Notebook panel shipments are expected to get rid of five consecutive quarters of decline
As per previous reports, due to market supply and demand, global inflation, and other factors, the inventory of notebook computer panels held by various manufacturers has increased, resulting in a corresponding decrease in procurement. Consequently, the shipment volume of notebook computer panels for the entire year 2022 has exhibited a downward trend. Recently, TrendForce released a report estimating the shipment volume of notebook computer panels for the first quarter of 2023 to be 38.7 million units, a decrease of 10.4% compared to the previous quarter and a decrease of 45.6% compared to the same quarter last year.
In November 2022, TrendForce had already made a forecast for the shipment volume of notebook computer panels in the first quarter of 2023. At that time, the predicted shipment volume was 43.2 million units, but current circumstances indicate a worse situation than originally anticipated. From the chart, it is evident that in the past two years, the shipment volume of notebook computer panels peaked in the fourth quarter of 2021 at 77.1 million units and has been in decline since, with the most significant decrease occurring in the second quarter of 2022 at 24.2%.
According to TrendForce, by the first quarter of 2023, the inventory of commercial notebook computer panels held by some manufacturers has returned to healthy levels, while others still have excess inventory, resulting in a reduction in procurement for the first quarter. Beginning in the second quarter of 2022, various manufacturers began significantly reducing their procurement of notebook computer panels and continued to adjust procurement throughout the second half of last year. TrendForce also tracked the shipment volume and panel procurement of manufacturers over the past three quarters and found that the gap between the two is gradually narrowing, indicating a return to normal inventory levels for manufacturers.
With various factors such as the end of inventory adjustments for manufacturers, an increase in domestic demand in China, and preparations for the 618 promotion on e-commerce platforms, the shipment volume of notebook computer panels is expected to break the five-quarter decline and return to a normal trajectory. TrendForce predicts that the shipment volume of notebook computer panels for the second quarter of 2023 will be approximately 46.3 million units, an increase of 19.6% compared to the previous quarter.
