TAIPEI, Apr 20 (AP) -- Taiwan's AU Optronics Corp., the world's third-biggest flat panel maker by revenue, said on Thursday it swung to a first quarter net profit of 6.65 billion New Taiwan dollars (US$205.55 million; €166.43 million) from a loss a year ago on increased demand for liquid crystal display televisions.

In the first quarter of 2005, the company posted a net loss of NT$2.13 billion.

AU Optronics makes LCD panels, used as screens on computers, television sets and other consumer electronics goods.

The company said TV panels accounted for 35 percent of its first-quarter consolidated revenue of NT$66.25 billion (US$2.04 billion; €1.65 billion). In the first quarter of the previous year, the TV panels accounted for 13 percent of its NT$38.84 billion revenue.

Shipments of large LCD panels totaled 9.4 million units in the first quarter, up from 6 million units in the same period a year earlier, with the average selling price at US$194, up from US$179, the company said.

For the second quarter, AU Optronics said it expects its shipments of large-size panels to increase by a percentage in the low teens compared to the first quarter.

The company's average selling price for the large television panels will likely fall by "mid-single digit" percent from the first quarter, said Max Cheng, chief financial officer of AU Optronics.

Earlier this month, the company announced plans to take over local rival Quanta Display in a challenge to its larger South Korean rivals, Samsung Electronics Co. and LG.Philips LCD Co.