Market research agency DisplaySearch is reporting a 3% drop in large TFT LCD display shipments in Q1 2009 compared to Q4 last year.
Its quarterly large-area TFT LCD shipment report noted that shipments reached 91.4m units, which represents a 3% drop quarter on quarter and a year on year drop of 18%. Due to this decline, revenues fell correspondingly 17% on the previous and 52% compared to the same Q last year, a fall of $10bn US.
However, panel manufacturers are reportedly optimistic for Q2, and are targeting shipments of 129m units for the period. If this is achieved it will represent revenue growth of 47% on the start of the year.
In the first Quarter of 2009, Samsung was the leader in terms of share, units shipped and revenue capturing 28.7% of the market.
David Hsieh, VP of DisplaySearch predicted that this would be the worst quarter of the cycle and that the outlook is much more positive. “The outlook is improving and we will definitely see shipments and revenues grow by double digits in 2009.â€