① According to data released last week, Taiwan Semiconductor's third-quarter revenue reached NT$1.49 trillion, up 51% year over year, hitting a record high; ② Analysts forecast that Taiwan Semiconductor's third-quarter net profit will surge 65% year over year to NT$746.3 billion, also setting a new all-time high; ③ Taiwan Semiconductor has already planned to invest US$265 billion to build a chip factory in Arizona, while the company's potential plans to invest in and construct a plant in Texas are drawing close attention.
This Thursday, the world's largest advanced AI chip foundry…$Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM.US)$It will release its third-quarter earnings report. Analysts widely predict that, driven by the AI boom, Taiwan Semiconductor is poised to post record-high profits for the sixth consecutive quarter.
Taiwan Semiconductor's profits are expected to reach a new high.
As the core chip supplier for NVIDIA and Apple, Taiwan Semiconductor has enjoyed robust growth over the past nearly three years, with its current market capitalization reaching approximately $2.1 trillion—nearly twice that of its South Korean rival, Samsung Electronics.
According to a compilation by LSEG SmartEstimate of 16 analysts' forecasts, Taiwan Semiconductor's third-quarter net profit is expected to surge 65% year over year, reaching NT$746.3 billion (equivalent to US$23.4 billion). If the net profit exceeds NT$706.56 billion, it will once again set a new company record for quarterly net profit and mark the 11th consecutive quarter of profit growth.
Last Thursday, Taiwan Semiconductor announced preliminary figures showing that its third-quarter revenue reached NT$1.49 trillion (approximately US$46.7 billion), up 51% year over year, surpassing market expectations and hitting a record high.
Taiwan Semiconductor's earnings call is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Beijing time on Thursday, during which the company will release its fourth-quarter guidance and update its full-year outlook.
Morgan Stanley analyst Charlie Chan stated in a research report last week that, driven by strong demand for 3-nanometer chips, Taiwan Semiconductor is expected to raise its full-year revenue growth guidance from the previous "above 40%" to the "mid-to-low 40% range."
During the earnings call for the previous quarter, Taiwan Semiconductor raised its capital expenditure forecast for this year from the previous upper end of the $520 billion–$560 billion range to $600 billion–$640 billion. At this earnings call, any potential adjustments to Taiwan Semiconductor's capital expenditure outlook will also be closely watched.
Taiwan Semiconductor's expansion plan has attracted widespread attention.
Taiwan Semiconductor's future expansion plans will also attract widespread attention. According to the latest reports, Taiwan Semiconductor has planned to invest US$265 billion to build a chip factory in Arizona, with an additional US$100 billion announced in July.
Meanwhile, Taiwan Semiconductor is evaluating the possibility of investing in and building a factory in Texas. Tesla CEO Elon Musk also stated last week that his company will construct and operate the Terafab AI chip industrial park, and Taiwan Semiconductor may lease part of the facility.
Analysts expect Taiwan Semiconductor to address questions about its potential expansion plans in Texas during the earnings call.
Morgan Stanley analysts noted in a research report that over the next five years, Taiwan Semiconductor's customer demand is expected to continue growing, and with limited space at its Arizona facility, it is highly necessary for Taiwan Semiconductor to establish a new production line in Texas.
However, Phelix Lee, a senior equity analyst at MorningStar, believes that Taiwan Semiconductor's push to expand into Texas is not particularly urgent, as the company's planned fab in Arizona has yet to break ground.
"Texas boasts a mature semiconductor industry ecosystem and a robust talent pool, making it an ideal location for long-term capacity expansion plans spanning the 2030s to the 2040s," Phelix Lee added. He also noted that this strategic move could serve as a proactive bargaining chip in anticipation of U.S. trade and related policy developments.
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