The Information Technology 100
26
Novatek Microelectronics
In Taiwan, which has the second-largest chip-design industry after the U.S., Novatek is a standout. Chairman Ho Tai-shung has turned it from a little spinoff of United Microelectronics (the Taiwanese chipmaker that is the world's second-largest foundry, behind only neighbor and rival Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing) into a chip-design powerhouse. Novatek, based in Taiwan's premier high-tech zone, the Hsinchu science park, is the island's dominant provider of TFT-LCD driver and controller chips, key components in the liquid crystal displays used in PC monitors and TV screens.
It's a hot market, and Novatek shareholders have seen the stock price double in the past year. According to I/B/E/S, the consensus among analysts covering Novatek is that the company's sales will grow 30% this year, to $725 million, with earnings up 28%, to $147 million. To keep growth humming, Ho is diversifying into new product lines, such as chips for digital cameras.
Company Info
| STOCK INFO | NA |
| Revenues* | $524.7 MILLION |
| Revenue Growth | 60.5% |
| Return on Equity | 40.5% |
| Total Return | 40.8% |
| Profits* | $107 MILLION |
| Industry | SEMICONDUCTORS |
| CORPORATE WEB SITE | |
All figures are for the most recent available 12 months.
* Latest available data for the 12-month period ended Dec. 31, Jan. 31, Feb. 29, Mar. 31, or Apr. 30. For companies that do not report quarterly, the most recent annual data were used.
Data provided by Standard & Poor's Compustat, BusinessWeek
Why Taiwan Matters
Taiwan's Tech Clout
Taiwan's Info-Tech Triumphs
Company Snapshot
Novatek Microelectronics Corp., Ltd. engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, management, and sale of integrated circuits (ICs) in Taiwan and internationally. The company offers flat-panel-display controller and driver product lines, as well as various micro-controller and digital signal processing-based system solutions. Novatek also provides customers with one-time-programmable and flash type ICs, which enable firmware programming. In addition, the company offers various technical services. Novatek was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Hsinchu, Taiwan.
No. of Employees
NA
Data provided by 
Tai-Shung Ho
Bio
Tai-Shung Ho serves as the Chairman of Novatek Microelectronics Corp. Previously, he was the Department Manager of Commercial Product Business at the United Microelectronics Corp. Mr. Ho received a Master's in Science degree in Electronic Engineering from National Tsing Hua University