Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and United Microelectronics (UMC) have announced increases in January consolidated revenues from a year ago of 8.4% and 6.5%, respectively.
TSMC reported consolidated revenues of NT$51.43 billion (US$1.7 billion) for January 2014, up 3.5% sequentially, while consolidated sales at UMC grew 1.6% on month to NT$10.06 billion.
Market watchers expect both TSMC and UMC to see their monthly revenues reach a bottom during January and February. Sales are set to rebound at the end of the first quarter, as TSMC starts ramping up production for 20nm chips and UMC scales up its 28nm chip output.
At its most-recent investors meeting, TSMC projected consolidated revenues would decrease about 6% sequentially in the first quarter of 2014 but rebound significantly in the second quarter. The foundry is also looking to deliver another record year of revenues and profits in 2014.
UMC expects its wafer shipments to register a marginal increase sequentially in the first quarter, but wafer ASPs will fall about 4%. It has not provided an outlook for the second quarter and the rest of 2014, but noted sales generated from its 28nm processes and specialty node technologies will drive company growth during the year.
