ZACKS·2025-04-09 15:21Core Insights - The global PC market experienced a 4.9% year-over-year increase in first-quarter shipments, totaling 63.2 million units, marking six consecutive quarters of growth [1] - However, the growth is largely attributed to pre-tariff stockpiling by vendors and buyers, raising concerns about future demand due to new U.S. tariffs [2][3] Market Dynamics - The first-quarter performance was artificially inflated due to strategic decisions by supply chain players to accelerate shipments ahead of tariff impacts [3] - Despite the pre-tariff boost, underlying demand for commercial PCs remains strong, driven by the upcoming end of Windows 10 support and interest in AI-enabled devices [4][5] Vendor Performance - Lenovo maintained its market leadership with 15.2 million shipments and a 24.1% market share, an increase from 22.8% year-over-year [6] - HP and Dell followed with 12.8 million and 9.6 million shipments, respectively, while Apple saw a significant 14.1% year-over-year growth, reaching 5.5 million units [6][7] Future Outlook - The introduction of new U.S. tariffs has created uncertainty, with potential strategies for vendors including relocating manufacturing and adjusting inventories [8] - Cost increases from tariffs are expected to impact consumers and enterprise buyers, potentially delaying purchases and affecting demand levels [9] - Overall, while the PC market showed strong early traction in 2025, the outlook remains unstable due to inflation and macroeconomic risks [10]