DisplaySearch Reports Global LCD TV Shipments Rise 135% in Q1: Sony Remains #1 in Revenues, Philips Earns Top Unit Share

Business Wire, May 24, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas -- DisplaySearch, the worldwide leader in display market research and consulting and part of The NPD Group, has released Q1'06 worldwide LCD TV shipments and revenues by brand, region, size and resolution for over 40 different LCD TV brands as part of its Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report.

LCD TV shipments jumped 135% year-over-year (Y/Y) while falling 14% quarter-over-quarter (Q/Q) to 7.4M units. LCDs had the fastest Y/Y growth and smallest sequential decline of any TV technology in Q1'06, taking share in each region and were the only technology to gain share sequentially rising from a 15% share in Q4'05 to a 17% share in Q1'06. Due to gains by larger sizes, LCD TV revenues grew nearly as fast as LCD TV unit shipments, rising 114% Y/Y while falling 12% Q/Q to $8.8B. The average diagonal rose 19% Y/Y and 2% Q/Q to 27.0" as larger sizes continue to become increasingly affordable. ASPs increased 2% Q/Q while falling just 9% Y/Y to $1195. 37", 40"-42", 20"-21" and 45" were the only size categories to gain share with 22"-23", 26"-27" and 30"-32" flat and other categories losing share. The 37" and larger share rose from 12% to 14% on a unit basis and from 29% to 32% on a revenue basis.

Relative to other technologies, LCD TVs overtook CRT TVs at 30"-34" for the first time on a unit basis in Q1'06 and rose from 17% to 23% of the 40"-44" market with PDPs and MD RPTVs losing share.

All regions enjoyed at least 116% Y/Y growth except Japan which grew just 35%. Europe and China continued to take share from North America and Japan with Europe's share rising from 44% to 46% on pre-World Cup demand.

Four brands dominate the LCD TV market accounting for a 50% share of units and a 54% share of revenues. The rankings of these four depend on whether units or revenues are examined with the rankings reversed due to Sony and Samsung's focus on larger sizes supporting their revenue share and Philips and Sharp's focus at all sizes supporting their unit share. As indicated in Tables 1 and 2, Philips was #1 in units but #4 in revenues while Sony was #4 in units and #1 in revenues. Sony had the greatest focus on larger sizes of the top nine brands with 63% of its shipments at 30" and larger compared to Samsung at 51%, Sharp at 41% and Philips at 38%. Philips was #1 in units in Europe and North America and led the 15"-19" market worldwide. Sharp rose from #3 to #2 in units worldwide, remained #1 in Japan and maintained the top position at 10"-14", 20"-21", 37" and 45" size categories. Samsung had the slowest sequential decline of any of the top four brands and overtook Sony at 22"-23", 26"-27" and 30"-32". It led in rest of world (ROW) and was a close second to Philips in Europe. Sony remained #1 at 40"-42". On a revenue basis, Sony remained #1 in North America, Samsung led in Europe and ROW, Sharp remained #1 in Japan and Hisense remained #1 in China.

Table 1     LCD TV Unit Share

    Ranking             Brand           Q4'05 Share     Q1'06 Share
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      1        Philips/Magnavox            14.2%           13.9%
      2        Sharp                       13.6%           13.1%
      3        Samsung                     11.6%           12.5%
      4        Sony                        14.6%           10.9%
      5        LGE                          6.4%           6.9%
               Others                      39.6%           42.7%
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               Total                       100.0%         100.0%
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Table 2     LCD TV Revenue Share

    Ranking             Brand           Q4'05 Share     Q1'06 Share
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      1        Sony                        19.1%           15.0%
      2        Samsung                     11.8%           13.9%
      3        Sharp                       13.4%           12.7%
      4        Philips/Magnavox            11.7%           11.9%
      5        LGE                          6.0%           6.3%
               Others                      38.0%           40.1%
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               Total                       100.0%         100.0%
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DisplaySearch's LCD TV market intelligence including panel and LCD TV shipments, LCD TV shipments by region by brand by size, rolling 16-quarter forecasts, costs/price forecasts, design wins and supply/demand projections can be found in DisplaySearch's Quarterly LCD TV Shipment and Forecast Report and its Quarterly Global TV Shipment and Forecast Report. For more information on this report, please contact Richard Goldman at 312-952-5679 or richard@displaysearch.com.

About DisplaySearch

DisplaySearch, an NPD Group company, has a core team of 33 employees located in North America and Asia who produce a valued suite of market forecasts, technology assessments, surveys, studies and analyses. The company also organizes influential events worldwide. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, DisplaySearch has regional operations in Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, Kyoto, San Diego, San Jose, Seoul, Shenzhen, Taipei and Tokyo, and the company is on the web at www.displaysearch.com.