Taiwan's Acer sees sales in China down 10-20 pct in second quarter

TAIPEI (AFP) Apr 25, 2003
Acer Inc, Taiwan's largest personal computer maker, said Friday it expects a 10-20 percent year-on-year drop in sales of its IT products in China in the second quarter due to the spread of a deadly respiratory disease there.

"The spread of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) has affected buying power on the mainland," an Acer spokesman said.

"However, China just accounts for six percent of Acer's global IT products sales and SARS is expected to impose a limited impact on Acer's overall business," he said.

The spokesman said Acer had no plan to revise its 2003 sales forecast.

Acer has projected a 125.8 billion Taiwan dollars (3.61 billion US) in 2003 revenues to be generated by its global sales of information technology products, distribution business and electronics services.

IT products accounted for some 80 percent of Acer's 2002 revenues of 98 billion dollars.

Greater China -- including China, Taiwan and Hong Kong -- took some 20 percent of Acer's IT product sales in 2002.

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