Stanford Resources Predicts Quarterly U.S. Shipments of Flat Panel Monitors Will Double by Year End.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 1999--Stanford Resources Inc., the leading market research firm specializing in the global electronic display industry, predicts that shipments of flat panel monitors will increase from 136,000 units in the first quarter of 1999 to 299,000 units in the fourth quarter.

Data on the U.S. flat panel monitor market are found in the company's Flat Panel Monitrak(R), a pioneering display industry report launched in 1998.

According to Stanford Resources' Market Analyst Rhoda Alexander, nearly 200,000 flat panel monitors valued at $306.8 million were shipped to the U.S. market in 1998, reflecting a 65 percent increase in shipments from the third to the fourth quarter.

"The price plunge in this market over the year brought the street price of 14.x- and 15.x-inch units well within reach of large-screen CRT monitor customers. However, it remains to be seen if prices will remain low despite recent panel cost increases and whether the tight supply of 18.x-inch flat panel monitors will improve to meet demand," noted Alexander.

Other key findings for 1998 that were reported in the fourth quarter edition of Flat Panel Monitrak(R) include the following:

-- The total value of U.S. flat panel monitor shipments in the fourth quarter was approximately $118 million, a significant increase over the third quarter value of $79.6 million.

-- Approximately 68.1 percent of flat panel monitor sales in the fourth quarter featured a 15.x-inch screen. For the year, 50 percent of flat panel monitors featured a 15.x-inch screen.

-- The average street price of a 15.x-inch TFT-LCD monitor on the U.S market was $1,083 in the fourth quarter. This price is expected to increase to $1,115 in the first quarter of 1999 due to increased panel costs.

-- The XGA pixel format dominated sales of flat panel monitors with an 83.9 percent market share.

Flat Panel Monitrak(R) features current U.S. flat panel monitor shipment data based on individual models from more than 24 companies, including market leaders such as NEC, IBM, Viewsonic, and Compaq.

The 90-page quarterly provides detailed graphs and analyses for such display attributes as screen size, street price, pixel format, display shielding, universal serial bus (USB), and multimedia capability. Monthly updates are delivered electronically to keep clients abreast of display industry news and forecasts.

Founded in 1976, Stanford Resources produces annual and quarterly reports on flat panel displays, CRTs, CRT monitors, projection systems, and associated market and technology sectors, as well as offering strategic market and technology analysis. Stanford Resources also hosts the Flat Information Displays Conference; the 16th annual conference will be held Dec. 16-17, 1999 in Monterey, Calif.

Stanford Resources' URL is http://www.stanfordresources.com.