Has Apple Just Saved LG From Another Embarrasing Loss?

Apple and Trump tariffs appear to have saved the LG Group from another embarrassing loss in their display division that makes OLED TV and smartphone display screens. After being forced to flog off their LCD manufacturing operations in China to arch rival TCL in an effort to prop up their balance sheet, which in the past had been bleeding losses, LG appears to have been saved by Apple who in anticipation of Trump tariffs ramped up production of display screens for their iPhones and iPads. This led LG Display recording an operating profit in the first quarter this year, marking its second consecutive quarter of profitability after three years and 12 quarters of losses.

LG Display recently reported that it recorded a mere US$23M or A$36.18 million profit from UA$36.18 billion in revenue.



Revenue increased 15% year on year due to the Apple orders. Also contributing was a favourable exchange rate. For several months Apple has been stocking up on OLED display screens another big beneficiary for the advanced orders has been Samsung with questions now being raised as to whether the Tariffs will lead to smaller orders for the iPhone 17 due in September.

Currently LG Display only supplies low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED that are used in higher tier models in the iPhone 16 series which is not selling well. Samsung supplies OLED display screens for the Pro and Pro Max which are selling well claim observers. Recently LG Display handed over its China based LCD factory to TCL CSOT earlier this month with TCL now producing TVs for LG Electronics.

LG Display sold the Guangzhou facility for A$2.8 billion in a move that allowed the LG Group to improve the perceived performance of their struggling LG Display division. As for the LG Group the real problem is that LG’s Display business is not profitable with the business reporting a loss of $620 million last year as of December 2024.

In 2025 the business is punting on a new a proprietary technology Primary RGB Tandem, which uses independent stacks of RGB elements in the display manufacturing processes..