Taiwan’s MIC says that the country’s large-area LCD panel shipments were up 0.7% QoQ in Q3. Rising LCD TV demand towards the end of the year was the main cause. Major growth drivers included pull-in demand in anticipation of China’s October long holiday period and year-end sales in Europe and North America. In Q4, continued healthy LCD TV panel demand, coupled with ‘modest’ notebook panel demand, are slowing the country’s large-area panel shipment decline.
With the significant sales expected around the end of the year, and brands beginning to replenish inventories in October and November, Taiwan’s panel shipments are likely to stay ‘promising’ in Q4.
In terms of panel sizes, 18.5″ LCD TV panel shipments fell 85% QoQ in Q3, while 40″ units have successfully replaced 39″ ones. Innolux is also raising its efforts to promote shipments of 58″ panels. Shipments of 65″ models were up 22.7% QoQ. Looking at notebook PC panels, ASPs are expected to soften in Q4 as Korean and Chinese makers have been strategically increasing their panel shipments.
