Sony tops Q4 North America LCD TV sales -research

TOKYO, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) pipped Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) to become the biggest supplier of LCD TVs in North America in the last quarter of 2007, while Panasonic maker Matsushita (6752.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) kept the top spot in the plasma TV market there, research firm DisplaySearch said. Sony, whose Bravia flat TVs performed strongly in 40-inch and larger models, held 12.8 percent of the North American LCD TV market, just ahead of Samsung Electronics' 12.3 percent.

Vizio came in third with 10.7 percent, while Sharp Corp (6753.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) slumped to fourth place with 8.4 percent in October-December after gaining the top spot the previous quarter with 11.3 percent, DisplaySearch said in a note dated Wednesday.

In the North American plasma TV market, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co Ltd kept a tight grip on its leading position with a 38.5 percent share, ahead of Samsung's 20.4 percent and third-placed LG Electronics Inc's (066570.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) 13.7 percent, the research firm said. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Hugh Lawson)