Taiwan chipmaker TSMC says quarterly profit $8.8 billion
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the biggest contract manufacturer of processor chips for smartphones and other products, said Thursday that its quarterly profit rose 79.7% over a year earlier to $8.8 billion amid surging demand.
Quarterly revenue rose 47.9% over a year ago to $19.2 billion, the company reported.
TSMC, headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan, makes processor chips for brands including Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc.
Chipmakers are benefiting for demand for next-generation telecoms, high-performance computing and chips for use in products from cars to medical devices.
TSMC announced plans last year to invest $100 billion over the next three years in manufacturing and research and development.
Most semiconductors used in smartphones, medical equipment, computers and other products are made in Taiwan, South Korea and China.
That has prompted concern among American officials about reliance on supplies that might be disrupted by conflict between China and Taiwan. They are lobbying TSMC and other chipmakers to set up factories in the United States.
TSMC announced plans last year to build its first chip factory in Japan. The company and Sony Corp. later said they would jointly invest $7 billion in the facility.
TSMC operates a semiconductor wafer fabrication facility in Camas, Washington, and design centers in San Jose, California, and Austin, Texas.
The company has announced plans for a second U.S. production site in Arizona.
