WitsView: Brand Vendors’ Aggressive Stocking-up Stimulates Demand for LCD Monitors in Jan’10

According to WitsView’s top 10 monitor brand survey, total monitor shipment reached 11.65 million units in November 2009, which is fairly flat compared to that of October. Due to the high price-sensitivity LCD monitors, most vendors are using price promotion to stimulate demand growth at this stage, leaving little room for a retail price increase. WitsView analyst Linda Lin indicated that, amid the rising panel price trend in December, brand vendors have been stocking up to prepare for market demand in 1Q10, resulting in robust demand and tight supply of LCD monitors in the short term; this is also the reason that shipments in November did not decline as substantially as expected. But how long could this wave of demand extend for? The actual demand can be determined by key market indicators such as Chinese New Year sales during in February next year, as well as whether SI inventory and retail channel inventory continue to rise. WitsView projects that although shipments of top 10 LCD monitor brands will decline by 8% in December, due to the year end inventory count, the figure is expected to grow by 16% in Jan’10, spurred by sales during Chinese New Year.