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elctrnx_lyf
Atheros is definitely a good bet for Quallcom considering the WiFi enabled ...
dylan.mcgrath
Thanks for weighing in, Bill.
Qualcomm moves to No. 5 in chip sales
Dylan McGrath
5/14/2012 1:07 PM EDT
Top 20 rankings table
Trustees for Elpida are currently in discussions with Micron Technology Inc. about a possible acquisition of the firm by Micron. Boise, Idaho-based Micron, which slipped to No. 10 overall in chip sales in the first quarter after sales declined 4 percent year-to-year, would add between $2.5 billion and $3 billion in annual revenue if it acquires Elpida, which would move the company to No. 8 or No. 9 in the rankings, according to IC Insights.
Each of the four largest memory suppliers in the top 20 rankings registered year-over-year declines in first quarter sales, IC Insights said. Both Samsung and SK Hynix Inc., formerly Hynix Semiconductor Inc., saw first quarter sales decline by double digit percentages compared to the first quarter of 2011, IC Insights said.
If the three pure play foundries were not included n the top 20, Sharp Electronics Corp., Marvell Technology Group Ltd. and Rohm Semiconductor would have made the top 20, IC Insights said.
In total, sales for the top 20 chip suppliers totaled $52.28 billion in the first quarter, down 4 percent from the first quarter of 2011, IC Insights said. The firm is currently predicting that the overall chip market will grow by 6 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, followed by higher growth in 2013. While first quarter sales for the top 20 suppliers were generally disappointing, IC Insights and the chip suppliers themselves expect better sales for the year starting in the second quarter, the firm said.
According to IC Insights, it appears that most of the top 20 chip suppliers touched the bottom of the semiconductor industry down cycle in either the first quarter of the fourth quarter of 2012. If the global economy can at least continue on its slow growth rate trajectory and not slip back into a recession, the remainder of 2012 looks bright for the semiconductor industry and its suppliers, IC Insights said.
Click on image to enlarge.
Trustees for Elpida are currently in discussions with Micron Technology Inc. about a possible acquisition of the firm by Micron. Boise, Idaho-based Micron, which slipped to No. 10 overall in chip sales in the first quarter after sales declined 4 percent year-to-year, would add between $2.5 billion and $3 billion in annual revenue if it acquires Elpida, which would move the company to No. 8 or No. 9 in the rankings, according to IC Insights.
Each of the four largest memory suppliers in the top 20 rankings registered year-over-year declines in first quarter sales, IC Insights said. Both Samsung and SK Hynix Inc., formerly Hynix Semiconductor Inc., saw first quarter sales decline by double digit percentages compared to the first quarter of 2011, IC Insights said.
If the three pure play foundries were not included n the top 20, Sharp Electronics Corp., Marvell Technology Group Ltd. and Rohm Semiconductor would have made the top 20, IC Insights said.
In total, sales for the top 20 chip suppliers totaled $52.28 billion in the first quarter, down 4 percent from the first quarter of 2011, IC Insights said. The firm is currently predicting that the overall chip market will grow by 6 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, followed by higher growth in 2013. While first quarter sales for the top 20 suppliers were generally disappointing, IC Insights and the chip suppliers themselves expect better sales for the year starting in the second quarter, the firm said.
According to IC Insights, it appears that most of the top 20 chip suppliers touched the bottom of the semiconductor industry down cycle in either the first quarter of the fourth quarter of 2012. If the global economy can at least continue on its slow growth rate trajectory and not slip back into a recession, the remainder of 2012 looks bright for the semiconductor industry and its suppliers, IC Insights said.
Click on image to enlarge.
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goafrit
5/14/2012 3:42 PM EDT
This is showing everyone the power of mobile and what it can do in any industry (chip, app, software, etc). It is interesting how this firm is doing. They need to hope something sustains the smartphone market where they have a lot of influence.
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Frank Eory
5/14/2012 6:18 PM EDT
I don't quite understand IC Insights' rationale for including the pure play foundries in the rankings. When the top fabless companies are doing very well -- Qualcomm and Broadcom for example -- their success automatically lifts TSMC higher.
In terms of counting total sales for the top 20, it's essentially a form of double counting where the foundries sell to the fabless guys, who then sell to OEMs...and the same silicon gets counted twice.
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bmccleanicinsights
5/14/2012 6:47 PM EDT
We have always looked at the ranking as a top supplier list, not as a marketshare ranking and realize that the sales are double counted. With many of our clients being vendors to the semiconductor industry (equipment, chemicals and gases, etc.), leaving out large IC manufacturers like the foundries would leave gaping holes in the list of top suppliers. We state up front that we include the foundries so that you can take them out if you want and we also identify which suppliers are fabless. When we construct marketshare rankings of semiconductor companies we do not include the foundries so as not to double count the sales.
It should be noted that not all foundry sales should be excluded when attempting to create marketshare data. Although Samsung has foundry sales, most of its foundry sales are to Apple. Since Apple will not re-sell these devices, counting these foundry sales as Samsung sales does not introduce double-counting.
Overall, the list is only provided as a guideline for who are the top semi producers whether they be IDMs, fabless companies, or foundries. You can always segment the market in a lot of other ways if you desire.
Bill McClean, President, IC Insights
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Frank Eory
5/14/2012 6:56 PM EDT
Thanks for the clarification Bill.
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dylan.mcgrath
5/14/2012 8:09 PM EDT
Thanks for weighing in, Bill.
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elctrnx_lyf
5/15/2012 9:43 AM EDT
Atheros is definitely a good bet for Quallcom considering the WiFi enabled devices in today's market.
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