Texas Instruments (TXN) or "TI” recently launched its first lead-acid battery management integrated circuits (ICs), bq34z110 gas gauge IC. It comes with TI’s own Impedance Track capacity measurement technology.
TI’s new IC is a scalable power management device, which can support multi-cell lead-acid battery voltages of 4 V, 12 V, 24 V, 48 V and higher. Such batteries are required in various mobile and stationary applications such as medical instruments, wireless base stations and telecom shelters, e-bikes, inverters and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS).
Lead batteries are better than their lithium counterparts as they can work in both high and low temperature ranges. The new ICs equipped with TI’s Impedance Track technology informs the user about battery health and charge with 95% accuracy. This information helps prevent sudden shutdown and in the process increases the longevity of the battery and end-equipment. Thus, TI’s new ICs may provide the requisite support for critical instruments.
TI’s new IC has the capacity to power a wide range of batteries, right from the smallest coin-cell to the largest multi-cell battery pack. Further, it launched image sensor receiver ICs, which act as a bridge between HD image sensors and processors while streaming videos.
Thus, TI’s constant endeavour to provide a diverse portfolio of analog ICs targeting different applications such as smart grid, factory automation, high-voltage power, LED lighting and control may boost its revenue growth in the future.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, TI generated total revenue of $2.98 billion, down 12.1% sequentially and 12.9% year over year (slightly better than the mid-point of the recently-narrowed guidance range of $2.89 billion to $3.01 billion). The Analog business fell 9.4% sequentially and 1.5% year over year. The sequential decline was attributable to broad-based weakness across the HVAL, HPA, SVA and power management product lines.
Texas Instruments has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Other semiconductor stocks that are equally worth considering include Linear Technology Corp. (LLTC), On Semiconductor Corp. (ONNN) and Intersil Corp. (ISIL), all with a Zacks Rank #2.
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TEXAS INSTRS (TXN): Free Stock Analysis Report
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