TSMC posted net profit of NT$763.1 billion for the third quarter of 2026, up approximately 69% year over year and marking its sixth consecutive quarterly record. Revenue increased about 51% to NT$1.49 trillion. The result surpassed the previous quarterly profit record of NT$706.6 billion, established in April–June. The Taiwanese company, the world's largest contract chipmaker, manufactures chips used in Nvidia's AI data center processors.
Demand for artificial intelligence hardware remained a major driver, with TSMC reporting that customer requirements continued to exceed its production capacity. Although the company saw no indication of a slowdown in the AI growth trend, chairman and chief executive C.C. Wei adopted a more guarded tone regarding 2027. He said rising component prices and macroeconomic uncertainty were challenging consumer markets and price-sensitive segments. High-performance computing accounted for 68% of revenue, compared with 21% for smartphones, underscoring the composition of the company's business during the quarter.
TSMC expects fourth-quarter revenue of $52.3 billion to $54.3 billion and now forecasts approximately 44% revenue growth in US dollar terms for 2026. Its expansion plans include another 3-nanometer fabrication plant in Tainan, where production is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2028. Construction of its second Arizona plant is complete, with mass production expected in the third quarter of 2027, ahead of schedule. The company maintained its 2026 capital expenditure forecast of $60 billion to $64 billion, while signaling substantially higher spending in 2026–2028 than during the preceding three years.
