Macronix International, a supplier of mask ROM and NOR flash memory chips, has announced that net profits for the second quarter of 2011 slid to NT$515 million (US$18 million) from NT$1.06 billion in the prior quarter.

Revenues fell to NT$6.31 billion in the second quarter, down 4% on quarter and 14% on year.

The sales results came below Macronix' estimate of between NT$6.4 billion and NT$6.8 billion. The company attributed the shortfall to weaker-than-expected demand for its ROM products resulting from the impact of Japan's earthquake.

Macronix revealed that mask ROM sales slid 52% sequentially in the second quarter while unit shipments decreased 19% compared to levels in the prior quarter. The segment accounted for 21% of company revenues in the second quarter, down significantly from 41% in the first.

Sales of Macronix' flash products, however, increased 28% on quarter in the second quarter while unit shipments grew 33%, the company said. The flash line contributed 68% to company revenues in the second quarter, up from 51% in the prior quarter.

Macronix said it is shipping more products made using advanced process technology. 75nm and below nodes accounted for 19% of its total sales in the second quarter, while 0.10-, 0.13- and 0.15-micron accounted for a combined 77% of revenues.

Macronix's gross margin came to 34% in the second quarter, meeting the lower end of its forecast range, according to the company.

However, Macronix' revenues slid 32.5% sequentially to NT$5.51 billion (US$190 million) in the fourth quarter. The figure came below its estimate of between NT$5.8 billion and NT$6 billion. .

Looking forward, Macronix expects revenues for the current third quarter of 2011 to be slightly up at NT$6.4-6.6 billion with a 31-35% gross margin. Capacity utilization rate is estimated at more than 90%.

In other news, Macronix president Lu Chih-yuan was recently awarded the 2012 IEEE Frederik Philips Award.

By: DocMemory
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