TrendForce Says Worldwide Notebook Shipments in First Half of 2016 Totaled 74.18 Million Units; Weak Second Half Expected Despite Peak Season

TAIPEI, Taiwan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#1H16–Worldwide notebook shipments for the first half of 2016 fell just 4%
year on year to 74.18 million units, according to global research firm
TrendForce. Channel inventories returned to a healthy level in the
second quarter. At the same time, there was a significant increase in
stock-up demand due to arrivals of new notebook products and
preparations for back-to-school sales in September. These factors led to
an above-expected shipment results.

“Notebook sales usually enter the peak period during the last six months
of the year,” said TrendForce notebook analyst Anita Wang. “For this
year’s second half, however, branded notebook vendors will be facing
shortages and price hikes for numerous key components. This will create
pressure that limits their abilities to promote their products. For
instance, South Korean panel makers have announced that they will be
scaling back or ceasing the production of high-definition twisted
nematic LCD panels (HD TN panels). These panels are used in the displays
of mainstream notebook products, and their prices are now in an upswing
on account of the suppliers’ plans. Additionally, prices of both DRAM
and NAND Flash have gone up entering the third quarter. Rising component
costs will constrain the sales momentum of notebooks, resulting in an
unavoidable decline in annual notebook shipments.”

TrendForce’s projection for the second half of 2016 indicates that
notebook shipments during the traditional peak sales season may be
weaker than expected. The ratio between shipment volumes of the first
and second half of the year will be 47:53.

Lenovo was No. 1 in half-year shipment ranking while Apple posted a
30.3% sequential increase in MacBook shipments for second quarter

Lenovo registered two consecutive quarters of strong notebook shipments
and was able to narrowly surpass HP to clinch first place in the
half-year ranking. The Chinese brand shipped 16.15 million units during
the first six months of the year on account of tremendous sales results
in Americas and Asia Pacific in the second quarter.

HP was No. 2 in the ranking with 15.8 million units shipped for this
year’s first half. Despite posting a 17.9% sequential growth in the
second quarter, HP was unable to catch up to Lenovo as its first-quarter
shipments were too low. “HP will have an advantage over Lenovo in the
U.S. and European markets during the second half of the year, so the
brand has a chance to become the top vendor again based on annual
shipments,” said Wang.

Dell took third place in the ranking with a year-on-year growth rate of
11.1% for its half-year shipments. The market launch of new Chromebook
products helped Dell to almost double its Chromebook shipments in the
second quarter. This in turn contributed to the growth of the brand’s
total notebook shipments.

ASUS kept up its quarterly notebook shipments to around 4 million units
for the first half of 2016 and has remained as the fourth-largest brand
worldwide by shipments. Since ASUS’s strategy focuses on raising product
margins, models with full high-definition (FHD) displays now account for
about 30% of the brand’s total notebook shipments. FHD penetration rates
in HP’s and Lenovo’s shipments are lower by contrast.

Apple’s MacBook shipments in the second quarter were up 30.3% versus the
first quarter, placing the brand on the fifth spot of the half-year
ranking. This shipment surge was generated by the release of an upgraded
12-inch model of the latest MacBook. TrendForce expects MacBook
shipments to register sequential growth in the third and fourth quarter
because Apple will also be releasing new products for both periods.

Acer’s second-quarter notebook shipments rose 19.1% sequentially due to
returning stock-up demands from channels. Still, the Taiwanese brand
lagged behind Apple in growth momentum and had to settle for sixth place
in the half-year shipment ranking. “The tightening of HD TN panel supply
in the second half of the year will have a serious impact on Acer’s
shipments because models with HD TN panels currently make up nearly 90%
of the brand’s total shipments,” added Wang.

For the ranking table of notebook brands and more details, please visit: http://press.trendforce.com/press/20160810-2584.html

About TrendForce (www.trendforce.com)

TrendForce is a global provider of the latest development, insight, and
analysis of the technology industry. Having served businesses for over a
decade, the company has built up a strong base membership base of
410,000 subscribers. TrendForce has established a reputation as an
organization that offers insightful and accurate analysis of the
technology industry through five major research divisions: DRAMXchange,
WitsView, LEDinside, EnergyTrend and Topology Research Institute.
Founded in Taipei, Taiwan in 2000, TrendForce has extended its presence
in China since 2004 with offices in Shenzhen and Beijing.

Contacts

TrendForce
Mr. Sean Lin
+886-2-8978-6488 ext. 667
seanlin@trendforce.com