TAIPEI: Taiwan’s Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics maker which counts technology giants such as Apple Inc among its major clients, reported a fourth-quarter profit that slightly beat market estimates.

       Foxconn reported a net profit of T$44.4bil (US$1.55bil or RM6.52bil) for October-December, down 3.4% compared with the year ago period.

       That compared with the T$43.32bil (RM6.36bil) average of 10 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv.

       Revenue fell 6% from a year earlier.

       Formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, Foxconn had expected fourth-quarter revenue to fall between 3% and 15%, citing the impact from a year-long shortage of chips that had disrupted production at companies from Apple to GM.

       It said yesterday it expected revenue for the first quarter as well as the year to range between a 3% fall and a 3% rise.

       The company on Monday suspended operations in the Chinese city of Shenzhen to comply with the local government’s Covid-19 control policies and said it will deploy backup plants to reduce disruption to production.

       Foxconn said yesterday some operations had been restored at its Shenzhen campuses, where the company had both housing and production facilities. — Reuters