iSuppli Upgrades Large-Screen LCD Shipment Forecast

EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. — Citing rising demand, tightening supply and increasing prices, research firm iSuppli raised its forecast for large-sized LCD panel shipments for 2007 and the following years.

Global revenue for large-sized LCD panels — defined by iSuppli as those with diagonal dimensions of 10 inches or greater — will rise to $66 billion in 2007, up 22.2 percent from $54 billion in 2006. This represents a 6 percent increase compared to iSuppli's previous forecast of $62 billion for 2007.

In 2007, worldwide shipments are forecast to reach 353.8 million units, up 25.2 percent from 282.5 million units in 2006. iSuppli previously predicted shipments of 350.1 million units for the year.

"Following weak pricing conditions in the fourth quarter of 2006 and in the first quarter of 2007, the large-sized LCD panel market entered into a robust recovery in the second quarter—and strong conditions are persisting in the third quarter," said Sweta Dash, LCD and projection research director for iSuppli.

"Demand is rising from all three major markets for such panels: televisions, desktop monitors and notebook PCs. Meanwhile, inventories remain under control," said Dash. "This combination of rising demand and constrained supply is causing overall panel prices to increase."

This strength should continue during the coming years, said iSuppli.. Dash predicted the large-sized LCD panel market would expand to 597.6 million units by 2011, up 2 percent from iSuppli's previous forecast of 587.1 million units. Revenue will reach $102 billion in 2011, up 6 percent from iSuppli's previous forecast of $96 billion for the year. This will mark the first year the global large-sized LCD panel market exceeds $100 billion in size, said the company.

iSuppli said LCD TV sales are being driven up by a combination of factors, including lower prices for finished sets, improvements in performance, global shifts to Digital Television (DTV) and the arrival of the Summer Olympics in 2008.

Although costs for some panels are increasing or stabilizing, end prices for LCD TVs are expected to continue to decline due to intense competition at the retail level, it said.

iSuppli upgraded its forecast of global large-sized LCD TV panel shipments in 2007 to 77.5 million units, a 2 percent increase from 75.6 million units previously.