% so far this year, compared with a 16% gain for the broader market.



Revenue Growth, Improved Operational Efficiency Boost Profitability of Saudi Telecom Companies

A man monitors the movement of stocks on the Saudi Tadawul index. (AFP)
A man monitors the movement of stocks on the Saudi Tadawul index. (AFP)
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Revenue Growth, Improved Operational Efficiency Boost Profitability of Saudi Telecom Companies

A man monitors the movement of stocks on the Saudi Tadawul index. (AFP)
A man monitors the movement of stocks on the Saudi Tadawul index. (AFP)

Telecommunications companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange (Tadawul) achieved a 12.46 percent growth in their net profits, which reached SAR 4.07 billion ($1.09 billion) during the second quarter of 2024, compared to SAR 3.62 billion ($965 million) during the same period last year.

They also recorded a 4.76 percent growth in revenues during the same quarter, after achieving sales worth more than SAR 26.18 billion ($7 billion), compared to SAR 24.99 billion ($6.66 billion) in the same quarter of 2023.

The growth in the revenues and net profitability is the result of several factors, including the increase in sales volume and revenues, especially in the business sector and fifth generation services, as well as the decrease in operating expenses and the focus on improving operational efficiency, controlling costs, and moving towards investment in infrastructure.

The sector comprises four companies, three of which conclude their fiscal year in December: Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Mobily, and Zain Saudi Arabia. The fiscal year of Etihad Atheeb Telecommunications Company (GO) ends on March 31.

According to its financial results announced on Tadawul, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) achieved a 33 percent growth rate of profits, bringing its profits to SAR 661 million by the end of the second quarter of 2024, compared to SAR 497 million during the same period in 2023. The company also achieved a 4.59 percent growth in revenues to reach SAR 4.47 billion, compared to SAR 4.27 billion in the same quarter of last year.

The Saudi Telecom Company achieved the highest net profits among the sector’s companies, at about SAR 3.304 billion in the second quarter of 2024, compared to SAR 3.008 billion in the same quarter of 2023. The company registered a growth of 4.52 percent in revenues.

On the other hand, the revenues of the Saudi Mobile Telecommunications Company (Zain Saudi Arabia) increased by about 6.69 percent, as it recorded SAR 2.55 billion during the second quarter of 2024, compared to SAR 2.39 billion in the same period last year.

Commenting on the quarterly results of the sector’s companies, and the varying net profits, the head of asset management at Rassanah Capital, Thamer Al-Saeed, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Saudi Telecom Company remains the sector leader in terms of customer base expansion.

He also noted the continued efforts of Mobily and Zain to offer many diverse products and other services.

Financial advisor at the Arab Trader Mohammed Al-Maymouni said the financial results of telecom sector companies have maintained a steady growth, up to 12 percent, adding that Mobily witnessed strong progress compared to the rest of the companies, despite the great competition which affected its revenues.

He added that Zain was moving at a good pace and its revenues have improved during the second quarter of 2024. However, its profits were affected by an increase in the financing cost by SAR 26.5 million riyals and a rise in interest, while net income declined significantly compared to the previous year, during which the company made exceptional returns.