Y-o-Y Reverse Growth of Flat TV Shipments

Worldwide FPD TV Shipments Trends

(Source: Displaybank Report, 'Monthly FPD TV Shipments Data')

March 2012 worldwide flat TV shipments were aggregated to 16.73M units, and LCD TV and PDP TV recorded 15.55M units and 1.18M units, respectively. This was -1% and -14% Y-o-Y, and entire flat TV recorded -2%.
The biggest cause of Y-o-Y reverse growth was the slump of Japanese makers. At the end of Q1 2011, ahead of the end of Eco-Point, Japanese home market recorded enormous sales and shipments remained strong until Q2 even after the termination, due to advance sales. However, with the termination of analog broadcasting in July, 2011, all the positive factors that had led home TV market disappeared and Japanese home market entered sharp downturn. The shipments of all Japanese makers, which had large domestic share, have been continuously recording reverse growth Y-o-Y this year.

Y-o-Y FPD TV Growth Trends

(Source: Displaybank Report, 'Monthly FPD TV Shipments Data')

2012 Cumulative Results of Y-o-Y Growth Trends

(Source: Displaybank Report, 'Monthly FPD TV Shipments Data')

Even though cumulative shipments of LCD TV increased over 10% Y-o-Y in February, since last January, it recorded negative growth in March and LCD TV showed -1% growth Y-o-Y, and PDP TV showed -9% growth during the same period based on Q1. However, the reverse growth of flat TV will not be continued. Starting April, overall shipments are expected to turn to growth Y-o-Y.

Company-specific Flat TV Share 

(Source: Displaybank Report, 'Monthly FPD TV Shipments Data')

Looking at worldwide company-specific flat TV share based on March, Samsung Electronics is ranked at No. 1 with 20%, and LG Electronics and Sony are ranked at second and third with 14% and 9%, respectively. Chinese makers’ shares significantly increased, TCL of China recording same 5% share as Toshiba and Sharp of Japan, and shares of Hisense and Changhong increased to 4%.   The Panasonic’s share in the entire flat TV market is falling steadily as PDP TV quantity decreased significantly and market share of Sharp, has high proportion of Japanese home market, is also down to 5%.

LCD TV BLU-specific Proportion Increases Steadily

Changes in LCD TV, BLU Proportion by Type 

(Source: Displaybank Report, 'Monthly FPD TV Shipments Data')

Of LCD TV, LED BLU adoption share has been increasing steadily. The proportion of LED BLU has increased to 56% on a March basis. As low-cost direct type LED TV continues to be released, LED proportion is expected to increase continuously. Samsung Electronics was the first to release low-cost direct type LED BLU and others also plan to release low-cost LED BLU as early as H1 or H2 this year at the latest. 
However still, existing edge type is expected to be the flagship model. Low-cost direct LED is expected to expand around emerging markets, and establish as a model completely replaces CCFL in some developed markets.
Samsung Electronics plans to discontinue CCFL products in Korea, and replaces with LDE BLU within H1 2012 and China and Europe are also planning to discontinue CCFL.

PDP TV Shipments Expected to Decrease More Noticeably in Q2

As Panasonic, a leading PDP maker in Japan, continues to downgrade 2012 PDP TV business target, PDP TV shipments are also expected to decrease sharply. Panasonic shut down the most recently built P5 PDP module line, and plans to shut down total 3 sub-lines of rest of P4 line, one per each year, starting this year.

PDP TV shipments of Panasonic, which reduced 2012 PDP TV sales target more than 50% Y-o-Y, continue to be weak; March PDP TV share has dropped to its lowest to 22%. On the other hand, Korea’s Samsung Electronics share recorded all-time high of 38% and Changhong of China also surpassed 10% for the first time, recording 11%.
Samsung Electronics plans to sell 5M units of PDP TV this year, the same level as last year, and LG Electronics significantly lowered target from 4M units to 3.6M units. LG Electronics has shipped total 4.4M units of PDP TV in 2011. Panasonic’s 2011 PDP TV target shipments are known to be 2.5M units, which is less than half of last year.
PDP TV industry is expected to maintain its share, led by Samsung Electronics and followed by LG Electronics, Panasonic, and Changhong.

Company-specific March PDP TV Share 

(Source: Displaybank Report, 'Monthly FPD TV Shipments Data')

* The column is written based on Displaybank published ‘Monthly FPD TV Shipments Data’ report. For more details, please refer to the report.