高通(Qualcomm)日前承認(rèn)，正在尋求其它的晶圓廠產(chǎn)能，以彌補(bǔ)其長期代工伙伴臺積電(TSMC)在28nm產(chǎn)能方面的短缺。
高通的高階主管日前在第二季財報分析師電話會議上討論了28nm產(chǎn)能問題，短缺情況超過分析師預(yù)期。高通也承認(rèn)，28nm產(chǎn)能短缺很可能會在接下來兩季造成不利影響。
高通主席兼CEO Paul Jacobs表示，該公司的Snapdragon S4應(yīng)用處理器和其它28nm產(chǎn)品需求強(qiáng)勁，但28nm產(chǎn)能卻不足。
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代工巨頭臺積電董事長兼首席執(zhí)行官張忠謀也承認(rèn)，公司在28納米節(jié)點(diǎn)確實(shí)遭遇了一些問題，但是是產(chǎn)能而非良率問題。他在臺積電年度技術(shù)研討會上表示，臺積電28納米工藝的產(chǎn)量從一開始就在公司的預(yù)測范圍內(nèi)。
臺積電董事長兼首席執(zhí)行官張忠謀cGmesmc
“是的，我們確實(shí)在28納米節(jié)點(diǎn)上有一些困難，但主要困難是沒有足夠的產(chǎn)能，而不是良率，”張忠謀說。
結(jié)交新朋友，不忘老搭檔
“雖然制造良率符合預(yù)期，但28nm產(chǎn)能仍然短缺，”Jacobs說。也同時指出，高通無法獲得足夠的28nm產(chǎn)能來滿足該公司日益增加的28nm產(chǎn)品需求，這將對高通今年度的營收帶來影響。
Jacobs 承認(rèn)，高通正針對28nm產(chǎn)能尋求“幾個替代的代工來源”。Jacobs并未明確指出誰會是替代代工廠，但最可能的名單大概包括了 Globalfoundries、聯(lián)電(UMC)和三星(Samsung Electronics)。Jacobs表示，高通也將增加營運(yùn)支出，以滿足更多的28nm產(chǎn)品需求。（截止發(fā)稿時，聯(lián)電已經(jīng)確定拿下高通訂單）
Jacobs也表示，高通仍將持續(xù)與臺積電合作制造28nm組件。
“我們正在與合作伙伴緊密合作，希望增加額外的產(chǎn)能，”Jacobs說。他表示，高通不希望到本次會計年度結(jié)束前才看到28nm產(chǎn)能問題獲得改善。
高通高層承認(rèn)，28nm產(chǎn)能不足可能對其第三季和第四季帶來負(fù)面影響。
高通稍早前公布了截至3月25日的第二季銷售成果，銷售額49.4億美元，較前一季上升6%，比前一年同期成長28%。該公司本季凈利23.3億美元，較前一季成長59%，比去年同期提升117%。
在預(yù)估基礎(chǔ)上，扣除費(fèi)用和特殊項(xiàng)目，高通凈利17.6億美元，較上一季成長5%，比去年同期成長21%。該公司預(yù)估EPS 1.01美元，較上一季增長4%，比去年同期增長17%。
高通本季達(dá)48.4億美元的銷售額和預(yù)估每股超越分析師預(yù)期。而針對即將在六月份截止的本季度，高通表示，預(yù)估銷售額將下降至44.5億美元至48.5億美元之間，環(huán)比下降約2%~10%。但與去年同期相比大約增長23~24%。
而針對2012會計年度，高通預(yù)期整體銷售額約在187億至198億美元之間，比2011年成長25~32%。該公司同時預(yù)做每股盈余可達(dá)3.61至3.76美元，較2011會計年度成長13~18%。
編譯： Joy Teng
本文為《國際電子商情》原創(chuàng)，版權(quán)所有，謝絕轉(zhuǎn)載
參考英文原文： Qualcomm engages other foundries amid 28-nm capacity shortage ，by Dylan McGrath
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Qualcomm engages other foundries amid 28-nm capacity shortage
Dylan McGrath
SAN FRANCISCO—Fabless chip vendor Qualcomm Inc. acknowledged Wednesday (April 18) that it was turning to other foundry suppliers amid a shortage of 28-nm capacity at its longtime foundry partner, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (TSMC).
Qualcomm executives discussed the 28-nm capacity shortage in a conference call with analysts after reporting sales and profit for its fiscal second quarter that exceeded analysts' expectations. But Qualcomm executives acknowledged that the 28-nm capacity situation may adversely impact its numbers in the next two quarters.
Paul Jacobs, Qualcomm's chairman and CEO, said the company was seeing very strong demand for its Snapdragon S4 applications processor and other 28-nm products, but that 28-nm capacity is constrained.
"Although the manufacturing yields are progressing per expectation, there's a shortage of 28-nanometer capacity," Jacobs said. He added that Qualcomm could not secure enough 28-nm capacity to meet the increasing demand for its 28-nm parts and that the constraints to supply are expected to limit Qualcomm's revenue potential this year.
Jacobs acknowledged that Qualcomm was engaging with "several alternative sources" for 28-nm capacity. Jacobs did not identify the alternative sources, but possibilities would presumably include Globalfoundries Inc., United Microelectronics Corp. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Jacobs said Qualcomm would increase its operating expenses to facilitate additional 28-nm supply.
Jacobs said Qualcomm would also continue to use TSMC as a foundry for 28-nm devices.
"We're working closely with our partners to bring additional capacity online," said Jacobs. He said Qualcomm doesn't expect to see a significant improvement in 28-nm capacity until the final calendar quarter of this year.
Taiwanese IT publication Digitimes said in a report Tuesday that Qualcomm and another stalwart TSMC customer, Nvidia Corp., approached other foundries about producing 28-nm chips for them because of tight 28-nm capacity at TSMC. The report cited unnamed sources at semiconductor tool makers.
Also Tuesday, TSMC Chairman and CEO Morris Chang acknowledged that the foundry giant had issues with capacity shortage at 28-nm, but said that with new capacity coming online, "I do believe the worst is behind us."
Though Qualcomm left its sales guidance for the fiscal year unchanged, executives acknowledged that the 28-nm capacity shortage would have a negative impact on its outlooks for Qualcomm's fiscal third and fourth quarters.
Qualcomm (San Diego) reported sales of $4.94 billion for the quarter ended March 25, up 6 percent from the previous quarter and up 28 percent compared to the year-ago quarter. The company reported a net income of $2.33 billion, up 59 percent from the previous quarter and up 117 percent from the year ago quarter.
On a pro forma basis, excluding charges and special items, Qualcomm reported a net income of $1.76 billion, up 5 percent from the previous quarter and up 21 percent from the year-ago quarter. The company reported pro forma earnings per share of $1.01, up 4 percent sequentially and up 17 percent year-to-year.
Qualcomm's results for the quarter exceeded consensus analysts' expectations, which called for sales of $4.84 billion and pro forma earnings per share of 96 cents, according to Yahoo Finance.
For the current quarter, which closes in June, Qualcomm said it expects sales to decline to between $4.45 billion and $4.85 billion, which would represent a sequential decline of 2 percent to 10 percent. The range would represent an increase of 23 to 34 percent compared to the year-ago quarter.
The low end of Qualcomm's outlook for the current quarter came in below consensus analysts' expectations, which called for $4.8 billion, according to Yahoo Finance.
For the fiscal year 2012, which closes late this year, Qualcomm continues to project sales of $18.7 billion to $19.7 billion, an increase of 25 to 32 percent from fiscal 2011. The company increased its estimates for pro forma earnings per share for the fiscal year of $3.61 and $3.76, which would be up 13 to 18 percent from fiscal 2011.
