Acer aiming for half of notebook market

ACER IS FEELING chipper about its prospects after announcing its Q3 financial results at the firms’ latest investor meeting.

Despite the faltering global economy, Acer appears to be on a roll, announcing that its third quarter combined revenue had shot up 27 per cent since the second quarter, reaching $48.3 Billion. Combined consolidated revenues for the first three quarters of 2008 totaled $12.8 billion, a 31 per cent on-year growth.

The firm also did well on its operating margins - 2.9 per cent, up from 2.2 per cent in Q2 – boosted its operating income to $314 million (after expensing employee bonuses etc) and saw net profit after tax reach $278 million.

Company president, Gianfranco Lanci noted that netbook shipments were doing especially well with Acer shifting 2.4 million netbooks in the third quarter alone. The firm is also pleased with the way its low-cost Aspire One netbook is selling and claim demand for it, especially in the US market, is on the up.

Lanci predicted that in 2009 the world markets would expand to take 30-35 million netbook units, of which Acer expects to take a 40-50 per cent share, or some 12-15 million units.

Acer president, JT Wang, confirmed the firm’s notebook shipments were predicted to grow by some 25-35 per cent and that Acer now expected to beat its previous estimates on PC shipments for 2008, with shipments surpassing the 30 million unit mark. µ

L'Inq
Taiwan Economic News