Foxconn projects 30 pc capex growth in 2026 amid robust AI demand

TAIPEI: Taiwan-based manufacturing giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. announced on Thursday that it expects its capital expenditure to grow by more than 30 per cent in 2026. The company, known globally as Foxconn, attributed this increase in spending to the sustained and robust demand for artificial intelligence and cloud-based infrastructure.

According to a report by Focus Taiwan, the planned expenditure aimed to strengthen the company’s international manufacturing footprint and technical capabilities. Speaking at an investor conference, Hon Hai CEO Michael Chiang explained the strategic intent behind the capital allocation. Chiang said the spending will boost investment in regional production, introduce automation and enhance core manufacturing capacity.

The report mentioned that the announcement followed the release of the company’s first-quarter financial results, which showed a record-breaking net profit. Foxconn (Hon Hai) posted a first-quarter net profit of NT$49.92 billion (USD 1.58 billion), representing a 19 per cent increase from the previous year and a 10 per cent rise from the final quarter of 2025. The company’s total sales for the quarter reached NT$2.12 trillion (USD 67.4 billion), with its cloud and networking division accounting for 48 per cent of that revenue.

Market data shared during the conference indicated that Hon Hai currently holds approximately 40 per cent of the global AI server market. Chiang noted that AI servers represented more than 50 per cent of the company’s total server revenue during the first three months of the year. He also suggested that shipments for general servers remained on track to grow at a double-digit pace, exceeding the broader industry average.

Chiang reiterated an earlier estimate made by the company that sales will more than double in 2026, with revenue generated from AI servers and cloud-based devices expected to grow sharply.

In the first quarter, Hon Hai’s operating margin — the difference between sales/cost of goods sold and operating expenses — stood at 3.57 per cent. Chiang said the operating margin for 2026 is expected to beat the 3.2 per cent recorded in 2025, Chiang said. In addition, shipments of co-packaged optics (CPO) switches are slated to start in the third quarter, and the number could hit 10,000 units this year, he added.

The report noted that Hon Hai Spokesman James Wu said shipments of multiple AI solutions are expected to increase quarter by quarter this year, with shipments of AI servers embedded with application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC) likely to double.

The company also expanded its efforts in sovereign AI by collaborating with infrastructure firm Amin and French-government owned Bull to develop digital infrastructure in Africa.

Echoing Wu, Chiang said Hon Hai has worked with major cloud service providers to develop ASIC-powered AI server racks, while the company is also investing in AI server components, including liquid cooling and high-speed transmission solutions.

As per the report, the United States and Mexico will continue to serve as Hon Hai’s AI server production hubs as demand from North America remains strong, Chiang said. (ANI)