Year to Date North American Switch Sales and Bookings 8% Better than 2012
01/06/2014 //
Total reported sales for all switch categories in North America for Q3’13 were 1% higher than reported in the previous quarter and 13% better than observed in the third quarter of 2012. Sales units for Q3’13 totaled came in 7% more than units sold in Q2’13 and 43% better than Q3’12.
The total booking dollars reported for all switch categories in North America for Q3’13 ran 6% less than the previous quarter and above Q3’12’s total bookings by 16%. The third quarter’s book-to-bill ratio for dollars was 0.938. Booking units in Q3’13 were down 5% from Q2. The first quarter’s book-to-bill ratio for units was 0.981.
The third quarter versus the second showed total sales dollars up 1% and units 7% higher. Over half the categories experienced dollar increases. Five of eight switch categories realized higher unit sales while prices fell in half of the categories with total ASP down by 6%. The comparison to the third quarter of 2012 yielded better results dollars up in five of eight categories and 13% in total. Units were up for six categories and better in total by 43%. Pricing from a year ago was down in three of eight categories and in total by 21% on a mix shift to lower priced switches. Year-to-date versus last year, dollars are up 8% and units 19% better with price lower by over 14%. Dollars and units improved for nearly all categories while prices fell for all but two categories.
Sales Growth by Switch Category
|
Q3 2013 Versus Q2 2013 |
Q3 2013 Versus Q3 2012 |
YTD CY2013 Versus. YTD CY 2012 |
||||||
Category |
Dollars | Units | ASP | Dollars | Units | ASP | Dollars | Units | ASP |
DIP |
9.9% | -5.5% | 16.3% | 17.2% | 6.5% | 10.1 | 15.5% | 13.6% | 1.3% |
Keylock |
52.3% | 31.7% | 15.6 % | 22.9% | 16.9% | 5.2% | 0.6% | 5.5% | -4.7% |
Push Button |
3.2% | -17.4% | 25.0% | -4.0% | -18.8% | 18.3% | 5.3% | -7.1% | 12.6% |
Rocker |
6.9% | 12.7% | -5.1% | -2.9% | 4.1% | -6.7% | -6.4% | -3.6% | -3.0% |
Slide |
8.7% | 10.8% | -1.9% | 11.1% | 21.5% | -8.6% | 19.0% | 19.7% | -0.2% |
Snap Action |
-0.1% | 2.5% | -2.6% | 13.8% | 34.6% | -15.5% | 4.8% | 17.6% | -10.9% |
Tact |
-4.1% | 13.0% | -15.1% | 75.2% | 69.3% | 3.4% | 47.6% | 26.3% | -61.1% |
Toggle |
-10.7% | -13.0% | 2.7% | -5.5% | -12.3% | 7.8% | 3.2% | 6.9% | -4.3% |
Total |
1.1% |
7.1% | -5.6% | 13.4% | 42.9% | -20.7% | 8.3% | 19.1% | -14.5% |
When compared to last quarter total booking dollars and units decreased 6% and 5%. Dollars were down in over half of the categories and units fell in six of eight categories. Booked prices were up for a majority of categories and down 2% in total as the mix shifted to lower priced switches. Booked dollars in Q3 against the same quarter of 2012 were up for half of the categories and in total by 16%. Units were up for most categories and by 50% in total. Prices showed six of the eight categories decreasing and the total moved almost 23% lower. So far this year dollars are up 8% with units 35% better than the same period a year ago. The total ABP is 30% lower with seven of eight categories down.
Bookings Growth by Switch Category
|
Q3 2013 Versus Q2 2013 |
Q3 2013 Versus Q3 2012 |
YTD CY2013 Versus YTD CY 2012 |
||||||
Category |
Dollars | Units | ABP | Dollars | Units | ABP | Dollars | Units | ABP |
DIP |
-3.6% | -13.4% | 11.2% | 21.0% | -4.0% | 26.1% | 18.0% | 5.0% | 12.6% |
Keylock |
14.4% | 6.1% | 7.5 % | -12.4% | 20.1% | -27.0% | -12.7% | 2.6% | -16.0% |
Push Button |
-16.2% | -18.1% | 2.2% | -10.8% | -15.2% | 5.2% | -9.9% | -5.0% | -5.0% |
Rocker |
1.5% | -9.0% | 11.5% | 11.0% | 14.4% | -3.0% | 8.7% | 5.2% | 2.6% |
Slide |
0.5% | -1.2% | 1.7% | -3.6% | 6.0% | -9.0% | 10.2% | 11.2% | -0.8% |
Snap Action |
-5.8% | -7.4% | 1.7% | 24.1% | 32.4% | -6.3% | 2.6% | 12.1% | -8.8% |
Tact |
-10.2% | -2.0% | -8.4% | 63.0% | 83.9% | -11.3% | 59.9% | 62.5% | -67.3% |
Toggle |
-13.7% | 1.5% | -15.0% | -31.5% | -24.5% | -9.3% | -14.7% | -12.6% | -3.2% |
Total |
-6.4% | -4.6% | -1.9% | 16.2% | 50.4% | -22.7% | 8.0% | 35.3% | -30.0% |
The graph below shows total quarterly indexed sales and bookings in dollars and units for the reported data since Q3 CY 2011. All measures set two-year highs Q2’13 and had been improving over the previous three quarters. In Q3, sales measures continued to improve as booking measures eased down.
Book-to-bill units have generally trended higher since the first quarter of 2012. Book-to-bill dollars peaked in at the end of 2011 then moved lower to oscillate around 1.0. The booking to selling price ratio has been trending lower since Q4’11and is now below 1.0.
Indexed booking prices peaked in Q1’12 and have trended lower since. Indexed selling prices have followed a similar but slightly lower path reaching an apex in Q3’12 then moving lower the last four quarters.
Michael Schwert
Michael is the founder of Cumulus, Inc. He has more than 30 years of marketing and sales as well as design experience in the electronic and electrical component industry. Prior to founding Cumulus, he was Director of Marketing for Cherry Electrical Products and held other marketing management positions with Panduit, BRK Electronics, and Ideal Industries.
Cumulus provides market information and consulting services for the global electronic components industry. The company offers three publications: Switch Tracks, a quarterly report with market information on component switches; the Relay Report, a quarterly report with market information on component relays; and Market Notes, a monthly report on sales, bookings, and business conditions in the relay and switch market. Cumulus also manages projects that help leading global suppliers in the relay and switch industry to develop new products and reach new markets.
Schwert provides MarketEYE with monthly articles that include timely and accurate market information for the electromechanical component sector of the electronics industry.