The world's largest foundry, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), has achieved record monthly revenue for the second consecutive month, driven by increased demand for artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors.
On August 10, TSMC announced that its revenue for July reached NT$467.58 billion (approximately $20.55 billion), a 44.7% increase compared to the same month last year. This figure represents a 5.6% rise from the previous record of NT$442.68 billion set in June. However, the year-on-year growth rate has slowed compared to June's 67.9% increase.
TSMC's monthly revenue has now risen for 31 consecutive months since January 2024. Cumulative revenue for the first seven months of this year stands at NT$2.87 trillion, marking a 37% increase from the same period last year.
Bloomberg noted that this performance signals strong demand for AI hardware, even amid growing market uncertainties.
Indeed, TSMC has projected that the explosive demand for AI chips will continue into next year, prompting the company to revise its investment and revenue forecasts upward. TSMC has raised its annual capital expenditure outlook from the previous range of $50 billion to between $60 billion and $64 billion, and it expects annual revenue growth to exceed 40% in U.S. dollar terms.
Building on its strong performance, TSMC is also accelerating its business expansion. According to the Nikkei newspaper, TSMC and Sony, the world's largest image sensor manufacturer, plan to establish a joint venture to co-produce next-generation image sensor-related semiconductors with an investment of approximately ¥1 trillion (about $8.95 billion).
The two companies aim to set up a development and production line for next-generation image sensors at a new factory in Kumamoto, Japan. The joint venture will be structured with Sony holding a 60% stake and TSMC holding 40%, with mass production expected to begin as early as 2029.
This collaboration is seen as significant as it goes beyond simple contract manufacturing, combining the technological strengths of both companies to expand into the next-generation sensor field. Sony will contribute its expertise in image sensor design and development, while TSMC will provide advanced process technology and production capabilities. The Nikkei reported that this partnership could help TSMC accumulate experience in the image sensor sector and enhance its competitiveness in the physical AI semiconductor market.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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