An uptick in purchasing by leading LCD TV brands...

An uptick in purchasing by leading LCD TV brands since Q2 has led to tightening supplies of LCD TV panels and rising panel prices for 32- to 55-inch TVs, a DisplaySearch blog post said (http://bit.ly/1or4rxV). In Q3, Samsung and LG raised their 2014 business plans to 48 million and 34 million units ahead of the holiday season, contributing to the shortage, while Chinese TV makers also are gearing for Q4 and 2015 holidays with expanded forecasts, DisplaySearch said. The top 15 brands produced 15.5 million LCD TVs in August, the highest monthly tally since January, and early predictions are for production to reach 18.7 million units in September, up 9 percent over the year-ago quarter, it said. Production from the top 15 brands is slated to reach 21.1 million in October, a 15 percent year-over-year increase, which would be the largest increase ever for LCD TV panels, DisplaySearch said. Production is expected to slip after October but still maintain a higher level than in Q3, it said. The record high expected this year for October -- typically the seasonal peak for global TV production and set shipments -- “shows how determined the TV brands are to see strong Q4 sales,” DisplaySearch said. Rising panel prices haven’t led to rising prices in the competitive market. Many brands -- including Samsung, LG, Sony and Chinese TV makers -- have cut retail prices by as much as double digits “in an attempt to stimulate sell-through,” it said. Samsung and LG are increasing October production and shipment plans by more than 40 percent sequentially, with the two accounting for 48 percent of global revenue in Q2, giving them “great power over panel allocation and price negotiation,” DisplaySearch said.