South Africa
The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) has issued a call for any firms wishing to explore the opportunities for their products and/or services in the Chinese market to apply to be part of the South African Expos in China in November 2013. Targeted sectors include electrotechnical, energy and renewable energy, and information communication technology, among others. The closing date for applications is 22 May. Interested parties should contact Ms Nnono Kekane on +27 (0)12 394 5970 or nkekane@thedti.gov.za.
Overseas
Business
Texas Instruments announced first-quarter revenue of $2,89 billion, net income of $362 million and earnings per share (EPS) of 32 cents. Compared to the first quarter of last year, revenue in the latest quarter is down 8% but EPS is up 45%. The company stated that customers are keeping very low inventories and ordering parts only as they are needed.
RF Micro Devices reported financial results for the company’s fiscal 2013 fourth quarter, ended 30 March 2013. Fourth quarter revenue increased approximately 3,5% sequentially and 49% year-over-year to $280,6 million, versus $271,2 million in the prior quarter and $187,9 million in the corresponding prior-year quarter. On a GAAP basis, gross margin totalled 31,4%, quarterly operating income was $1,7 million, and quarterly net loss was $16,0 million, or $0,06 per share.
Intel reported first-quarter revenue of $12,6 billion, 7% down from the prior quarter, and a 17% decrease in net income to $2,0 billion ($0,40 per share). The lowered profits were largely attributed to the recent slide in the PC market, which also afflicted the company’s main competitor in the PC processor space, AMD. The latter’s revenue dipped 6% sequentially to $1,09 billion while its net loss decreased from $473 million ($0,63 per share) to $146 million ($0,19 per share).
Revenue for ARM’s first quarter of 2013 was £170,3 million, up 28% compared to £132,5 million in the first quarter of 2012. EPS was 3,69 pence in 1Q13, an increase of 36% over 1Q12. The number of ARM-based chips shipped during the quarter totalled 2,6 billion, up 35% year-on-year, led by the mobile segment which was up 25% and embedded which was up 50%.
STMicroelectronics’ first quarter 2013 net revenues amounted to $2,01 billion, compared to $2,16 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012 and $2,02 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012. Net loss attributable to ST was $171 million, mainly due to the 50% share in ST-Ericsson operating loss and restructuring costs. Net loss was $428 million in 4Q12 and $176 million in 1Q12.
IBM announced that it is investing $1 billion in research and development to design, create and integrate new Flash memory solutions into its expanding portfolio of servers, storage systems and middleware.
Companies
EBV Elektronik was awarded ‘EMEA Distributor of the Year 2012’ by Atmel for highest growth in demand creation and best POS performance for the second time.
Avago Technologies announced the execution of a definitive agreement to acquire CyOptics, a leader in Indium Phosphide (InP) optical chip and component technologies for the data communications and telecommunications markets, for an aggregate acquisition price of approximately $400 million in cash.
Farnell element14 has become an authorised distributor of Panasonic Semiconductor and Micrel products. Farnell will offer an extensive range of Panasonic products to its customers with over 250 items stocked, while over 700 Micrel items will be stocked in its global portfolio.
MEMSIC is to be acquired by IDG-Accel China Capital II L.P. and its affiliates MZ Investment Holdings Ltd. and MZ Investment Holdings Merger Sub Ltd. for $4,225 per share in cash. Affiliates of IDG currently hold approximately 19,5% of the company’s outstanding common stock, and will acquire the remainder for around $88,5 million.
Industry
After strong gains in 2010 and 2011, power transistor sales fell more than 8% in 2012 to $12,3 billion primarily due to weak economic growth and high levels of uncertainty, according to IC Insights. The firm foresees worldwide market conditions steadily improving this year with power transistor sales increasing 7% to $13,2 billion, followed by an 8% rise in 2014 to a new all-time high of $14,3 billion, which will surpass the current annual record of $13,5 billion set in 2011. Despite last year’s setback, power transistor sales continue to dominate the overall discrete semiconductor market, which fell 7% in 2012 to $21,7 billion after growing 12% in 2011 to an all-time high of $23,4 billion.
In contrast to the global trend in semiconductor revenue – which declined 2,6% annually to reach $299,9 billion in 2012 – India’s semiconductor consumption climbed 7,4% to $8 billion in 2012, according to Gartner. Of the three key electronic devices – mobile phones, PCs and LCD TVs, which account for over 70% of India’s overall semiconductor consumption – LCD TV saw the biggest growth of nearly 45% in terms of semiconductor consumption during 2012, while mobile phones’ semiconductor consumption grew by 5,7% and PCs declined by 0,3%.
Technology
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a new battery technology which takes advantage of electrodes having a novel three-dimensional internal microstructure. The researchers claim their device can charge 1000 times faster than competing technologies and offers advantages in terms of not only instantaneous power delivery, but aggregate energy storage as well.
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