Sony becomes world's top LCD TV maker - report

TOKYO, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Sony Corp. (6758.T) overtook Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (005930.KS) as the world's largest LCD television supplier in the last quarter thanks to its strength in big, high-definition models, research firm DisplaySearch said.

Sony took a 17.4 percent share in the global liquid crystal display (LCD) television market by value, followed by South Korea's Samsung with 15 percent and Japan's Sharp Corp. (6753.T) with 11.2 percent, the research firm said in a report dated Tuesday.

Helped by strong demand for its Bravia LCD TVs, Sony's overall television business turned profitable for the first time in two years in October-December, supporting a nascent earnings recovery.

In terms of unit shipments, Samsung held the top spot with 14 percent, narrowly beating Philips (PHG.AS) and Sony, which came in second and third, respectively.

In the plasma TV market, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (6752.T), the maker of Panasonic brand electronics, remained the top supplier, controlling 33 percent of the market by value in the three-month period, DisplaySearch said.

LG Electronics Inc. (066570.KS) moved up one notch to second place with a 16.6 percent share, exchanging its place with Samsung, which took a 13.9 percent share.

Hit by steep price falls and fierce competition with LCD TVs in the market for 40- to 44-inch models, global plasma TV shipments fell 4 percent in the final quarter of 2006 from a year earlier to $5 billion, the first year-on-year decline ever, the research firm said.

LCD TV shipments rose 72 percent to $17.4 billion.

((Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; editing by Sophie Hardach; Reuters Messaging: kiyoshi.takenaka.reuters.com@reuters.net; +81-3-3432-8837; kiyoshi.takenaka@reuters.com)) Keywords: SONY LCDTV/

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