TAIPEI: Foxconn posted second-quarter net profit well below expectations as a rise in component costs and unsold inventory weighed on the performance of the Apple supplier and world’s top contract electronics maker, analysts said.
The company, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. Ltd, reported net profit of T$17.49 billion ($567.25 million) late on Monday, 20 percent short of analyst expectations and slightly below the year-earlier results. Foxconn shares fell more than 3 percent on Tuesday.
Analysts said the results reflected concerns about a loss of momentum in global smartphone sales. Last week, Foxconn unit FIH Mobile Ltd. posted a wider first-half loss and acknowledged that it faced a high risk of saturation in the smartphone market.
Foxconn’s results showed that its gross margin narrowed in the second-quarter in part owing to the cost of carrying unsold inventory of the iPhone X. Overall global smartphone shipments fell 3 percent to 350 million units in the April-June quarter compared with a year earlier, market research firm Strategy Analytics says.
However, Vincent Chen, an analyst at Yuanta Research, predicted a brighter outlook projected by Apple would benefit Foxconn and boost its margins in the third quarter.
Apple has forecast above-consensus revenue for later in the year, when it typically launches new iPhone models. Reports suggest these models will use OLED screens, which can display colors more vividly.
“We expect Hon Hai to be the main assembler of OLED version new iPhones and we believe the OLED iPhone model will see better demand in 2H18F,” Chen said in a research note.
The company’s report also illustrates its moves to diversify by pushing into new areas such as display screens — it bought Sharp Corp. earlier this year — autonomous car startups and investments in cancer research.
Still, Foxconn earns most of its profits from manufacturing smartphones for Apple and other brands and from Foxconn Industrial Internet, a unit that makes networking equipment and smartphone casings, among other things.
“Investment in factory automation and component price hikes capped gross margin,” said Fubon Research analyst Arthur Liao. Foxconn’s operating costs jumped 18.8 percent in the quarter.
Liao noted that Foxconn absorbed some expenses related to the Sharp acquisition this quarter, as well as development costs from setting up a factory in the US, and taking Foxconn Industrial public in June.
Apple contractor Foxconn posts below-forecast profit on soaring operating costs
Apple contractor Foxconn posts below-forecast profit on soaring operating costs
PIF-backed AviLease achieves revenue of $664m and 19% growth in 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-backed AviLease achieved exceptional performance and sustainable business growth during 2025, supported by the strategic expansion of its global platform.
According to its financial results for 2025, AviLease recorded total revenues of $664 million, an annual increase of 19 percent, driven by disciplined growth in its asset portfolio and strong performance in aircraft remarketing amid sustained global demand for modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Profit before tax doubled compared to the previous year, reaching $122 million. The year witnessed an expansion in AviLease’s portfolio, reaching 202 owned and managed aircraft, leased to over 50 airline companies in more than 30 countries.
The total value of the company’s assets stabilized at $9.3 billion. AviLease maintained a 100 percent fleet utilization rate, reflecting the resilience of its business model, the efficiency of its asset management, and the strength of its strategic relationships with airlines around the world.
AviLease concluded purchase agreements for aircraft from Airbus, including the A320neo family and A350F, and Boeing 737 aircraft, aiming to enhance its future asset portfolio with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft. This step will contribute to supporting future growth and meeting increasing customer demand for the latest aircraft, aligning with the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a leading global aviation hub.
AviLease strengthened its prestigious credit standing by obtaining a strong Baa2 credit ratings from Moody’s and BBB from Fitch, reflecting its financial solidity, managerial discipline, and efficiency in managing leverage. The company also successfully issued senior unsecured bonds worth $850 million last November under Regulation 144A/RegS. This issuance contributed to diversifying its funding sources and enhancing its financial flexibility.
Commenting on the results, AviLease CEO Edward O’Byrne said: “This exceptional performance reflects the quality of the company’s investment portfolio, the strength of its partnerships with airlines, and its strategic focus on responsibly deploying capital into highly sought-after, efficient, modern aircraft assets.”
He added: “As aviation markets continue to grow, AviLease is strategically positioned to continue its expansion plans and deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders, contributing to the Kingdom’s ambitions.”
Throughout 2025, AviLease continued to play a pivotal role in the Kingdom’s growing aviation sector and contributed directly to the launch and scaling of the new national carrier, Riyadh Air, by completing a sale and leaseback transaction for a Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which thereby became the first aircraft to join the airline’s fleet.
AviLease also established a strategic partnership with Hassana Investment Co. This partnership aims to provide an opportunity for local and international investors to enter the aircraft financing asset class and benefit from AviLease’s technical expertise and operational capabilities to support partnership growth and enhance performance.
Hassana Investment Co. has agreed to acquire an initial portfolio of 10 modern aircraft from AviLease.
