Acer plans to expand its server sales to compete with Dell, Hewlett-Packard
The world's second-largest personal computer retailers and Acer said that this year plans to expand its server business to gain more profits, while competition for business with Hewlett-Packard and Dell Computer customers.
Acer President and CEO Gianfranco Lanci (Gianfranco Lanci) 2 Yue 5 interview, said: "Can not Zhizuo for the consumer market, computer makers, to all-round development of the market. This year will see us in the commercial computer field action. "
In the third quarter, Acer launch low-cost Internet access for the consumer market and high-end of the Aspire One Ferrari notebooks, Dell's promotion jumped over the world's second-largest computer maker. Lanci said Acer's server sales accounted for 4% of total sales this year, but its profit margin of up to twice as many other products.
Daiwa analyst Calvin Huang (Calvin Huang), said: "Acer sounds ambitious, if they can successfully carry out the server business, will be very beneficial to its." He will be Acer's stock rating raised to "buy" (Buy) , "Enterprise users will increase, then the development of Acer is equal to have a (personal computer outside of) the second engine."
Acer's share price last year, the Taiwan Stock Exchange rose 128% over the volume-weighted price index issued by (TAIEX) 78% gain. This year, fell 12%, in line with the TAIEX declines.
Lanci said Acer was released in November last year, blade servers and modular servers, and plans to release at the end of this quarter, a full line of servers. This also will help Acer PC customers win more business.
Ferrari Notebook
Acer released in June 2008 low-cost Internet access to this Aspire One, and so doing in the global economic downturn under adverse conditions, to seize market share. Acer Ferrari series notebooks offer up to 2000 U.S. dollars.
Lanci said: "We first develop the consumer market, and then expand the commercial market, this decision is correct. Turn to do the market will be a disaster."
U.S. market research firm IDC 12 monthly report said by the global economic downturn and corporate impact of budget cuts in the third quarter of worldwide server shipments decreased by 17.9% year on year. IBM revenue continued to hold the first place, followed by Hewlett-Packard and Dell. Excluding the global computer server shipments increased by 2.3%, Acer with 14% market share followed by Hewlett-Packard, ranked second.
Server revenue
Lanci said the server's gross profit margin of 15% to 20%. Acer's third-quarter gross margin was 10%.
KGI Securities analyst Angela item (Angela Hsiang), said: "Acer may want the server market in the next few years of rapid growth, they also want a share of them." She will be Acer's rating raised to " outperform "(Outperform). "It will take some time. Because Acer has not done server products, they need strong R & D capabilities."
The world's largest PC supplier HP server revenue last year accounted for 13% of total revenue, server, operating profit sector accounted for 11.3% of total operating profit, accounting for 24% of the total gross margin. The world's third-largest computer retailer, Dell's third-quarter revenue of servers and network sectors accounted for 12% of total revenues. The world's largest retailer, IBM 2005 years will the server personal computer business to Lenovo, which launched its personal computer market.
Expenditures
Analyst Calvin Huang said: "Acer may need to establish a distribution network server, so the start may not have much profit."
Acer's vice president of marketing Jianpiye Romo Biro (Gianpiero Morbello), said in an interview, excluding sponsorship spending will increase by 30% of Acer's marketing budget, to help the server sales. Acer is now the Ferrari F1 race, the Italian soccer team Inter Milan, as well as class sponsor of the Olympic Games.
Lanci said Acer's revenue is expected to grow 15% this year, notebook shipments will exceed 4 million units, an increase of 35% to 40%. Acer will be published this week, a preliminary financial results in 2009, Lanci said that sales in 2008 was essentially flat.
Analysis of the expected net profit last year, Acer 11.8 billion new Taiwan dollars (about 367 million U.S. dollars), an increase of less than 1%. This year net profit is expected to grow to 16.4 billion Taiwan dollars.