Shipment of large-size LCD panels (9-inch and above) by Taiwan's makers (excluding Sharp) edged up 2.1% sequentially to 59.3 million units in the third quarter of 2019 due mainly to advanced shipments by clients in light of the uncertainty triggered by the US-China trade dispute, according to Digitimes Research.
In the third quarter, shipments of notebook panels increased for the second consecutive quarter to account for 36.5% of Taiwan's total large-size panel shipments, with their ASPs falling by the smallest range over the past year as compared to those for other applications, Digitimes Research says.
Meanwhile, panel shipments for TV and monitor applications declined sequentially in the third quarter, and prices of 55/65-inch TV panels, in particular, fell 25-30% from a year earlier. But shipments of 9-inch and above panels for tablet applications fared better due to increased shipments of end-market devices from Amazon and Huawei.
Taiwan's shipments of large-size panels are expected to edge up merely 0.9% sequentially in the fourth quarter as Taiwan's makers are unlikely to benefit from the reductions of LCD panels by Samsung Display and LG Display, and instead panel makers in China will receive more windfall orders for 55-/65-inch TV panels due to their growing capacities.
Overall, Taiwan's large-size panel shipments are expected to reach 232 million units in 2019, accounting for over 30% of global shipments, Digitimes Research estimates.