Partron faces double digit decline in 2020

Camera module maker Partron will see its sales decline by up to 20% this year, according to South Korean analysts.

The company is expected to post revenues of 980 billion won to 1.11 trillion won this year due to lackluster smartphone sales from its main client Samsung Electronics.

Partron posted sales of 1.25 trillion won last year.

In contrast, competitors MCNEX and Cammsys are expected to see sales growth this year. Forecast has been lowered due to poor sales of the Galaxy S20 series but they will still post more sales compared to 2019.

MCNEX is expected to post annual sales of 1.3 trillion won, level or slightly higher than last year’s sales. Cammsys is expected to post 800 billion won in 2020 as compared to its 680 billion won in 2019.

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, the market consensus for MCNEX was 1.6 trillion won in annual sales for 2020, while Cammsys was expected to post up to 1 trillion won.

In the first quarter this year, MCNEX posted 369 billion won in sales and Cammsys 302 billion won, a rise of 42.7% and 74.8%, respectively, from a year prior.

Partron, on the other hand, posted sales of 262.2 billion won, a drop of 9.3%. Operating profits fell 54.5% to 11.8 billion won. 

Partron only supplied limited number of 3D Time of Flight modules for Samsung and was expected to fall behind its rivals, according to analyts, even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Camera modules accounted for around 70% of its sales last year, and winning more orders in the second half of 2020 will be crucial for the company. Samsung is planning push its Galaxy A series in the third quarter with upgraded specs, meaning there will be more orders for camera modules.