Slight uptick for global semiconductor sales in April; moderate growth projected for 2013 and 2014

USA: The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) announced that worldwide sales of semiconductors reached $23.62 billion for the month of April 2013, a 0.6 percent increase from the previous month when sales were $23.48 billion, but down slightly from the April 2012 total of 24.06 billion.

All monthly sales numbers are compiled by the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) organization and represent a three-month moving average. Additionally, a new WSTS industry forecast projects moderate growth for the remainder of 2013 and 2014.

“With modest but steady gains in semiconductor sales in recent months and stronger growth projected for the remainder of this year and 2014, the global semiconductor industry is heading in the right direction as summer approaches, despite a stubbornly sluggish macroeconomic environment,” said Brian Toohey, president and CEO, Semiconductor Industry Association.

“Industry sales continue to narrowly outpace 2012 totals thanks largely to strong demand for memory and logic products, and we expect to expand this growth as the year progresses. Congress and the Administration can help enable the industry to take the next step forward by enacting policies that promote growth and innovation.”

Regionally, sequential monthly sales increased in Asia Pacific (2 percent), but decreased in the Americas (-0.6 percent), Europe (-0.6 percent) and Japan (-2.9 percent). Compared to April 2012, sales increased in Asia Pacific (3 percent) and Europe (0.4 percent), but fell in the Americas (-4.4 percent) and Japan (-19.4 percent), in part due to the devaluation of the Japanese yen.

Additionally, SIA endorsed the WSTS Spring 2013 global semiconductor sales forecast, which projects the industry’s worldwide sales will reach $297.8 billion in 2013, a 2.1 percent increase from the 2012 sales total. WSTS predicts year-over-year increases for 2013 in Asia Pacific (5.7 percent), Europe (5.3 percent) and the Americas (1.6 percent), but a sharp decline in Japan (-13.8 percent).

Beyond 2013, the industry is expected to grow steadily and moderately across all regions, according to the WSTS forecast. WSTS predicts 5.1 percent growth globally for 2014 ($312.9 billion in total sales) and 3.8 percent growth for 2015 ($324.9 billion). WSTS tabulates its semi-annual industry forecast by convening an extensive group of global semiconductor companies that provide accurate and timely indicators of semiconductor trends.