TSMC Q1 Revenue Beats Expectations at $11.34B, Driven by AI Chip Demand; Q2 Outlook Positive

Gate News message, April 16 — Taiwan's leading semiconductor foundry TSMC reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $11.34 billion (NT$113.41 billion), exceeding both analyst expectations and the company's own guidance. The 35.1% year-over-year increase was driven by surging demand for high-performance computing (HPC) chips required by the AI industry.

Operating margin reached 58.1%, a significant improvement from 54.0% in the previous quarter and 48.5% in the year-ago period, also surpassing consensus estimates of 55.7%. Operating profit totaled $6.589 billion (NT$65.89 billion).

By process node, 3-nanometer chips accounted for 25% of revenue, 5-nanometer for 36%, and 7-nanometer for 13%. Advanced-node products continued to drive results, as in the prior year.

HPC demand was particularly strong, representing approximately 61% of total Q1 revenue. The surge reflects aggressive AI chip orders from major global technology companies including Nvidia.

For the second quarter, TSMC guided revenue of $39.0–$40.2 billion, approximately 4% above consensus estimates of $38.1 billion. Operating margin guidance of 56.5–58.5% also exceeded consensus expectations of 55.2%.