1Q10 Sales Ranking of Branded NAND Flash IC Makers

May 7th,2010----- Branded NAND Flash makers’ ASP mildly declined about 5% QoQ while the total bit shipment increased about 15% QoQ in 1Q10.  Branded NAND Flash makers' total sales reported US$4.363bn in 1Q10, up 11.6% QoQ from US$3.91 bn in 4Q09. According to DRAMeXchange.
 
 As NAND Flash market waited for the Apple’s iPad launch details released before mid-March, downstream NAND Flash customers just properly restocked some inventory required before & after Chinese Lunar New Year holiday period. Nevertheless, NAND Flash suppliers appropriately adjusted & controlled 1Q10 output growth to ease the seasonality effect in order to stabilize the pricing trend & profitability. Moreover, NAND Flash vendors also benefited from relatively stable OEM orders from some electronic system product customers to buffer the slow-season impact of memory card clients in 1Q10.
 
However, increasing TLC white-box memory card supply and quarter-end effect in March both weakened the pricing uptrend momentum and procurement demand in 1Q10. The mixed market factors & wait-and-see sentiment posed the tug-of-war status between buyers and suppliers so that NAND Flash price demonstrated vibrationally softening trend in 1Q10.
 
 According to the 1Q10 sales ranking of branded NAND Flash makers, Samsung remains its leadership place with 39.2% market share and records US$1.71bn revenue, followed by Toshiba with 34.4% market share and US$1.501bn revenue. Micron ranks No.3 with 9.1% market share and US$397m revenue while Hynix takes the No.4 with US$345m revenue. Intel and Numonyx grab No.5 and No.6 with sales of US$280m and US$130m respectively.
 
 Benefited from the replenishment demand from mobile phone customers to ease the seasonality effect, Samsung demonstrated bit shipment boost while ASP decline about 10% QoQ in 1Q10. Samsung’s sales were US$1.71bn with 39.2% market share in 1Q10.
 
 Benefited from the steady OEM orders from system product customers, Toshiba’s bit shipment sustained to increase in 1Q10. Toshiba’s sales grew 18.5% QoQ to US$1.501bn with 34.4% market share in 1Q10.
 
 Thanks for the stable OEM orders from system product customers to ease the slow-season effect, Micron showed the slight shipment increase and ASP decline in 1Q10. Micron’s sales roughly stayed flat to report US$397m with market share of 9.1% in 1Q10. ; Owing to slow season effect, Intel’s bit shipment & ASP roughly kept stable in 1Q10. Intel’s sales recorded US$280m with market share of 6.4% in 1Q10.
 
 Suffered from the slow season effect, Hynix’s bit shipment stayed flat while ASP declined 8% QoQ in 1Q10. Hynix’s sales slightly reduced 9.2% QoQ to US$345m in 1Q10 while market share is 7.9%.; Benefited from steady demand from mobile phone customers, Numonyx showed shipment boost and stable ASP in 1Q10. Numonyx’s sales boosted  18.2% QoQ to US$130m with market share of 3% in 1Q10.