OLED is a display technology that enables thin, efficient, flexible and bright displays, TVs and lighting devices. OLED displays offer the world's best image quality - and enable flexible, foldable and rollable displays (see more here - What is OLED?).
The OLED market is already a multi-billion dollar market, led by Samsung, LG Display, BOE and others. It is estimated that OLED displays generated around $40 billion in revenues in 2021 and the market is expected to continue growing in the future.
OLED stocks
There are dozens of companies developing and producing OLEDs, from display makers such as Samsung, LG and BOE to smaller R&D startups and IP companies.
For public investors interested in the OLED market, there are several good options, includingL
- Universal Display Corporation: UDC is an OLED pioneer, and holds many of the key patents in the industry (mostly around efficient phosphorescent OLED emitters). Virtually all AMOLED displays on the market adopt UDC's PHOLED materials, and the company experienced very fast growth in revenue in recent years. Universal Display's stock ticker is OLED, you can see the OLED share price here.
- eMagin: eMagin is an OLED microdisplay pioneer, and has been developing and producing such displays for many years, focusing on the defense market and recently also on the consumer VR/AR market. eMagin's stock ticker at the NYSE is EMAN.
- OLED display makers: OLED display makers can be a good investment opportunity - especially companies that have a focus on OLED displays - such as Samsung Display (held by Samsung Electronics), LG display, Visionox, BOE Display and more.
- OLED equipment makers: There are several public equipment companies (for example Aixtron, or Coherent) that offer OLED production systems. These companies could be a good investment opportunity to investors who believes a new wave of OLED capacity expansion is near.
For private investors who want to find early-stage startups, we offer the OLED crowdfunding arena, a new and innovative service!
The latest OLED stock news:
eMagin reported revenues of $6.6 million for Q1 2023
OLED microdisplay maker eMagin reported its financial results for Q1 2023, with revenues of $6.6 million (a decrease of 11% from last year). Net loss for the quarter was $2.6 million, down from an income of $0.1 million in Q1 2022. At the end of the quarter, eMagin had cash and equivalents of $3.8 million.
eMagin says that the decrease in revenues is mostly attributed to late deliveries resulting from unexpected production downtime at one of the company's legacy tools and the timing of military orders. The company's total sales backlog remained at $16.0 million, comparable to the end of Q4 2022.
eMagin demonstrates a 15,000 nits single-stack full-color OLED microdisplay
eMagin announced that it developed (and demonstrated) a 15,000 nits WUXGA (1920x1200) full-color OLED microdisplay, setting a new world record (surpassing eMagin's own 10,000 nits record from 2021).
This new microdisplay was deposited using the company's direct-patterning (dPd) technology, which means that there are no color filters. This is a single-stack device, and eMagin says that in the future it could use a tandem architecture to improve the performance further.
Universal Display reports its financial results for Q1 2023
Universal Display reported its financial results for Q1 2023, with revenues of $130 million (down from $150 million last year) and net income of $40 million (down from $50 million in 2022).
UDC says that near-term demand for OLED displays is still soft, but the company remains confident on the long-term growth path for OLED displays. Looking ahead into 2023, the company expects yearly revenues to be in the range of $550 million to $600 million.
LG reports its results for Q1 2023: decreased sales as demand is sluggish, delays P10 fab in Paju
LG Display reported its financial results for Q1 2023, with revenues of 4,411 billion Won ($3.3 billion USD), down 40% from the previous quarter and 32% from 2022.
The company says there is 'sluggish demand' for TV and IT products. The company plans to focus on automotive displays, smartphone OLEDs and IT OLEDs (mid-sized panels). LG also aims to increase its sales of OLED gaming monitor panels and transparent OLED displays.
OLED material maker Hyperions files for an IPO
China-based Hyperions, a developer of HTL, HIL, ETL and EIL OLED materials, has filed for an IPO. The company is now going through financial inspection towards the IPO which will should happen before the end of 2023.
According to the comapny's IPO prospectus, Hyperions has been profitable since 2020. The company's income was around $43 million USD in 2022, up from $30 million in 2021 and $27 million in 2020. The company's net profit was $12 million in 2022, up from $6.6 million in 2021 and $7.3 million in 2020.
eMagin reported its financial results for Q4 2022
OLED microdisplay maker eMagin reported its financial results for Q4 2022, with another strong quarter. The company's revenues reached $8.4 million, up 17% from last year. This is the fifth consecutive quarter in which eMagin achieved year-over-year revenue growth. At the end of the quarter, eMagin had $4.3 million in cash and equivalents.
For the full year 2022, eMagin reported revenues of $30.5 million (up 17% from 2021) and an income (EBITDA) of $2.2 million.
Universal Display reports its Q4 2022 financial results
Universal Display Corporation reported its financial results for Q4 2022, with revenues of $169 million and a net income of $65 million. Looking at 2022 as a whole, revenues reached $617 million (up 11% from 2021) while net income was $210 million, up 14% from 2021. The company ended 2022 with $826 in cash and equivalents.
The company expects the OLED industry to begin a new investment cycle in 2024, but in the near term the company sees a "temporary backdrop", and so expects its 2023 revenues to be in the range of $550 million to $600 million.
Magnachip reports its Q4 2022 financial results, revenues are down due to supply shortages
OLED driver IC developer MagnaChip announced its financial results for Q4 2022, with revenues of $61 million, down 44.7% compared to Q4 2021, primarily due to severe 28nm wafer shortages.
In full-year 2022, the company reports revenues of $337.7 million, down 28.8% from 2021. The company does report, however, taht it signed a Tier-1 panel customer outside of Korea, and it qualified two new foundries to strengthen its supply chain. During the last quarter, MagnaChip successfully qualified two OLED projects with its two leading panel customers and expect to begin shipping at the end of this quarter.
Samsungs reports its Q4 2022 financial results, OLED sales declined as demand for smartphones fell
Samsung Electronics reported its financial results for Q4 2022, with revenues of $57.3 billion, and an operating profit of $3.5 billion.
Samsung says that the "business environment deteriorated significantly in the fourth quarter due to weak demand amid a global economic slowdown". SDC's mobile AMOLED panel business earning declined, as demand for smartphones fell, but its large-area panel business seen a smaller loss as it is increasing sales of QD-OLED panels.
LG Display reports a wide loss in Q4 2022 as demand for displays is low
LG Display reports its financial results for Q4 2022, with an operating loss of around $710 million USD (down from a profit of $350 million in Q4 2021). The company says that high inflation and interest rates reduce consumer demand and it sees weak demand and falling prices for both OLED and LCD displays.
LGD says that LCD prices are at an all time low, and the company will accelerate its plans to wind-down its LCD production. During the quarter, the portion of OLED displays out of its total revenues have risen over 50% for the first time. LG Display will also adjust its utilization rate at its OLED TV factories to meet the lower demand.
