WitsView : TV Panel Shipment Hit Another Record High in September

According to WitsView’s latest survey, global large-sized panel shipments (including the 8.9-inch and above) continued its sequential growth and reached 49.59 million units in September 2009, up by 2.1% MoM and 26.1% YoY. Thanks to the stable supply of upstream components and continued stocking by downstream customers for the traditional hot season, large-sized panel shipments hit a new record high with 17.2% QoQ growth in the third quarter. However, due to the high base period, subsequent growth rate will be more moderate. On the other hand, brand vendors have withstood the pressure of rising panel costs for several consecutive months; in a market where end-demand is dependent on the attractiveness of retail prices, the increase of panel price has led to higher pressure from increased set cost, making it difficult to lower retail prices; this has prompted brand vendors to request for a decrease in panel price, leading to a turning point in panel prices of several sizes.

Looking at shipments of the 3 main applications, driven mainly by strong demand from China’s National Day Holiday sales and year-end sales, LCD TV panel shipments in September grew 11.7% to 14.84 million units, the biggest growth among the three main applications. In the IT product segment, notebook panels continue to benefit from the introduction of the new Windows 7 models, total shipments reached 18.03 million units, up by 2.5% MoM. On the other hand, LCD monitor shipments continued to decline – this is due to the increase in downstream customers’ inventory due to weaker end market demand, monitor panel prices took an earlier-than-expected turning point of a downward trend in late September, as a result, total shipment volume slipped by 5.5% MoM to 16.72 million units

In order to meet the strong year-end demand, it is estimated that total panel shipments have already peaked in September, and downstream customers’ inventory has also reached a relatively healthy level; amid rising shipment volume, panel prices have also reached a relatively high point toward the end of September; demand momentum will gradually slow down, and the issue of panel oversupply may potentially occur in the fourth quarter. In light of the above, panel shipment volume in October may be slightly lower than that of September.

About WitsView

Founded in the year 2004, WitsView, a subsidiary brand of DRAMeXchange, is composed of a team of TFT-LCD industry experts. The research field covers the development and market trend of upstream components, mid stream panels and downstream system integrators and retailers.
For more about WitsView, please visit www.witsview.com

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Media contact:

Nicole Chen

WitsView Technology Corp.
Tel:+886-2-7702-6888 ext. 950

Fax:+886-2-7702-6898
NicoleChen {at} witsview(.)com