Typical for market cycle peaks. Fundamentals for the chip stocks still look great while their stock prices fall into the chitter.
TSM stock is no exception peaking at $145 and trading under $100 the other day.
Chart kirklindstrom.com
Apple orders account for 26% of TSMC 2021 revenue
Monica Chen, Hsinchu; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES
Thursday 10 March 2022
TSMC saw revenue generated from orders placed by its largest customer climb about 20% on year to NT$405.4 billion (US$14.3 billion) in 2021, or nearly 26% of the foundry's total wafer revenue for the year, according to information published by the Taiwan-based company.
Market observers believe Apple has been the biggest client of TSMC, which has grabbed orders for almost all Apple's custom-designed chips powering the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and other devices.
With Apple also switching Mac computers from Intel processors to its own silicon, TSMC is being pinpointed by the observers as the largest beneficiary. TSMC is reportedly under contract with Apple to build its M-series Mac chips.
Apple's just-unveiled iPhone SE, iPad Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display series all feature its own silicon built by TSMC, the observers indicated. Apple's M1 Ultra processor powering its all-new Mac Studio desktop is manufactured using TSMC's 5nm process technology, for example.
Apple has claimed the new Mac SoC consists of 114 billion transistors, the most ever in a personal computer chip. "By connecting two M1 Max dies with our UltraFusion packaging architecture, we're able to scale Apple silicon to unprecedented new heights," said Johny Srouji, senior VP of hardware technologies for Apple.
TSMC is also the main production partner for Apple's UltraFusion packaging architecture, according to industry sources.
Apple is also expected to launch its new-generation iPhone and iPad, and new Mac series in the second half of 2022, with TSMC as its foundry partner, the sources said.
Apple has already required TSMC to use 4nm process in a set of orders for Apple's next-generation A-series iPhone processor, the sources indicated. The orders are equivalent to nearly 150,000 wafers, the sources said.
TSMC's 4nm process will also build Apple's M2 chip that will power the new Mac series slated for launch in the second half of this year, the sources indicated. The upcoming iPad will feature Apple's silicon built using TSMC's N3B process, the first Apple device adopting the foundry's 3nm process technology, the sources said.
Nevertheless, Apple has turned cautious about its shipment prospects this year, due to a number of unfavorable macro factors, according to the sources. Its iPhone shipments are forecast to register only a low single-digit increase in 2022, for instance.
digitimes.com |
