Lightron losing footing in transceiver market

South Korean transceiver maker OE Solutions seems positioned to takeover the local optical transceiver market as key rival Lightron reels from internal and external challenges, according people familiar with the matter.

SK Telecom, South Korea’s largest mobile carrier, is planning to secure optical transceiver on its own, having previously received it from partners.

An OE Solutions official told TheElec Tuesday that it plans to supply more transceiver to the carrier compared to Lightron.

Lightron previously supplied its goods to Samsung’s network business, which applied it to its network equipment delivered to SK Telecom.

The telco, despite Lightron’s stock halting trade on the Korea Exchange from a delisting review and a lawsuit with ex-executives, increased its order from the company in 2019 compared to 2018.

How the Exchange's review pans out and how much Lightron can recover from the delayed investment into 5G networks due to COVID-19 will decide whether it can continue that streak, people familiar with the matter said.

A Lightron spokesperson said it increased the number of inside director from five last year to eleven in the first quarter of 2020 “to increase transparency.”

Lightron last year posted 26.1 billion won in operating profits and 112.8 billion won. Profits returned to black from 2018 and sales tripled. However, the company saw operating loss of 6.4 billion won for the first quarter and sales of 6.9 billion won. “We remain uncertain about our second quarter as well,” the company spokesperson said.

In 2019, rival OE Solutions posted operating profits of 58.3 billion won and revenues of 210.3 billion won. Like Lightron, the company saw loss in the first quarter, posting operating loss of 1.4 billion won and revenues of 18.9 billion.

A OE Solutions spokesperson said: “the first quarter decline is temporary caused by a delay into 5G investment from abroad.” The company is targeting sales of 25.5 billion won in the second quarter, they said.