SEMCO raises MLCC prices – signalling industry upcycle
South Korean MLCC manufacturer SEMCO has raised prices for OEM and ODM customers for Q4 2026, marking a departure from its previous practice of limiting price adjustments to distributors. The move signals that the MLCC industry has officially entered an upcycle, according to TrendForce.
SEMCO is raising prices for consumer-grade X5R products by an average of 25–30% for OEM and ODM customers, with the aim of curbing demand and freeing up capacity for high-end production lines. For high-end X6S products used in AI servers, price increases of 10–20% are expected depending on customer negotiations, according to analysts at TrendForce.
Japanese suppliers Murata, Taiyo Yuden and Kyocera are currently holding prices steady. Whether they follow SEMCO's lead will be a key indicator of whether the pricing uptrend broadens across the industry.
TrendForce expects Taiwanese and Chinese suppliers to raise prices by 10–20% in Q4, driven by spillover orders for mid- to high-capacitance consumer-grade products. Capacity utilisation rates are rising in tandem, with some suppliers already approaching 90%.
Sustained AI data centre demand has widened supply gaps for optical communication modules, further tightening MLCC demand and prompting suppliers to seek additional capacity from Taiwanese and Chinese manufacturers. The outlook for traditional ICT and automotive markets is more cautious – slowing economic momentum in China and the US, combined with pressure on consumer confidence, could leave those end markets facing a weaker-than-usual peak season in the second half of 2026.
TrendForce expects the MLCC supply-demand gap to widen further in Q4, keeping prices on an upward trajectory.
