United Microelectronics' (UMC) IC design affiliates including MediaTek, Novatek Microelectronics, Pixart Imaging and Integrated Technology Express (ITE) are all expected to see their second-quarter revenues rise more than 20% sequentially, judging from the foundry orders they have released, according to industry sources.

MediaTek will likely have its monthly revenues rebound to NT$8 billion (US$271 million) in March, and continue their growth momentum through June thanks to a pickup in demand from China's handset market, the sources said. Also buoyed by orders placed by its China handset clients, Novatek is forecast to see its LCD driver IC shipments increase more than 15% sequentially in the second quarter, the sources indicated.

Meanwhile, with demand for PC and gaming products warming up, both Pixart and ITE are set to post strong revenue growth sequentially in the second quarter, the sources said.

In addition, helped by rising orders placed by its IC design affiliates, UMC will see its capacity utilization grow substantially in the second quarter, the sources noted.

Faraday Technology, an IC design service provider partnering with UMC, reported impressive sales results for the first two months of 2012 signaling that UMC's utilization rate is set to climb out of the bottom, the sources said. Faraday has guided sales would climb more than 35% sequentially in the first quarter.

UMC, which saw its utilization rate slide to 68% in the fourth quarter of 2011, expects to utilize a simiar rate of its capacity in the current first quarter of 2012.

Source:Digitimes