Contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is expected to remain the third-largest IC supplier this year, unchanged from last year, IC Insights said yesterday.
IC designer MediaTek Inc (聯發科) is expected to become the 11th-largest, up from 16th last year, the semiconductor market research firm said.
TSMC is expected to post US$45.42 billion in sales, up 31 percent from last year, IC Insights said in a report released on its Web site.
Photo: EPA-EFE
TSMC’s sales growth is largely due to a surge in orders from Apple Inc and HiSilicon Technologies Co (海思半導體) — two of its major clients — which require its advanced 5-nanometer and 7-nanometer processes.
MediaTek is forecast to post US$10.78 billion in sales, up 35 percent from last year, making it one of only two IC firms to enter the list of top 15 semiconductor suppliers for the first time.
The other new entry is Sunnyvale, California-based Advanced Micro Devices Inc, which is expected to generate US$9.52 billion in sales, up 41 percent from last year, to become the 15th-ranked supplier, up three notches, IC Insights said.
Intel Corp is expected to retain the top spot with sales forecast to reach US$73.89 billion, up 4 percent from last year, ahead of Samsung Electronics Corp, which is expected to post sales totaling US$60.48 billion, up 9 percent from last year, to take second place.
SK Hynix Inc is expected to be in fourth place with US$26.47 billion in sales, up 14 percent from last year, followed by Micron Technology Inc with US$21.66 billion, down 3 percent, IC Insights said.
Among the top 15 suppliers, two are headquartered in Taiwan, two in Europe, one in Japan, two in South Korea and eight in the US, IC Insights said.
The top 15 IC suppliers are expected to reach a total of US$355.42 billion in sales, up 13 percent from last year, it added.
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