DIVERSIFICATION:The company is exploring new products, such as virtual reality and augmented reality headsets, as well as IoT products for smart homes and cars

Taipei Times
Date: May 12, 2016
By: Lisa Wang / Staff reporter

Asustek Computer Inc (華碩), the world’s fourth-largest PC vendor, yesterday posted its smallest quarterly net profit for the past year after its tablet business drifted into losses due to gloomy demand.

Net profit dropped 8 percent to NT$4.16 billion (US$127.89 million) during the quarter ending March 31, compared with NT$4.54 billion in the previous quarter.

However, on an annual basis, net income climbed 13 percent from NT$3.68 billion.

As the slump in demand for tablets is expected to continue, Asustek forecast that its second-quarter revenue would contract by between 9 and 14 percent to between NT$95 billion and NT$100 billion, compared with last quarter’s NT$110.5 billion.

On an annual basis, Asustek still has a chance to hold its revenue steady in the second quarter.

The company made NT$99.37 billion in revenue in the same period last year.     [FULL  STORY]