Why BOE, TCL CSOT and HKC Are Pushing Up TV Panel Prices

BOE, TCL CSOT and HKC are pressing for higher LCD TV panel prices as brands prepare for the year-end shopping season. Their notices give suppliers a stronger negotiating position, but they do not establish what Samsung, LG or Sony will ultimately pay—or what shoppers will see on Black Friday.2815

When do the price changes start?

BOE sent customers a notice on September 15, proposing new prices from the fourth quarter of 2026. Prices for individual products are to be discussed with customers separately. TCL CSOT notified customers on August 28 of September increases for selected panels, and HKC issued a notice on September 8. None of the three disclosed a universal percentage increase.28

BOE cited rising raw-material and supply-chain costs. Reporting on the notices says HKC pointed specifically to higher procurement costs for driver chips, printed circuit boards and glass substrates.2228 Separately, TrendForce forecasts that competition for upstream materials associated with AI demand will raise TV-panel manufacturing costs by 4–7% quarter on quarter in Q4. That is a cost forecast, not a forecast of equivalent selling-price increases.10

Why does production matter as much as the notices?

Suppliers can seek firmer prices by adjusting output when demand weakens. TrendForce says BOE, TCL CSOT and HKC plan to reduce production around China’s October Golden Week holiday in response to lower customer demand. It forecasts 79.6% utilization in October for fifth-generation and larger panel production lines, down 4.2 percentage points from September. That broad factory measure does not verify a roughly 70% utilization claim for these three suppliers.10

The distinction between seeking an increase and achieving one matters. After TV-panel prices fell in July and August, TrendForce’s early-September outlook expected prices to be flat across all screen sizes that month. Production cuts may help suppliers resist further declines, but the available evidence does not show a market-wide price rise across every size.111

Why do the three suppliers have leverage?

Samsung’s and LG’s affiliated display suppliers have withdrawn from large-size LCD production, leaving their TV businesses more reliant on outside panel makers, including Chinese suppliers.6 One report, attributing its estimate to Omdia, puts BOE, TCL CSOT and HKC’s combined share of 65-, 75- and 85-inch LCD TV panels at 70–85%. The underlying market-share data is not provided here, so that range is best treated as a reported estimate rather than a verified share for each screen size.14

There is a precedent for output restraint coinciding with higher prices. The Elec reports that, following production reductions in 2023, panel prices rose in March by 3–5% for 32- to 55-inch sizes and 7–9% for 65-inch panels; 65-inch panels then rose $13 in April. Those historical changes do not predict the result of the 2026 negotiations.33

Will TVs cost more on Black Friday?

The timing creates pressure because brands are securing panels and building inventory for Black Friday and Christmas. Reporting citing TrendForce projected that major TV brands would buy 15% more panels in Q3 than in Q2.17 For manufacturers, the options include negotiating by model and screen size, absorbing some costs, changing their purchasing or product mix, reducing promotional discounts, or passing costs through to retailers.

None guarantees a higher shelf price. TVs built with previously purchased panels may be insulated for a time, while brands competing for price-sensitive buyers may accept narrower margins rather than raise prices. The squeeze could be particularly difficult for lower-priced sets, but the cited reporting does not quantify their margins or establish how much of any panel increase will reach consumers.15 The clearest conclusion for now is greater cost and discount pressure—not a confirmed holiday TV price hike.