FRAMINGHAM, Mass.-The worldwide hardcopy peripherals market grew 3.6% year over year with 34 million units shipped in the fourth quarter of 2009 (4Q09), according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker. Driven by the continued popularity of multifunction printers (MFPs), this represents the first year-over-year gain in the market since the second quarter of 2008. Although shipment values declined 4.6% year over year to $14.3 billion in 4Q09, this was the slowest rate of decline since 3Q08. “We believe the fourth quarter will be the start of the market recovery. While this is a positive sign, the market is expected to recover slowly throughout 2010,” said Phuong Hang, program manager, Worldwide Hardcopy Peripheral Trackers.
HP – HP continues to be an irrefutable leader in the overall hardcopy market in 2009, despite losing nearly 3 points in market share to 40.8% from 43.5% in 2008. The fourth quarter was HP’s best performing quarter in 2009, with 5.6% year-over-year growth in unit shipments. The EMEA region was HP’s strongest in terms of unit growth in Q409, with 11% year-over-year growth, compared to 3% and 2% growth in the Americas and APeJ, respectively. In the worldwide MFP market, HP grew 12% and was able to pick up two points in market share compared to a year ago while maintaining its leadership position. Compared to a year ago, HP’s printer segment experienced market share declines in 4Q09 on a worldwide basis. The vendor’s worldwide printer share dropped one point to 39% as unit shipments declined 5% in 4Q09 compared to 4Q08. As held true for other vendors, HP’s MFP shipments faired better than those in the printer segment.
Canon – Despite the challenging economy, Canon finished 2009 strong, with 0.6% growth in the overall hardcopy market compared to 2008. As the number 2 vendor, Canon wasted no time in closing the gap between its position and HP’s by gaining more than 2 points in market share, to 19.0% in 2009 from 16.6% in 2008. Among the top 5 vendors, Canon was the best performer in the Americas and APeJ in 2009 and the only vendor to achieve positive year-over-year trends in these regions with 6% and 11% growth, respectively. During the last quarter of 2009, Canon recorded an 8% year-over-year gain in the overall hardcopy market, shipping 6.6 million units versus 6.1 million in 4Q08. Once again, the Americas (14%) and APeJ (21%) were Canon’s best performing regions in 4Q09 while EMEA suffered a decline of 8%. Between MFPs and Printers, Canon’s MFPs achieved the higher year-over-year growth – 16% compared to –2% – in
the worldwide market in 4Q09.
Epson – Third place vendor Epson posted an increase of 1.1% in market share in 2009, from 13.8% in 2008. As with most vendors in the top 5, 4Q09 was the only quarter in 2009 where Epson’s year-over-year growth, in terms of unit shipments in total hardcopy peripherals, resulted in a positive trend (8.4%). The APeJ region was the top performer in terms of year-over-year shipment growth at 16% in 4Q09, followed by the Americas (4%) and EMEA (3%). Epson maintained its number 3 position in both MFP and printer shipment share, as its worldwide MFP and printer shipments grew 8% and 10% respectively. In 4Q09, Epson was able to maintain its shipment share in MFPs and grow its shipment share in printers by one point.
Brother – Hanging on to its number 4 position, Brother experienced a double-digit decline (–11.7%) in unit shipments in 2009 to 6.4 million from 7.3 million in 2008 in the overall hardcopy market. Despite suffering a setback, the vendor managed to maintain its global share of 5.7% in 2009. Compared to other top 4 vendors, Brother’s 2009 year-over-year performance was average in APeJ (–1%) and the Americas (–10%), and was next to last in EMEA (–18%). Except for 1Q09, Brother continued its negative year-over-year trend throughout 2009, posting growth of –14.7% in 4Q09, making it the worst performer in the top 5 in the last quarter of 2009. In terms of regional growth, Brother recorded 0% year-over-year growth in APeJ, –1% in the Americas, and –35% in EMEA in 4Q09.
Samsung – Making the top 5 list for the second consecutive quarter, Samsung has been relentless in its mission to grab more share in the hardcopy market. Given the difficult economic conditions, Samsung posted a 4.8% market share in 2009, gaining 0.5 points from 2008. Compared to 2008, the vendor was the second best performer in 2009 in terms of year-over-year growth, with –2.2% growth compared to Canon’s +0.6%. While achieving the best year-over-year trend (+5%) in EMEA in 2009, Samsung’s results in APeJ (–6%) and the Americas (–15%) were below average when measured against other vendors in the top 5. Compared to the previous three quarters, 4Q09 was, by far, Samsung’s best performing quarter, with 31.3% year-over-year growth from 4Q08, the best performance among the top 5 vendors. Although its year-over-year growth of 7% was second best in the Americas (after Canon’s +14%), Samsung outperformed the other top vendors in EMEA and APeJ in 4Q09, with year-over-year growth of 39% and 35%, respectively.
Via: businesswire.com