Amtran Technology Co (瑞軒科技), which makes flat-panel TVs for the US’ No. 2 TV company, Vizio Inc, and other companies, said yesterday revenues would expand by as much as 40 percent next quarter, thanks to growing demand during the traditional shopping season between the US Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
“The fourth quarter is a traditional peak season ... Besides, the strategy of [cutting] prices [from TV set makers] will further spur a buying spree and stimulate sales growth,” Amtran spokesman Scottie Chiu (邱裕平) said in a statement submitted to the Taiwan Stock Exchange yesterday.
Revenues are expected to grow by between 30 percent and 40 percent next quarter from the third quarter, Chiu said.
In the first two months of this quarter, Amtran made a combined NT$9.67 billion (US$308 million).
That would match Amtran’s target to increase shipments of LCD TVs more than 30 percent next quarter, compared with the current quarter, helped by an increase in new orders and new customers, as well as a sufficient supply of key components and a resolved labor shortage.
Amtran chairman Alpha Wu (吳春發) told reporters earlier this month that he was optimistic about the fourth quarter and the company’s factories were operating at a high capacity to cope with rising demand for the holiday shopping season.
This year, Amtran aims to ship 6 million flat-screen TVs, up almost 40 percent from last year’s 4.3 million units. About 70 percent of Amtran’s TVs would be shipped to Vizio, of which Amtran holds about a 23 percent share.
Global shipments of LCD TVs are expected to increase 29 percent to 188 million units this year from last year, with the strongest growth from Asia markets because of government subsidies to buy new flat-panel TVs, US market research firm DisplaySearch said.
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