1Q10 sales ranking of branded NAND flash IC makers

TAIWAN: Branded NAND Flash makers’ ASP mildly declined about 5 percent QoQ while the total bit shipment increased about 15 percent QoQ in 1Q10. Branded NAND Flash makers' total sales reported $4.363bn in 1Q10, up 11.6 percent QoQ from $3.91 billion in 4Q09, according to DRAMeXchange.

As NAND Flash market waited for the Apple’s iPad launch details released before mid-March, downstream NAND Flash customers just properly restocked some inventory required before and after Chinese Lunar New Year holiday period.

Nevertheless, NAND Flash suppliers appropriately adjusted and controlled 1Q10 output growth to ease the seasonality effect in order to stabilize the pricing trend and profitability. Moreover, NAND Flash vendors also benefited from relatively stable OEM orders from some electronic system product customers to buffer the slow-season impact of memory card clients in 1Q10.

However, increasing TLC white-box memory card supply and quarter-end effect in March both weakened the pricing uptrend momentum and procurement demand in 1Q10. The mixed market factors and wait-and-see sentiment posed the tug-of-war status between buyers and suppliers so that NAND Flash price demonstrated vibrationally softening trend in 1Q10.

According to the 1Q10 sales ranking of branded NAND Flash makers, Samsung remains its leadership place with 39.2 percent market share and records $1.71 billion revenue, followed by Toshiba with 34.4 percent market share and $1.501 billion revenue. Micron ranks No.3 with 9.1 percent market share and $397 million revenue, while Hynix takes the No.4 spot with $345 million revenue. Intel and Numonyx grabbed No.5 and No.6 places with sales of $280 million and $130 million, respectively.

Benefited from the replenishment demand from mobile phone customers to ease the seasonality effect, Samsung demonstrated bit shipment boost while ASP decline about 10 percent QoQ in 1Q10. Samsung’s sales were $1.71 billion with 39.2 percent market share in 1Q10.

Benefited from the steady OEM orders from system product customers, Toshiba’s bit shipment sustained to increase in 1Q10. Toshiba’s sales grew 18.5 percent QoQ to $1.501 billion with 34.4 percent market share in 1Q10.

Thanks to the stable OEM orders from system product customers to ease the slow-season effect, Micron showed the slight shipment increase and ASP decline in 1Q10. Micron’s sales roughly stayed flat to report $397 million with market share of 9.1 percent in 1Q10.

Owing to slow season effect, Intel’s bit shipment and ASP roughly kept stable in 1Q10. Intel’s sales recorded $280 million with market share of 6.4 percent in 1Q10.

Suffering from the slow season effect, Hynix’s bit shipment stayed flat while ASP declined 8 percent QoQ in 1Q10. Hynix’s sales slightly reduced 9.2 percent QoQ to $345 million in 1Q10 while the market share is 7.9 percent.

Benefited from steady demand from mobile phone customers, Numonyx showed shipment boost and stable ASP in 1Q10. Numonyx’s sales was boosted 18.2 percent QoQ to $130 million with market share of 3 percent in 1Q10.