TSMC posts record monthly revenue for August on strong AI demand

Taipei, Sept. 10 (CNA) Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker, on Thursday reported record monthly revenue for August, up more than 53 percent from a year earlier, driven by robust demand linked to artificial intelligence (AI) and new smartphone launches, according to company data and analysts.

In a statement, TSMC said consolidated revenue for August reached a record high of NT$514.806 billion (US$16.32 billion), up 10.1 percent from July and 53.3 percent from a year earlier.

Cumulative revenue for the first eight months of this year totaled NT$3.387 trillion, an increase of 39.3 percent from the same period last year, according to the company.

Analysts said strong AI-related demand, coupled with growing orders tied to new smartphone launches, were the main drivers behind the record August revenue.

Combined revenue for July and August reached NT$982.386 billion, putting TSMC on track to meet and possibly exceed its third-quarter guidance, analysts said.

The company has forecast third-quarter revenue of US$44.6 billion to US$45.8 billion, based on an assumed exchange rate of NT$32 to the U.S. dollar.

Buoyed by sustained AI demand, TSMC has said its 2026 revenue in U.S. dollar terms is expected to grow by slightly more than 40 percent from a year earlier.

To support growing customer demand, the chipmaker has also raised its planned 2026 capital expenditure to between US$60 billion and US$64 billion.