TrendForce: LED Monitor Shipments Up 8% in September

LED monitor shipments among the top ten brands grew 8% on month in September, while the top ten SI makers’ shipments increased 5.8% during the same period, according to WitsView, a division of the Taiwan-based market intelligence firm TrendForce. Compared to August, the top ten LED monitor brands all performed better in September, said Anita Wang, a research manager at WitsView. “The baseline set for August was relatively lower, so by comparison, September looks better,” she said. “Shipments also picked up in September as it was the last month of the third quarter and most vendors wanted to close out the quarter as strongly as possible.”Retailers also increased inventory before China’s week-long October holiday and in anticipation of the peak-season fourth quarter in the United States and Europe, Wang added. 

The top ten SI makers' shipments also increased in September. SI makers boosted production ahead of China's October holiday, when factories are closed, and prepared shipments bound for the Europe and the United States early to ensure they would clear customs in time for the holiday season. However, since panel supply was tight, vendors’ costs increased. As a result, they were unable to offer large discounts. Those combined factors caused annual shipment growth in September to fall 5.9% for the top LED monitor brands and 12.3% for top SI makers. 

Currently, some main panel sizes remain in short supply. They were intended to be delivered in the third quarter, but postponed until the fourth quarter, causing shipments in the July-September period to expand only 3%, below TrendForce’s predictions, Wang said. While panel shortages are easing, it will be up to LED monitor brands to meet consumer demand in the fourth quarter to ensure growth, she added.