Chip makers see stronger DRAM memory prices this year

From InfoWorld: Taiwan's biggest DRAM maker, Nanya Technology, reported its first net profit in nearly three years on Wednesday, as DRAM prices rose and demand remained strong in the fourth quarter of last year.

But the company's fortunes came at a cost to anyone buying a new PC. The price of mainstream DRAM chips posted a strong rebound last year after hitting multi-year lows, rising 266 percent, according to investment bank Credit Suisse.

DRAM costs are often passed on to consumers and this year could become a bigger factor in PC prices. Market researchers forecast that DRAM prices will likely remain stable in the first half of this year and rise in the second half due to a strong PC market. Most DRAM chips go into PCs.

Nanya Technology said its fourth quarter net profit was NT$211 million (US$6.64 million), compared to an NT$11.89 billion loss in the same quarter last year. Revenue rose to NT$16.69 billion from NT$6.13 billion last year.

The last time Nanya reported a net profit was in the first quarter of 2007, at NT$3.29 billion.

View: Article @ Source Site