(LEAD) Samsung becomes world's top seller of UHD panels in Q1

(ATTN: ADDS more info on earnings forecast in last 5 paras)

SEOUL, April 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. posted a record share of the global market for ultra HD (UHD) display panels in the first quarter, grabbing the top spot for the first time, a market tracker said Sunday.

In the first three months of the year, Samsung supplied 28.8 percent of all UHD panels sold globally, up 8.9 percentage points from 19.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014, according to Display Search.

Samsung was closely followed by its local competitor, LG Display Co., whose global market share came to 25.7 percent, down from 27.9 percent in the fourth quarter.

The global market share of Innolux Corp., once the world's largest supplier of UHD panels, supplying 45.9 percent of the total in the first quarter of 2014, came to 23.5 percent in the three months ended March 31.

Samsung's advance was partly attributed to its leadership in large, curved UHD panels.

The company supplied 38.7 percent of all 55-inch UHD panels sold in the world. In the first quarter, Samsung produced 1.66 million UHD panels, ranging from 40 to 85 inches in size, up 24.7 percent from the fourth quarter and nearly 350 percent from 369,000 panels produced in the first quarter of 2014.

Meanwhile, the industry researcher said the world's overall output of UHD display panels came to some 5.75 million in the January-March period, down 14 percent from the previous quarter.

Related to the UHD market share data, local industry watchers said Samsung and LG will release first quarter earning reports on Wednesday that will provide investors a chance to gauge the performances of the two tech giants.

Samsung said in its earnings guidance released on April 7, that its operating profit likely rose 11.5 percent on-quarter to 5.9 trillion won (US$5.46 billion) in the January-March period.

Sources said that 3 trillion will be from the company's semiconductor business while earnings from its IT mobile operation may hit 2.5 trillion won, up 30-40 percent from the previous quarter. Numbers for the company's consumer electronics division that includes TV have yet to be determined, with some predicting it will stay in the black, while others predicted negative earnings.

In regards to LG, market analysts forecast operating profit reaching around 280 billion won, although some have said the company may have posted a loss, due to unfavorable exchange rates.

The company is expected to release vehicle component data that includes battery sales to global carmakers such as Volkswagen, GM, and Tata for the first time ever and highlight cooperation with global camera producers.
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