Researchers for Digitimes Research have added up some numbers and divided by their shoe size and come up with the idea that things are improving for panel makers in the Far East.

AU Optronics (AUO) has an operating profit margin of 11.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, its highest over the last 19 quarters to hold the number one spot over Innolux, LG Display and Samsung Display.

China Star  (CSOT) reached a 14.5 per cent net profit margin in the first quarter of 2015, surpassing its 9 per cent mark for 2014 while BOE reported 43 per cent on-year growth in revenues, said Digitimes Research.

The Research did not appear to say anything nice about the Japanese panel makers who are not doing so well. In fact it might be they are doing so badly because the Chinese and Korean lot are doing so well.

Digitimes said that actual sales had remained flat, but the panel makers had made their dosh by cutting production costs which had pushed up margins.