With the war between Russia and Ukraine not likely to cease any time soon, IT firms have turned cautious about their operation in 2022. Notebook ODMs, despite still having robust orders for the first half, visibility of orders is weak for the second half. Motherboard and graphics card vendors are also cautious about their business prospects for 2022 as the market's conditions are still worrisome. Some IC design houses have already seen a disappointing first half of 2022 because of weak smartphone demand.

Notebook ODMs see unclear order visibility for 2H22: Taiwan-based notebook ODMs see a positive business outlook for the first half of 2022, but limited order visibility and new variables arising from the Russia-Ukraine war are significantly slimming their shipment prospects for the second half of the year, according to industry sources.

Mobo and graphics card makers turn cautious amid demand uncertainty: Taiwan-based main motherboard (mobo) and graphic card vendors including Asustek Computer, Gigabyte Technology, and Micro-Star International (MSI), as well as smaller peers Rock and TUL, have turned conservative about their business prospects for 2022 amid uncertainty over end-market demand, but they remain confident their sales for the year will improve from pre-pandemic levels, according to industry sources.

IC design houses expect lower-than-expected shipments in 1H22: Taiwan-based IC design houses have quietly revised downward their shipment targets for the first half of 2022, due mainly to disappointing smartphone sales, according to industry sources.

By DIGITIMES