Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is set to report a roughly 50% jump in net profit for January-March, marking its fourth straight quarter of record earnings. Analysts’ LSEG SmartEstimates peg first-quarter profit at NT$542.6 billion (US $17.1 billion), well above the previous high-water mark of NT$505.7 billion. Revenues climbed 35% year-on-year, driven by booming orders for its 3-nanometre AI chips and advanced packaging services, which have outstripped available capacity. TSMC’s chip fabs in Taiwan remain critical to suppliers like Nvidia and Apple. Its market value has swelled to about US $1.6 trillion—almost twice that of South Korea’s Samsung Electronics. Investors will watch Thursday’s earnings call at 0600 GMT for updated guidance. Macquarie Capital’s Arthur Lai predicts stronger second-quarter revenue, thanks to “sustained AI demand and advanced-node leadership.” Geopolitical risks around helium and neon supplies from the Middle East could rip through the chip industry, but TSMC’s diversified sourcing and safety stocks should cushion any short-term squeeze, according to IDC’s Galen Zeng. Attention will also focus on whether the company sticks to or uplifts its US$165 billion 2026 capex plan—which includes new fabs in Arizona—and its revised strategy in Japan to produce 3-nanometre chips. So far this year, TSMC’s shares have risen 28%, outpacing a 22% gain in Taiwan’s broader market.