Taiwanese market research company, Witsview, said that there were 123.35 million TV LCD panels shipped on the first half of 2017, a fractional drop of 0.1% compared to last year. Samsung Display was down 14% on last year to 18.41 million and saw the largest drop from last year, following the closure of its L7-1 fab at the end of 2016 and is now fourth largest supplier in the market. LG Display was also down, but by just 1.1% to 25.28 million units. LGD has boosted its sales of larger monitor panels at 23.8″ and 27″ as brands have wanted to move to those sizes to help improve monitor margins.
Innolux expanded its 65″ capacity, while reducing 39.5″ panels and Witsview reported sales of 20.25 million. BOE shipped 19.5 million panels in the first half, down 13.1% on last year. AUO saw growth of 2.2%, in line with Innolux to 13.28 million and improved its yield rate. Witsview said that AUO’s 65″ shipments were up by 42.9% on last year.
Average sizes have increased to 44.7″ in the first half (up from 43″) and prices rose a long way from last year. The increase in diagonal meant that the area shipped increased by 8.7%.
Witsview believes that shipments will grow by 4.1% in volume because of increases in capacity by BOE and HKC.
Analyst Comment
CSOT was almost above Samsung, which could slip back to fifth for TV panels in the second half. (BR)
