Intel reports record revenue despite fall in Atom sales
updated 06:10 pm EST, Thu January 19, 2012
PC client group revenue up 17 percent
Intel has posted its full-year financial details, pointing to a record year with $54.2 billion in overall revenue. The chip maker's profits were up nearly six percent in the fourth quarter, as its PC client division posted a 17-percent jump in revenue for both the fourth quarter and the entire year.
The rise in fourth-quarter revenue from the company's pricier consumer chips appears to have helped offset declining income from Atom components, which fell by 57 percent from the same quarter last year.
Intel's data center group also showed an increase of eight percent over the fourth quarter last year, fetching $10.1 billion for the whole year, while McAffee and Intel Mobile Communications brought $3.6 billion in revenue.
The company appears to have achieved strong performance despite warnings of production difficulties due to devastating flooding last year at Thailand manufacturing facilities. Sales in the PC client group also contrast to a slight drop in Windows sales, though the lackluster Atom numbers corroborate Microsoft's explanation of weak netbook sales.
Intel expects its good fortune to continue into the first quarter of the year, potentially bringing in $12.8 billion in revenu with 63-percent gross margin and $4.4 billion in research-and-development spending.
