Taiwan-based contract notebook computer manufacturers are set to see shipments post a quarterly rise of about 10 percent in the second quarter, analysts predicted on Saturday.
Upcoming launches of new models by international PC vendors launches are expected to boost buying among consumers, while the Computex technology trade show — which is to take place from tomorrow to Saturday in Taipei — is set to do the same for the PC market, the analysts said.
With Microsoft Corp having terminated support for its Windows XP operating system, the ensuing wave of replacements are likely to benefit the notebook computer industry, analysts said.
Several notebook computer original design manufacturer services suppliers were as upbeat as the analysts, with Quanta Computer Inc (廣達電腦) saying it anticipates its shipments to grow by about 10 percent on a quarterly basis in the April-to-June period.
With Quanta’s customers gearing up to unveil new models to encourage Windows XP replacements, the firm’s second-quarter shipments could rise to 11.55 million units from 10.50 million units the previous quarter, Quanta vice chairman C.C. Leung (梁次震) said.
The outlook for the third quarter is even more optimistic, he added.
Compal Electronics Inc (仁寶), the world’s No. 2 contract laptop manufacturer, is likely to revise its second-quarter shipments growth forecast upward from 10 percent to between 15 and 20 percent, since it has secured more orders from US-based Hewlett-Packard.
Wistron Corp (緯創) expects quarterly shipments growth ranging from 5 to 10 percent in the second quarter, while Pegatron Corp (和碩) has forecast a shipments increase of up 5 percent over the same period.
Inventec Corp (英業達) said its shipments for the second quarter are unlikely to change much from the first quarter, but expects them to accelerate in the second half of the year. Inventec said it also stands to benefit from solid demand for servers, mobile devices and wearable devices as it has diversified a product portfolio.
Barclays Capital’s outlook for the second quarter was also positive and it predicted global notebook computer shipments to rise between 5 and 7 percent from the first quarter.
The brokerage said that new model launches helped offset the impact of the slow season in the second quarter as international brands have been rushing to build up inventories to meet rising demand.
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