Global semiconductor revenues fell 2.6 per cent to $299.9 billion in 2012 from a year ago, while Intel retained its leadership position, according to a study by research and analysis firm Gartner.

The top 25 semiconductor vendors' revenue declined faster at 2.8 per cent than the industry as a whole, and accounted for almost the same portion of the industry's total revenue — 68.9 per cent in 2012 — compared with 69.0 per cent in 2011, it said.

“The normal drivers of semiconductor industry growth — the computing, wireless, consumer electronics and automotive electronics sectors — all suffered serious disruption in 2012,” Gartner Research Director Steve Ohr said.

“Even the industrial and medical, wired communications, military and aerospace sectors ― ordinarily less affected by changes in consumer sentiment ― suffered severe declines in semiconductor consumption,” Ohr said, adding excess inventory levels remained a growth inhibitor.

INTEL LEADS

Intel recorded a 3.1 per cent revenue decline due to falls in personal computer shipments. However, it retained the number one market share position for the 21st year in a row. Intel's share was 16.4 per cent in 2012, down from 16.5 per cent in 2011.

Samsung, the number two vendor, was held back by weak DRAM bit growth in 2012, as well as a dilution of the NAND flash market, although its overall revenue increased from smartphone application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and application-specific standard products (ASSPs).

Qualcomm's semiconductor revenue rose 31.8 per cent in 2012 to $13.2 billion. The company climbed from number six in 2011 to number three last year. Qualcomm was the fastest-growing semiconductor company in the top 25 and continues to benefit from its leading position in wireless semiconductors.

Texas Instruments retained its fourth-place ranking, although Toshiba slipped to fifth place in semiconductor shipments.

rajesh.kurup@thehindu.co.in

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