ASE predicts accelerated growth in second half, plans capex increase

ASE predicts accelerated growth in second half, plans capex increase

2024-06-26

ASE Technology, a leading chip packager and tester, held its shareholders’ meeting on Wednesday. The company predicted that revenue growth will accelerate in the second half of the year, driven by the AI boom. ASE plans to increase its capital spending, putting the bulk of it into the packaging business to meet surging demand.

ASE Technology, a leading chip packaging and testing services provider, held its shareholders’ meeting on Wednesday. Due to the global economy’s slow recovery in 2023, ASE posted consolidated revenue of NT$581.9 billion last year, down 13.3% from 2022. Its profit from operations fared worse, declining by nearly 50% to NT$40.3 billion. But on Wednesday, top executives said that the global chip sector was rebounding, bolstered by AI and robotics. They projected that revenue will recover in 2024.

Tien Wu
ASE Group chief operating officer
CoWoS packaging has been a highlight in the market. This company has built its advanced packaging business for many years. We expect this business to account for a higher revenue share, and to accelerate revenue recovery. We will significantly increase our capital expenditure for 2024, putting the bulk of capex into the packaging business.

According to market rumors, high demand for Nvidia’s GB200 super AI chips has led to additional orders at TSMC. Industry analysts believe that this will drive orders for backend testers like ASE.

Tien Wu
ASE Group chief operating officer
ASE and TSMC have long been close partners, and this relationship will continue. If TSMC is expanding, it has its reasons. If ASE expands, we have our own reasons. Our collaboration depends entirely on market demand.

ASE addressed its global expansion, saying that it’s considering production bases in Malaysia, Japan, and Mexico. ASE Group Chief Operating Officer Tien Wu said that a new California facility will be launched July 12, to strengthen ties with the North American market.

Tien Wu
ASE Group chief operating officer
Many of our clients will attend the launch ceremony. There will be people from the American Institute in Taiwan and the Washington office of the CHIPS and Science Act. In the chip testing business, when business is bad, you buy land and build factories. When business is good, you focus on expanding business and building machines.

Anticipating strong demand from AI, ASE projected that growth will accelerate in the second half of the year.

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下半年增溫! AI帶動先進封裝需求日月光今年擴大資本支出

2024-06-26

封測大廠日月光舉辦股東會，去年受大環境影響，公司營收衰退13.3%。但最近受惠於AI蓬勃發展，帶動先進封裝需求，公司看好下半年營運回溫，不只要擴大資本支出，七月將在美國加州舉行新廠剪綵，佈局北美市場。

封測大廠日月光舉辦股東會，去年全球濟復甦緩慢，2023公司營運面臨挑戰，合併營收5819億元，年減13.3%，營業淨利403億，年減近五成。不過，最近產業景氣落底，看好接下來AI、機器人等新科技應用，先進封裝業務增溫。

[[日月光執行長吳田玉]]
“CoWoS封裝是市場關注的重點，本公司已佈局先進封裝多年，將帶來更高的營收占比，加速營收復甦。預計2024年，將大幅增加資本支出，並大幅運用於封裝業務。”

傳出GB200超級AI晶片供不應求，輝達追加台積電先進製程投片量，市場評估，追單效應將蔓延到封測廠。

[[日月光執行長吳田玉]]
“日月光跟台積，一直是密切的合作夥伴，這個關係會持續，台積擴張，一定有台積擴張的理由，那日月光擴張的話，也有日月光擴張的理由，中間合作配合，這個完全是看市場上，動能的需求。”

日月光積極進行全球佈局，對馬來西亞、日本和墨西哥都有評估在當地擴產。執行長吳田玉還加碼宣布，7/12在美國加州舉行新廠剪綵，要拉進與北美客戶關係。

[[日月光執行長吳田玉]]
“到時候很多客人都會去參加，然後美國的AIT，跟華盛頓晶片法案辦公室的人，都會去參加。測高端的晶片，每次生意不好的時候，我們做什麼事買地蓋廠，生意好的時候呢，我們就拚命拉生意，拚命架機器。”

迎接AI爆發性的需求，半導體產業回溫，日月光看好下半年營運，會有更好表現。

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Kuo also met U.S. Department of Commerce officials and lawmakers, to lobby for the passage of a U.S.-Taiwan double-taxation relief act. The legislation would lower costs and taxes for investors.

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Kuo also met with U.S. tech giants such as Nvidia, thanking them for increasing their investments in Taiwan. He urged them to send U.S. tech talent to Taiwan to address manpower shortages in advanced manufacturing.

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Jhubei is also planning to build tennis courts in the future, filling this technological city with life and improving its look.

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Originally from Chengdu, Shao Limei leads tourists around the Donggang fish market. Her husband Lin Wen-feng grew up here and they returned together five years ago. Shao started leading these tours not only to satisfy her own intellectual curiosity, but also to give tourists the chance to see the fishing industry with their own eyes.

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In addition to giving tours of the port, they also cooperate with local groups to organize cultural tours of fishing villages.

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Donggang is already famous for its seafood, but no one is really offering these kinds of tours. I find it really moving how people are genuinely interested in this port’s culture. It makes the work meaningful.

Shao and Lin used to be managers in the tech industry, but became business owners when they returned to Donggang. Originally intending to start a retail delivery service, they unexpectedly entered the souvenir market. They renovated their store to make it stylish and redesigned the branding and packaging, gaining recognition from many public departments.

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Every store in Donggang sells fresh products, so how can you get more people to see you or buy your products for gifts to increase their value? On the one hand, I feel more pressure and want to do even better, but on the other hand, I think we should continue to pursue this path.

Love inspired Shao to forgo her previous path and start a new life with her husband in Taiwan. Love also transformed her from someone without confidence into a woman sure of herself. In her new hometown of Donggang, she is writing the next exciting chapter of her life.

This story was provided by the program "We Are Family"
Funded by New Immigrant Development Fund

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2024-06-26