Business and Finance

Taishin Financial to acquire Ta Chong Securities

CHALLENGING MARKET:The NT$4.23 billion acquisition is to give Taishin Financial a market share of more than 0.005 percent and a better foothold in the mid-size market

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 11, 2017
By: Ted Chen / Staff reporter

Taishin Financial Holding Co (台新金控) yesterday confirmed plans that its brokerage unit would wholly acquire Ta Chong Securities Co Ltd (大眾證券) in a deal worth NT$4.23 billion (US$136.29 million) after denying media reports earlier this week.

The two companies have secured approval from their respective boards of directors, with the price of the acquisition set at NT$11.2 per share, company officials said at a news conference at the Taiwan Stock Exchange, adding that a formal contract would be inked on Monday.

Taishin Securities Co (台新證券), the brokerage arm of the bank-focused financial conglomerate, would be the surviving entity following the merger, which is expected to be completed by the end of July pending regulatory and shareholders’ approval, it said.

Taishin Financial has gained the consent of Yuanta Financial Holding Co (元大金控) to push forward with the acquisition, Taishin Financial chief financial officer Welch Lin (林維俊) said.    [FULL  STORY]

Delta Electronics chief is bullish on future investments

The China Post
Date: March 11, 2017
By: Christine Chou

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Power solutions provider Delta Electronics (台達電) Chairman Yancey

NPM Director Lin Jeng-yi unveils the museum’s new promotion plan to boost international competitiveness and local recognition March 8 in Taipei City. (Courtesy of NPM)

Hai (海英俊) said Friday the company will invest more in projects related to data centers, electronic vehicles and industrial automation (IA).

Already a well-known local technology firm, Delta is now increasingly seen by the market as a promising “Tesla Concept Stock,” as the world’s most celebrated electric car maker Tesla Motors’ expanding presence in Taiwan is believed to benefit local manufacturers in its supply chain, including Delta, a power system supplier for Tesla.

“The economy is doing a lot better than the previous quarter,” said Hai, after the company disclosed its financial report for 2016.

“Our focus in the foreseeable future will definitely include EVs. We have already allocated a lot of resources into this sector,” he said, adding that the market for electric cars is only at its early stages and the company is now working on developing equipment for the new area.    [FULL  STORY]

Acer leads worldwide Chromebook market for third consecutive year

Acer has made huge strides in the segment since the introduction of its first Chromebook in 2011, exemplified by its leading worldwide Chromebook market share positions in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/03/09
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News)–According to recent data from market research firm Gartner,

According to recent data from market research firm Gartner, Acer led the worldwide Chromebook market in 2016 with a share of 28 percent.

Acer led the worldwide Chromebook market in 2016 with a share of 28 percent and saw year-on-year growth of 33 percent.

Acer has made huge strides in the segment since the introduction of its first Chromebook in 2011, exemplified by its leading worldwide Chromebook market share positions in 2014 and 2015. Acer has continued its success in 2016.

Since having launched its first Chromebook in 2011, Acer has offered the first Chromebook with 14-hour battery life (Acer Chromebook 14), a large 15.6-inch screen (Acer Chromebook 15), a compact 13.3-inch convertible form factor (Chromebook R 13) and Vibrant Corning Gorilla Glass (Acer Chromebook 14 for Work).

Acer currently offers Chromebooks with screen sizes ranging from 11- to 15-inch, and come with an array of different forms and specifications to meet the unique needs of consumers, schools and businesses, such as models with premium all-metal housings, convertible form factors and military-grade construction for added durability in school settings.    [FULL  STORY]

NDC close to announcing head of new government investment firm

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/03/09
By: Chen Cheng-wei and Lilian Wu

Taipei, March 9 (CNA) The National Development Council (NDC) is close to announcing the head of a new government investment company, NDC Deputy Minister Kung Ming-hsin (龔明鑫) said Thursday.

Kung said the candidate has considerable experience in the field of international investment, adding that he expects to confirm the appointment within a month.

Media reports have identified several prospective candidates for the post, including Stan Shih (施振榮), founder of computer manufacturer Acer Inc., Lin Hsin-I (林信義), former vice premier and Morris Chang (張忠謀), chairman of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest contract chip maker.

Kung said that the investment company hopes to raise NT$10 billion (US$322.6 million), with the Executive Yuan’s National Development Fund contributing 40 percent of the fund and 60 percent coming from the private sector.    [FULL  STORY]

Bill to reduce day-trading tax would boost turnover: FSC

Taipei Times
Date: , Mar 10, 2017
By: Ted Chen / Staff reporter

The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) yesterday said that a proposed bill to reduce tax on day-trading transactions would boost average daily turnover on the local bourse by NT$25 billion (US$805.93 million).

The estimate was given by FSC Chairman Lee Ruey-tsang (李瑞倉) at a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee.

Halving the tax from 0.003 percent to 0.0015 percent would increase daily turnover at the Taiwan Stock Exchange by about NT$16 billion, while daily transactions at the Taipei Exchange would see gains of about NT$9 billion per day, Lee said.

The bill has been approved by the Executive Yuan and is expected to be reviewed by the legislature in the next few weeks.    [FULL  STORY]

Jeffrey Huang’s brainchild focuses on live-streaming

The China Post
Date: March 10, 2017
By: James Lo

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Widely known as the leader of local hip-hop bands “L.A. Boyz” and

Jeffrey Huang poses for a photo at the headquarters of 17 Media in Taipei on Tuesday, March 7. (Morgan Lin, The China Post)

“Machi” (麻吉), Jeffrey Huang (黃立成) is a perceptive entrepreneur in his own right.

One can even argue that the Taiwanese-American businessman has never shirked from seeking new challenges when it comes to creating companies and jobs.

Huang’s recent ventures include creating Taiwanese professional E-Sports team Machi 17 and an app called 17.

17, officially referred to as “One Seven” in Mandarin, was created by the entrepreneur’s startup, 17 Media. The app is the company’s flagship social media platform and focuses on live-streaming and the uploading of video content as its main business model.

Featuring over a million daily active users and over 2,000 daily content creators, the platform is currently one of the most popular mobile applications in Taiwan, and it competes among a pantheon of social media giants including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
[FULL  STORY]

Tongtai to commercialize 3D tech

PROFITABLE PURCHASES:The company aims to grow annual sales by 5 percent, after reporting a 4.3 percent increase last year following the acquisition of two firms

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 09, 2017
By: Kuo Chia-erh / Staff reporter

Tongtai Machine and Tool Co Ltd (東台精機), one of the nation’s leading machine tool makers, yesterday said it would commercialize its 3D printing technology this year, setting an annual sales target of NT$200 million (US$6.48 million).

Headquartered in Kaohsiung, the 48-year-old company is the world’s second-largest maker of processing systems for printed circuit boards after Japan’s Hitachi Via Mechanics Ltd.

Tongtai said it would be able to manufacture 3D metal printing equipment through collaboration with US-based Optomec Inc, a system supplier for 3D printed metals and printed electronics.

“3D metal printing equipment is expected to be Tongtai’s next sales catalyst,” company spokeswoman Lulu Yen (嚴璐) said at the Taipei International Machine Tool Show.
[FULL  STORY]

Credit Suisse Taiwan senior executive and husband out on bail

Senior executive accused of insider trading through family accounts

Taiwan News
Date: 2017/03/08
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A senior executive at Credit Suisse Taiwan Elsa Chiu (邱慧平)

Credit Suisse manager Elsa Chiu. (By Central News Agency)

and her husband were released on bail early Wednesday after being interrogated about alleged insider trading in the takeover of Hermes Microvision Inc. (HMI,漢微科) by ASML of the Netherlands.

Chiu allegedly made NT$21 million (US$679,000) in profits on the deal, the second-biggest merger of the year in Taiwan in 2016. ASML is the world’s largest producer of photolithography systems for the computer industry, while HMI supplies chip-making machinery.

After facing raids on her home and office on Tuesday, Chiu was taken in for questioning. Early Wednesday, she was allowed to leave the Taipei District Prosecutors Office after paying NT$5 million (US$162,000) in bail.    [FULL  STORY]

Major equity market players return to trading floor: FSC

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2017/03/09
By: Tsai Yi-chu and Frances Huang

Taipei, March 9 (CNA) Major local equity market players have been returning to the trading floor at a time when the average turnover in the local bourse has hit a recent high, according to the Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), Taiwan’s top financial regulator.

In a hearing held by the financial committee of the Legislative Yuan Wednesday, Lee Ruey-tsang (李瑞倉) cited FSC data as saying that that the number of major local equity market players who traded no less than NT$500 million (US$16.13 million) on the local main board in a single quarter stood at 436 in February, up from 389 recorded in November 2016.

Lee said that the number of investors who traded no less than NT$100 million on the main board in a quarter rose to 4,217 from 4,002 on the main board during the same period.

In the local over-the-counter market, the number of investors whose quarterly trading hit NT$100 million or higher also rose to 6,446 in February from 5,876 in November, Lee said.    [FULL  STORY]

TSMC China profit hit as demand dips

EXPANSION:To better cater to Chinese clients’ needs, the world’s largest contract chipmaker is building a facility in Nanjing, which is to produce 16-nanometer chips

Taipei Times
Date: Mar 09, 2017
By: Lisa Wang / Staff reporter

The Chinese arm of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) saw profit for last year fall due to sluggish demand for less advanced chips, according to information obtained by China Credit Information Service Ltd (CCIS, 中華徵信所).

Net profit for TSMC China, which is fully owned by TSMC, last year plunged about 30 percent to NT$6.09 billion (US$197.3 million at the current exchange rate), compared with NT$8.73 billion in 2015, CCIS said on Tuesday, citing the latest consolidated financial statement submitted by the world’s biggest contract chipmaker to the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

The decline marked the first annual profit contraction since TSMC China became profitable in 2010 after five years of operations, statistics compiled by CCIS showed.

TSMC China was a cash cow for TSMC, sending profits soaring since 2010, when it was granted a license to produce chips on 0.13-micron technology, an upgrade from 0.18-micron technology, CCIS said.    [FULL  STORY]