TSMC bullish on 2013

TSMC expects to spend $1.6bn on R&D this year up from $1.37bn in 2012, it intends to spend $9bn on capex up from $8.3bn in  2012, and it forecasts that its sales will grow by 15-20% in 2013.

TSMC CEO Morris Chang reckons that sales for the entire semiconductor industry will grow by rather less – he thinks 3% in 2013 after a flat 2012.

Analysts IDC and Gartner predict 4.9% and 4.5% growth respectively for the overall semiconductor industry.

However Chang thinks the fabless community will do rather better than the industry as a whole with sales up 9% in 2013.

TSMC had a stellar year in a flat market in 2012 with sales expected to grow 19% on 2011′s $14.68bn. TSMC’s 2012 sales are expected to top $17bn.