(Update) Sharp Targets 50 Pct Increase in LCD TV Sales in FY ’07
Tokyo, Jan. 12 (Jiji Press)–Sharp Corp. aims to sell nine million liquid crystal display television sets in fiscal 2007, up 50 pct from the previous year, President Katsuhiko Machida said Friday.
Backed by brisk sales of LCD TVs and other digital home electronics products, Sharp predicts a group operating profit of 200 billion yen and sales of 3.3 trillion yen for the year starting in April, each marking 10 pct growth from the previous year. If the targets are achieved, the company will enjoy a fourth consecutive year of record earnings.
Machida told a press conference that Sharp will lift its sales share of large LCD TV models with 40-inch or bigger displays to about 40 pct.
Pointing out that the company failed to ensure sufficient supplies of LCD TVs during the year-end shopping season, Machida said that Sharp will reinforce its production structure to meet growing demand, particularly for large-screen TVs.
The company will invest about 200 billion yen in the LCD sector out of 300 billion yen of capital expenditures planned for the next fiscal year.
It plans to double the monthly output capacity of LCD panels at its Kameyama Plant No. 2 in Mie Prefecture, central Japan, to 60,000 units in July, and start producing LCD TVs in Poland and Mexico in the same month.
In fiscal 2007, global demand for LCD TVs is likely to grow 50 pct to 68 million units, of which larger types will probably account for some 20 pct, Machida said.
On the possible launch of a new LCD panel plant, Machida said that the company will study the supply-demand situation and make a decision by this summer.
Among other business fields, Sharp said it will strengthen its solar battery business, in light of increasing demand worldwide. It will spend about 8 billion yen on measures to increase output, including the launch of a plant producing silicon for solar batteries.END
(c) 2007 Jiji Press English News Service. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.