Display industry outlook remains weak in June

While prices of 39.5-/40-inch TV panels are expected to remain stable at US$68 in June, quotes for 32- and 43-inch models are likely to ebb by US$1 each to US$42 and US$85, respectively, during the period, according to Sigmaintell Consulting.

Prices of other TV panel sizes will fall at much wider ranges in June, with those for 50-inch models to sink US$3 to US$106, 55-inch ones to drop US$3 to US$127, and 65-inch panels to slide US$5 to US$198.

Flat panel makers are likely to incur losses for selling 65-inch TV panels below the average price of US$200, a level which is close to their material costs, according to industry sources.

For May, AU Optronics (AUO) posted revenues of NT$24.74 billion (US$787.92 million), up by 17.9% on month but down by 3.9% on year.

Fellow company Innolux saw its revenues edge up 0.7% on month but down 4.5% on year to NT$21 billion in May. The company shipped 10.24 million large-size panels in the month, down 2.8% on month. For small- to medium-size panels, shipments were up 1.4% on month to 20.28 million units.

HannStar Display posted revenues of NT$1.39 billion for May, up 0.7% on month but down 25.7% on year. The company’s shipments of small- to medium-size panels in the month came to 37.72 million units, an increase of 137.4% from the previous month. Shipments of large-size and own-brand panels were down 23.2% sequentially to 112,000 units.

Giantplus Technology’s May revenues reached NT$833 million, up 1.59% on month but down 7.23% on year.

The financially-troubled Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) saw its revenues decline 39% on month and 91.6% on year to NT$185 million in May, as its shipments of small- to medium-size panels were down 44.9% on month to 1.43 million units, and those for large-size models also dropped 91.9% to merely 5,000 units.