March large-sized panel shipment surged 17.1 percent MoM, 12 percent YoY

TAIWAN: According to the latest survey by WitsView , the display research division of the global intelligence provider TrendForce , the total large-sized panel shipment in March 2013 attained 68.6 million units, growing 17.1 percent MoM and 12 percent YoY.

After the bottom of the large-sized panel shipment in February, March was supported by the May 1st restocking in China and international brands’ distribution demands for new spring models, having the LCD TV panel shipment climbing 23.6 percent MoM to 20.52 million units.

The monitor panel shipment was lifted 18.6 percent MoM to 14.26 million units by the downstream clients; especially the demand for Apple’s new generation of iMac grew significantly. The above 10.1” NB panel shipment was still impacted by some brands’ continuous inventory digestion, seeing a weaker-than-expected procurement momentum, and the total shipment was 13.58 million units, growing 16.4 percent MoM, much lower than the projected 21 percent.

The tablet shipment supported the demand for panels as major PC makers have launched new models one after another. Especially the 7” and the 8” shipments grew largely, helping the total March tablet panel shipment to reach 18 million units, surging 9.8 percent MoM.

WitsView’s research manager Jeffy Chen says that Taiwan panel makers’ LCD TV panel shipment performance was remarkable as Innolux and AUO were supported by surging Chinese orders in addition to AUO benefitting from orders of major makers such as Samsung and Sony, showing respectively, 35 percent and 30 percent growths in TV panel shipment from February.

Chinese panel makers were also encouraged by the demand for May 1st, and CSOT, BOE, CEC-Panda enjoyed respective shipment growths of 12 percent, 24 percent, and 88 percent. respectively. The Korean maker LGD saw its March TV panel shipment attaining 32 percent as it held a higher proportion of Chinese clients than SDC, while SDC had merely an 8 percent growth.

Looking ahead to April, the large-sized panel shipment will show a temporary correction in April after the March peak, Chen adds. As the May 1st demand in China will end, the TV panel shipment will decline 5-6 percent from March, while the procurement for the IT panels will turn soft due to some brands’ quarter-end financial settlement.

In addition, the leading Korean BLU maker HeeSung Electronics’ fire accident in the Nanjing plant may result in LGD’s unsmooth NB and tablet shipments, and the overall monitor panel and NB panel shipments will decline 7 percent and 10 percent, respectively.

On the other hand, the tablet panel demand may be dragged down by Apple’s control over the 7.9” panel inventory, dropping more than 15 percent from March.