NEW YORK: Intel Corp said on Thursday its new 7-nanometer chip technology was six months behind schedule, sending its shares down 9% in extended trading. The new delays are a blow for the Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker, which struggled with years of delays for its current 10-nanometer chips.
Intel's 7nm manufacturing delays extend the lead in the smaller, faster chip technology held by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd and will likely benefit rivals Advanced Micro Devices Inc and Nvidia Corp which outsource their manufacturing to TSMC. Shares of AMD rose 6% in extended trading.
Intel is the top supplier for processors for PCs and data centers, but rivals such as Nvidia and TSMC are challenging the logic of Intel's business model as a both a designer and manufacturer of its own chips. Chief Financial Officer George Davis said in an interview that Intel had discovered a "critical defect mode" in part of the 7nm chipmaking process technology and was making adjustments.
The company estimated third-quarter revenue of about $18.2 billion on adjusted earnings of $1.10 per share, compared with analysts' average forecast of $17.9 billion and $1.14 per share, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. It updated its full-year 2020 revenue guidance to $75 billion versus analysts' consensus estimate of $73.86 billion, according to Refinitiv data.
For the second quarter ended in June, Intel said overall revenue and adjusted profits were $19.73 billion and $1.23 per share, compared with analysts' estimates of $18.55 billion and $1.11 per share, according to Refinitiv. Revenue for its data center segment was $7.1 billion compared to estimates of $6.61 billion, according to data from FactSet. Sales for PC chips were $9.5 billion, compared to analyst estimates of $9.10 billion, according to FactSet data.