Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (PSC) has announced net profits of NT$3.54 billion (US$112 million) for the first quarter of 2010, up 121% from NT$1.6 billion posted in the fourth quarter of 2009 when it posted its first profits in 11 quarters. The earnings translated into an EPS of NT$0.40 for the quarter.
If including profits generated by Rexchip Electronics, PSC's net income for the first quarter is estimated at NT$5.5 billion, according to market watchers.
The watchers also estimated that among Taiwan's DRAM chipmakers, only PSC and Rexchip remained profitable in the first quarter of 2010. PSC and Rexchip were able to run at full capacity at their 12-inch fabs.
However, both PSC's and Rexchip's production schedules for sub-50nm chips are likely to fall behind their domestic peers', which may fail to sustain their profit growth, some observers have noted. They are experiencing longer lead times for the delivery of immersion scanners.
But Nanya Technology and Inotera Memories are expected to complete their technology migrations on schedule, the observers said. Both will see 50nm become their major DRAM process technology by the end of 2010, and Nanya may even migrate to 40nm-class ahead of its domestic peers, the observers indicated.
A recent report from JP Morgan said Nanya has received two sets of immersion equipment, and another two sets will arrive in the second half of 2010 without delay.