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IDC estimates global PC shipments fell 4.4% Y/Y (less than a 5.3% forecast) in Q1 to 73.4M, after having declined 5.6% in Q4 and 7.6% in Q3. Gartner thinks shipments only fell 1.7%, and totaled 76.6M.
- IDC chalks up the narrower decline to healthy commercial demand, as buyers purchased Windows 7 systems ahead of Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) termination of Windows XP support. The firm also thinks slowing tablet growth helped out.
- IDC thinks Japanese shipments rose 7%, and U.S. shipments only fell 0.6% thanks to 3.5% desktop growth. Emerging Asia-Pac and Latin American markets, where tablet cannibalization is at an earlier stage, remained weak..
- A mix shift towards developed markets benefits both Microsoft (higher ASPs, less piracy) and Intel (INTC - higher ASPs).
- IDC estimates market leader Lenovo (OTCPK:LNVGY) had a 17.7% share, +220 bps Y/Y. #2 H-P's (NYSE:HPQ) share rose 150 bps to 17.1%, and #3 Dell's 170 bps to 13.4%. #4 Acer's (OTC:ASIYF) share fell 130 bps to 6.8%, and #5 Asus' 20 bps to 5.9%.
- The Q1 numbers suggest IDC's prior full-year forecast for a 6% shipment drop might prove too pessimistic.
- Other companies with strong PC exposure: AMD, NVDA, MU, STX, WDC, HTCH