January 3, 2011 — The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), representing US semiconductor manufacturing and design, reports worldwide sales of semiconductors were $25.1 billion for the month of November 2011, a decrease of 2.4% from the prior month. On a year-to-date basis, worldwide semiconductor sales are 0.8% higher compared to the same period last year. Total semiconductor sales fell 8.0% year over year (Y/Y) compared with the 10-year average of +9.9% Y/Y. Units declined a steady 10 % Y/Y with ASPs higher by +2.2% Y/Y, added Barclays Capital, commenting on the SIA numbers. Barclays finds the November SIA numbers as-expected, given weak Q4 guidance by chip vendors.
All monthly sales numbers represent a three-month moving average. The semiconductor industry closed 2011 with growth and looks towards 2012 for further improvement. See October’s SIA report here.
| Table 1. Month-to-Month Sales in $Billion, November 2011. (SIA) | |||
| Market | Last Month | Current Month | % Change |
| Americas | 4.67 | 4.59 | -1.8% |
| Europe | 3.08 | 3.03 | -1.8% |
| Japan | 3.88 | 3.82 | -1.7% |
| Asia Pacific | 14.10 | 13.70 | -2.9% |
| Total | 25.74 | 25.13 | -2.4% |
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| Table 2. Year-to-Year Sales in $Billion (SIA) | |||
| Market | Last Year | Current Month | % Change |
| Americas | 4.71 | 4.59 | -2.5% |
| Europe | 3.42 | 3.03 | -11.5% |
| Japan | 4.16 | 3.82 | -8.2% |
| Asia Pacific | 13.64 | 13.70 | 0.4% |
| Total | 25.93 | 25.13 | -3.1% |
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| Table 3. Three-Month-Moving Average in $Billion (SIA). | |||
| Market | Jun/Jul/Aug | Sep/Oct/Nov | % Change |
| Americas | 4.58 | 4.59 | 0.1% |
| Europe | 3.07 | 3.03 | -1.4% |
| Japan | 3.64 | 3.82 | 4.7% |
| Asia Pacific | 13.79 | 13.70 | -0.6% |
| Total | 25.08 | 25.13 | 0.2% |
While the flooding in Thailand disrupted supply chains and impacted semiconductor sales in the near term, OEMs are expected to recover production losses over the course of the next few months, said Brian Toohey, president, SIA. The continuing European financial crisis also had an impact on semiconductor sales, as part of the broader economy.
Barclays Capital notes that an inventory correction will carry over into 2012, experiencing the trough in Q1. Demand will begin to outpace end-market growth beginning in Q2. Barclays slightly lowered its overall semiconductor growth forecast for 2012 to 0-4%.
Logic, discrete, analog, and NOR Flash memory figures declined month over month and year over year, Barclays notes. DSP stood out as a "clear outperformer," trending above average seasonally and improving year over year: revenues fell by 13% Y/Y compared to the 30% Y/Y decline seen in October. DRAM and MCU continued to post steady Y/Y declines while NAND and MPU were the only two sub-segments displaying positive Y/Y revenue trends, albeit at a slower pace.
Trends across key end markets were mixed with November SIA data, Barclays reports, noting a possible rebound for the automotive end market (units +4% month over month, M/M) and improving trends for computing. Shipments into communications end markets continued to decelerate after several months of above-trend growth with semi unit shipments in the consumer end markets sharply lower by -20% M/M.
Learn more about the SIA at www.sia-online.org.