Osaka, Japan – Sharp Electronics reported a double-digit increase in worldwide audio/video and communication equipment sales, led by LCD TVs and mobile phones, during its fiscal first half ended Sept. 30.
Sales of audio/video and communication products were $4.92 billion for the first half, up 14.4 percent over last year. Home appliance sales worldwide were $988.4 million, up 6.5 percent, while sales of information equipment worldwide was $1.77 billion, up 2.1 percent over the same period last year. Sales of copiers and printers, mainly digital full-color multifunction products increased and drove volume for information equipment, Sharp reported.
For the half, overseas net sales were $6.32 billion, up 16.1 percent and total net sales were $12.3 billion, up 9.7 percent versus the same period last year.
Operating income worldwide was $754.7 million, up 20.1 percent while net income was up 27.5 percent to $389.4 million.
Sharp reported that it expanded its sales of LCD HDTVs worldwide and began operations at the Kameyama No. 2 plant, which the company claimed is the first LCD production facility to adopt eighth generation glass substrates that enable the production of 40- and 50-inch LCD panels “with high efficiency.” The company added that it is stressing “one-of-a-kind products” like large-screen HDTV LCDs and “value-added mobile phones incorporating … original device technologies.”
