Samsung Is Tops In Q2 Global LCD-TV Shipments

The company shipped 5.7 million units in the second quarter, up from 5.1 million in the first quarter, garnering 18.5 percent market share, according to researchers at iSuppli.

LG Electronics followed in second place in the second quarter, shipping 3.5 million units, up from 2.9 million in the first quarter. The 20 percent increase gave LG an 11.5 percent share of the market.

"LG's strong growth was due to the company's increased shipments to the emerging markets, where consumers are now looking at buying their first LCD TVs," said Riddhi Patel, principal analyst, television, for iSuppli, in a statement.

Sharp, Sony, and Philips rounded out the top five LCD-TV manufacturers in terms of second-quarter shipments.

Interestingly, iSuppli found that second-quarter sales climbed for both high-end and low-end LCD-TVs. In total, global LCD-TV shipments climbed 14.1 percent to 30.7 million units, up from 26.9 million in the previous quarter.

"Consumers in the second quarter continued to buy more LCD TVs despite the economic downturn due to the introduction of more advanced models and because of price declines for older sets," Patel said.

Although the worldwide average selling price for all LCD-TVs remained flat in the second quarter compared to the first, pricing for the most popular size range for LCD-TVs (30 to 34 inches) fell by 4 percent sequentially in the second quarter.

"While panel prices may have risen, LCD-TV makers have taken some reductions on their margins to reduce pricing and maintain sales momentum," Patel said. "Furthermore, in some cases, retailers are willing to compromise on their mark-ups to ensure the ongoing uptake of these sets."