Yamaha: U.S Audio Sales Up 10% In Q1

By Joseph Palenchar -- TWICE, 8/22/2011

Buena Park, Calif. - Yamaha Electronics USA (YEC) said its first-quarter sales in the U.S. rose 10 percent in dollars even though a financial report issued by its Japan parent cited an unspecified decline in Yamaha's North American home audio sales.

U.S. volume reported back to Japan reflected the depreciation of the Japan yen from about 90 yen to the dollar to about 80 yen to the dollar during that time, YEC president Tom Sumner told TWICE. In addition, the parent's financial report also failed to mention that sales of residential architectural speakers began a year ago to be included in the sales of the parent's pro audio/musical instruments group, which is responsible for the products' design, even though YEC continues to market the architectural speakers in the U.S., Sumner said.

Information on Yamaha's North American home audio sales, combining U.S. sales with Canadian and Mexican sales, was unavailable. YEC is responsible only for U.S. home audio sales.

With YEC's overall U.S. sales, including architectural speakers, up 10 percent in the quarter, the company's AVR sales were up about 2 percent to 3 percent during that time, Sumner said. Other products included in the 10-percent gain include in-room speakers, desktop audio systems, mini and microsystems, HTiBs, stereo hi-fi equipment, headphones, accessories and digital sound projectors, which deliver virtual surround sound from one-piece active DSP speaker systems.