Large-area TFT LCD shipments grew 6pc M/M to 40mn in April

AUSTIN, USA: April 2009 shipments of large-area TFT LCD panels reached 40.1 million units, showing strong M/M growth of 6 percent, according to the most recent DisplaySearch Monthly TFT LCD Shipment Database.

The 3 percent Y/Y increase in shipments marked the first time in seven months that there was positive Y/Y growth in monthly shipments. However, revenues were 39 percent lower than April 2008, indicating the magnitude of price declines over the past year.

Large-area TFT LCD revenues did increase 6 percent M/M, reaching $4.2 billion. As DisplaySearch reported previously, the February shipment results indicated the TFT LCD industry had reached the bottom of the cycle, and then March results showed some recovery. April shipment results indicate a continuation of the large area TFT LCD industry’s recovery.

All three major applications — notebook PC, monitor and TV — showed M/M growth. DisplaySearch’s research found that notebook PC panels had the highest M/M growth at 9 percent, followed by TV panels at 8 percent and monitor panels at 3 percent. However, monitor panel shipments are still lower than the same month last year. Notebook panel shipments were 9 percent higher than the same month last year and TV panels were 8% higher than April 2008. Table 1 shows monthly shipments by application.

Table 1: Monthly Large-Area TFT LCD Panel Shipments and Growth (Millions)Source: DisplaySearch May 2009 Monthly TFT LCD Shipment Database

For the notebook PC application, shipments of 16:9 aspect ratio panels reached 3.6 million, 28 percent of the 12.7 million notebook panels shipped, up from 24 percent in March. Meanwhile, shipments of 15.6” (16:9) notebook panels reached the same level as 15.4” (16:10) panels.

In monitors, 16:9 panels reached 6.1 million units, a 38 percent share of the 15.8 million monitor panels shipped, up from 28 percent in March. Meanwhile, 32” TV panel shipments reached 4 million units in April, and 42” TV panel shipments passed 1 million units for the first time since last October.

In addition to large-area TFT LCDs, the Monthly TFT LCD Shipment Database also tracks 5.0” to 11.6” mini-note (netbook) panel shipments. Mini-note panel shipments were 3.1 million in April 2009, up 14% M/M; HannStar continued to be the leader in mini-note panel shipments in April. The Premium Version of the Monthly TFT LCD Shipment Database includes shipment data by suppliers for each application and screen size.

According to David Hsieh, Vice President of DisplaySearch, “April results are encouraging for panel makers, as they reflect a healthy recovery in demand.” Looking forward, Hsieh added, “Considering the current end-market demand and the low panel inventories, we expect that shipments will continue to grow in Q2’09, and we forecast that panel makers will reach 80 percent capacity utilization in Q2’09.”

For information on the DisplaySearch Monthly TFT LCD Shipment Database, contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452 or contact@displaysearch.com

Large-area TFT LCD shipments fell 3pc Q/Q in Q1’09 to 91.5M units

AUSTIN, USA: Results of the DisplaySearch large-area (10” and larger) TFT LCD survey for Q1'09, as reported in its Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report, indicate that shipments reached 91.5 million units, a decline of 3 percent Q/Q and 18% Y/Y (see Table 1).

Due to the decline in shipments, large-area TFT LCD revenues fell 17 percent Q/Q and 52 percent Y/Y, to $10 billion. Slow market demand in Q1’09 led to reductions in capacity utilization across all applications.

Table 1: Q1’09 Large-Area TFT LCD Shipments by Original Specification and Application (Millions)
Source: DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report
* Original specification indicates the panel specification at the time of shipment. Some panels specified for LCD monitors are used for LCD TVs.
** Includes 10.x”, 11.x” and some 12.0” panels used in mini-notes (also called netbooks)

DisplaySearch also revealed details of its survey of panel makers’ shipment targets for Q2’09 through Q1’10. Panel makers are increasing capacity utilization to respond to growing demand and targeting Q2’09 shipments of large-area TFT LCD panels of 125 million, up 37 percent from Q1’09 (see Table 2). If panel makers reach their unit shipment targets, revenue growth is expected to be 47 percent Q/Q.

Table 2: Large-Area TFT LCD Shipments by Original Specification and Applications in Q2’09 (Millions)Source: DisplaySearch Quarterly Large-Area TFT LCD Shipment Report
* Original specification indicates the panel specification at the time of shipment. Some panels specified for LCD monitors are used for LCD TVs.
** Mini-note (also called netbook) PC panels are indicating the 10.x”, 11.x” and some 12.0” panels for Mini-Note

In Q1’09, Samsung Electronics ranked #1 in large-area TFT LCD panel revenues, with sales of $2.9 billion, a 28.7 percent revenue share, according to DisplaySearch findings. LG Display was #2, with $2.5 billion in revenues and a 25.4 percent sales share. CMO was ranked #3 at $1.4 billion with a 14.4 percent share.

In Q1’09, Samsung also took first place in units and area shipments. LG Display and CMO were second and third, respectively. Korea was the largest supplier of large-area TFT LCD panels in Q1’09 with 52.2 percent, while Taiwan’s share remained unchanged from Q4’08, at 38 percent. Table 3 shows the Q1’09 shipment ranking of large-area TFT LCD panels by original specification and application.

Table 3: Top Three Unit Suppliers for Each Application in Q1’09Includes <26” LCD monitor panels used for LCD TV
** Includes 10.x”, 11.x” and some 12.0” panels used in mini-notes
*** Excludes <26” LCD monitor panels used in LCD TVs

According to David Hsieh, Vice President of DisplaySearch: “We are forecasting that industry utilization will be 80 percent in Q2’09 due to growing orders. We expect that Q1’09 represented the worst of this cycle as revenues and shipments reached recent lows. But just as spring has replaced winter, the outlook is improving and we will definitely see shipment and revenues grow by double digits in Q2’09.”