UPDATE 1-TPV shares jump on strong Q4, targets Samsung

(Adds details, executive's comments, comparisons)

By Vinicy Chan

HONG KONG, April 10 (Reuters) - Shares in TPV Technology (0903.HK) (TPVH.SI), the world's largest maker of PC monitors, leapt as much as 8 percent on Thursday on strong quarterly earnings and after executives said the firm hoped to expand its share of a hyper-competitive global market in coming years.

Stock in TPV -- which said it hoped to take 30 percent of the global PC monitor market and 15 percent of the liquid-crystal display TV market within five years -- ended up 5 percent, easily outpacing a 0.8 percent gain on the benchmark index .HSI.

But TPV, which has barely 5 percent of the booming but cut-throat global LCD TV market, has some catching up to do. Larger rival Samsung (005930.KS) controls nearly 17 percent of that market, while Sony (6758.T) has an 11.5 percent slice.

Ranked fifth globally, TPV's No. 4-ranked competitor LG Electronics (066570.KS) controls 7.8 percent of the market.

"Even though the environment is getting more and more difficult, it actually quickens industry consolidation, which will give us an opportunity to grab more market share," Chairman Jason Hsuan told reporters.

Makers of LCD panels saw solid demand and steady pricing in the traditionally slow first quarter, helped by sharp cuts in investment last year. Analysts expect the market to tilt into oversupply again at the end of the year, but many say the scale of excess production would be small, with TV demand growing fast.

Research firm iSuppli forecasts worldwide LCD TV shipments of more than 100 million units this year, up from 78.5 million in 2007.

On Thursday, TPV executives told reporters the Hong Kong- and Singapore-listed firm aimed to ship 50 million PC monitors, the lion's share of which are based on LCD technology.

Separately, it's targeting moving 7 million LCD TVs -- a sliver of the market estimated by iSuppli.

It is setting aside capital expenditure for the year of $165 million, up roughly 50 percent from $112 million last year, to expand production capacity within China.

Last year, China surpassed North America and Europe as the firm's largest market, accounting for 27.5 percent of its business.

TPV reported a 43.6 percent leap in fourth-quarter net profit to $56.3 million. For 2007, the firm posted an 18.6 percent rise in $180 million. (Editing by Anne Marie Roantree)