Panel makers have become more positive about prospects for the third quarter of 2020 thanks to strong pull-ins for panel orders from the TV and notebook sectors, according to industry sources.

Demand for TV panels has been gaining momentum recently as TV brands are preparing new models for launch in the second half, expecting demand from the end-market to recover along with the easing of city lockdown measures imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus pandemic, said the sources.

Meanwhile, IT brands have been placing more follow-up orders for notebook panels since the first half of the second quarter, noted the sources, adding that the trend is likely to continue into the third quarter as notebook brands are likely to begin shifting their focus to the consumer segment away from the current focus on commercial models.

Prices for notebook panels have been moving upward steadily thanks to significant demand for entry-level and mid-tier commercial notebooks and Chromebook models, added the sources.

In line with the favorable market trend, Innolux saw its revenues grow 6.7% on month and 4.9% on year to NT$22 billion (US$743.47 million) in May. In the month, it shipped 11.52 million large-size panels, up 10.9% sequential; shipments of small- to medium-size panels totaled 23.78 million units, down 1.7% on month.

HannStar Display posted revenues of NT$1.262 billion for May, up 24.1% on month but down 9.4% on year. It shipped 45.6 million small- to medium-size panels in May, up 20.4% on month; large-size panel shipments reached 179,000 units, up 5.8%

By DIGITIMES