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Q4 net profit expected to rise 2.35% yr/yr

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Foxconn bullish on AI server demand

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Q4 earnings call at 0700 GMT on Friday

TAIPEI, March 14 (Reuters) - Taiwan's Foxconn,

the world's largest contract electronics maker, is expected to

report on Friday that fourth-quarter profit rose 2.35% on strong

demand for artificial intelligence servers.

Net profit for October-December for Apple's ( AAPL ) top

iPhone assembler and Nvidia's ( NVDA ) AI server maker likely

came in at T$54.4 billion ($1.65 billion), according to an LSEG

consensus estimate of 15 analysts, versus T$53.15 billion a year

earlier.

Foxconn said in January its fourth-quarter revenue jumped

15.2% to a record for that quarter on strong sales of AI

servers.

The company, formally called Hon Hai Precision Industry ( HNHPF ), has

said it expects first-quarter performance to be better than the

average level of the past five years, and it will see strong

year-over-year growth. It does not provide numerical guidance.

But an escalating global trade war has dimmed the prospects

for its outlook this year, as it has a major manufacturing

presence in China and Mexico, two of the top U.S. trading

partners that now face increased import tariffs from U.S.

President Donald Trump.

Apple ( AAPL ) said last month it will work with Foxconn to build a

250,000-square-foot (23,200-square-metre) facility in Houston,

where it will assemble servers that go into data centres to

power Apple Intelligence.

Foxconn holds its earnings call at 3 p.m. in Taipei

(0700GMT) on Friday, where it will also update its outlook for

the rest of the year.

Foxconn's shares have fallen 8.7% so far this year, hit by

concerns about U.S. tariffs and trade policy.

($1 = 32.9550 Taiwan dollars)