icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
31 Mar, 2021 13:02

Huawei posts record profit in 2020 despite mounting US pressure

Huawei posts record profit in 2020 despite mounting US pressure

Chinese tech giant Huawei achieved a record profit last year despite pandemic headwinds and US blacklisting. However, those factors still took a toll on the pace of the company’s growth.

Huawei’s net profit was up 3.2% and reached 64.6 billion yuan ($9.9 billion), the company said as it presented its 2020 financial results on Wednesday. Meanwhile, its revenue rose by 3.8% year-on-year to hit 891.4 billion yuan ($136.7 billion). 

The annual revenue growth was modest compared to the previous year when it amounted to 19%. Year-on-year net profit growth was also slower compared to 5.6% a year earlier, and the contrast is even more staggering compared to 2018, when it amounted to 25.1%.

Also on rt.com Huawei to participate in construction of Russia’s high-tech super highways

“Over the past year we've held strong in the face of adversity,” Huawei's rotating chairman, Ken Hu, said in a statement. “Because of the unfair sanctions placed on us by the US, our mobile phone business saw a revenue decline.”

While the company’s statement says that overall financial results were in line with its forecasts, Ken said the performance of the consumer business “fell short” of the company’s expectations due to a fall in smartphone revenue.

Last year’s growth was mainly driven by the company’s success at home, while Huawei’s business declined in its overseas markets. Sales in China jumped over 15% to total 584.9 billion yuan ($89.7 billion), accounting for over 65% of total revenue. Revenue in the Americas plunged by nearly a quarter, while it was down 12% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and 9% in Asia-Pacific. However, Huawei still feels “more optimistic” about next year’s performance beyond the domestic market.

Also on rt.com US declares Huawei threat to national security, pouring cold water on Beijing’s hopes for reset with Washington

Last year marked the first full year under the US sanctions for Huawei. Washington placed the company on its infamous Entity List in May 2019, essentially prohibiting American companies from doing business with the tech giant and making it difficult, or impossible, to export vital technologies to Huawei. Additionally, the US moved to block global chip supplies to Huawei and pressured its allies to ditch Huawei equipment, especially in the rollout of 5G networks.

For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section

Podcasts
0:00
23:13
0:00
25:0