"Fitch: Growth in IT Spending Supports Stable Outlook for Tech Industry in 2010"
3 Dec 2009 - Fitch Ratings' 2010 outlook for information technology (IT) sectors is STABLE based on EXPECTATIONS that GLOBAL IT SPENDING will RESUME GROWTH equivalent to or EXCEEDING WORLDWIDE GDP.
In a SPECIAL OUTLOOK REPORT issued today, Fitch says IMPROVED MARKET DEMAND, especially for enterprise hardware and particularly for the second half of the year, will drive company expectations for 2010 and should further STABILIZE TECHNOLOGY OPERATING and CREDIT PROFILES.
"A gradually IMPROVING ECONOMY should result in sequentially BETTER DEMAND PATTERNS for technology companies in 2010," said Nick Nilarp, Managing Director at Fitch.
"There is CONSIDERABLE PENT-UP ENTERPRISE DEMAND for hardware purchases, primarily servers and storage, which have been postponed the last two years during the global economic downturn."
Key Themes to Fitch's IT Outlook.
-The worldwide IT SPENDING environment will GROW 3%-4% in 2010, led by hardware. Fitch expects the IT services industry to grow 3%-5% in 2010 while the SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY will experience a REBOUND in REVENUE GROWTH at low- to mid-single digits;
-PC and MOBILE HANDSET UNIT GROWTH is expected to be in the high-single digits and mid-single digits, respectively, for 2010; Fitch believes the release of Windows 7 will positively affect PC demand from consumers in the fourth quarter of 2009, small and medium business in the first half of 2010 and large enterprise in late 2010 into early 2011; the PC mix will likely continue to be skewed towards consumers, potentially resulting in minimal to negative PC revenue growth in 2010 based on the recent declines in PC average selling prices;
-OPERATING PROFITABILITY is expected to IMPROVE as COST REDUCTION INITIATIVES result in POSITIVE OPERATING LEVERAGE upon the resumption of TOP LINE GROWTH.
http://www.pr-inside.com/fitch-growth-in-it-spending-supports-r1614415.htm