The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) formally endorsed the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics (WSTS) semi-annual forecast, which projects that chip sales will increase 3.4% in 2015, reaching $347.2 billion.
WSTS forecast summary. Image credit: WSTSWSTS forecast year-to-year chip sales increases for 2015 in Asia Pacific (7%) and the Americas (3.7%), but declines in Europe (-3.6%) and Japan (-9.5%).
It also projects growth for all major product categories in 2015, led by optoelectronics and analog, which are projected to grow 8.3% and 5.6%, respectively.
The forecast is for modest growth across all regions through 2017. Chip sales are projected to grow by 3.4% once again next year and another 3% in 2017.
The WSTS tabulates its semi-annual industry forecast by convening a group of semiconductor companies that provide indicators of industry trends.
Global chip sales reached $27.6 billion in April, up 4.8% compared with April 2014, but down slightly from March. April marked the 24th consecutive month of year-to-year growth in chip sales.
John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO.“The global [semiconductor] industry has posted higher sales through April than at the same point in 2014, and we expect continued growth for the rest of 2015 and beyond,” says John Neuffer, SIA president and CEO, in a statement.
Chip sales in the Americas market posted double-digit growth compared to last year, leading all regions; sales were up 12.2% in April 2015 compared to the same period last year, but declined 3.4% from March. Sales declined month-to-month in all major regions except for Asia-Pacific, which saw an increase of 2.3%.
The monthly sales numbers were compiled by the WSTS organization and represent a three-month moving average.
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