Notebook shipments have slowed even more than previously thought, according to supply chain checks, FBR Research says. Dell and Lenovo in particular have seen shipments lower than expected, while HP and Acer did a little better. Motherboard shipments also slid.Dell and Lenovo may be experiencing slowing
notebook sales if recent supply chain checks are any indication.
A report from FBR Research, based on its checks of the Taiwanese PC
supply chain, showed that notebook shipments to Dell and Lenovo were lower than
expected while Hewlett-Packard and Acer saw higher-than-expected notebook
shipments.
FBR Research says in its brief report that almost all
notebook makers have reduced their fourth-quarter shipment expectations based
on slower global demand.
Global notebook unit shipments are now expected to be up 5 percent sequentially
and 24 percent year over year. That compares with expectations released in
October of 12 percent sequentially and 33 percent year over year, according to FBR
Research.
Motherboard shipments were more significantly hurt. Shipments for the fourth
quarter are now expected to be down 15 percent sequentially and 17 percent year
over year. In October those expectations were only down 6 percent sequentially
and 8 percent year over year.
"While these forecasts may not correlate perfectly to overall PC industry
shipments because of ongoing share shifts among notebook suppliers and seasonal
inventory fluctuations for motherboards, we believe the rapid deceleration in
the Taiwan supply chain forecast makes it likely that PC shipments will soften
significantly in Q4," FBR Research says in its report.
