Large-Area TFT LCD Shipments Grew 6% M/M to 40 Million in April, the Highest in 7 Months; Revenues Hit $4.2 Billion

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AUSTIN, TEXAS, May 21, 2009—April 2009 shipments of large-area TFT LCD panels reached 40.1 million units, showing strong M/M growth of 6%, according to the most recent DisplaySearch Monthly TFT LCD Shipment Database. The 3% 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% lower than April 2008, indicating the magnitude of price declines over the past year. Large-area TFT LCD revenues did increase 6% 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%, followed by TV panels at 8% and monitor panels at 3%. However, monitor panel shipments are still lower than the same month last year. Notebook panel shipments were 9% 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% of the 12.7 million notebook panels shipped, up from 24% 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% share of the 15.8 million monitor panels shipped, up from 28% 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% 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 or contact your regional DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan. Don’t forget to register for SID’s Business Conference, co-hosted by DisplaySearch and SID, during the SID Display Week.  To view the full agenda for the SID Business Conference and presentation abstracts, visit www.sid.org/conf/sid2009/business.html. To register, visit www.sid.org/conf/sid2009/registration.html.

Visit DisplaySearch at Booth #726 during SID Display Week, May 31-June 5 in San Antonio, Texas. Media interested in scheduling a briefing during the show or in need of market data for their SID articles should contact Stacey Voorhees-Harmon at stacey@savvypublicrelations.net or call 925-336-9592.

About DisplaySearch
DisplaySearch, an NPD Group Company, has a core team of 57 employees, located in Europe, North America and Asia, who produce a valued suite of FPD-related market forecasts, technology assessments, surveys, studies and analyses. Visit the DisplaySearch blog to read about how our top analysts are interpreting up-to-the-minute issues that impact the display industry, and join us in this discussion about technology and the flat panel industry. The company also organizes influential events worldwide. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, DisplaySearch has regional operations in Chicago, Houston, Kyoto, London, San Diego, San Jose, Seoul, Shenzhen, Taipei and Tokyo, and the company is on the web at http://www.displaysearch.com/.

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