Nikon reports 9-month net profit up 30 percent

Nikon Corp., Tokyo, Japan, reported its operating profit and current net profit in the third quarter (October-December 2007) rose 13 percent to ¥40 billion (US$380.9 million) on 13.7 percent increased sales of ¥266.4 billion (US$2.5 billion). As a result, its operating profit in the 9-month period from April through December rose 28.4 percent to ¥103.5 billion (US$985.7 million), and net profit grew 30.9 percent year-on-year to ¥60.5 billion ($576.1 million) on 13.3 percent increased sales of ¥712.2 billion (US$6.8 billion).

The operating profit of its imaging company in the 9-month period was ¥69.4 billion (US$660.9 million), up 76 percent year-on-year, on sales of ¥449 billion (US$4.3 billion), up 30.8 percent from the sales in the same period a year earlier.

During the 9-month period the company shipped 2.32 million units of DSLRs and 6.73 million compact digital cameras, up 62 percent and 44 percent, respectively. Interchangeable lens sales more than doubled to 3.4 million units from 1.67 million units a year earlier.

Nikon revised point-and-shoot digital camera and interchangeable lens shipment projections upward for the whole year to 8.3 million and 4.3 million units, compared to the original projection of 8 million and 4 million units. DSLR shipment projections remained unchanged at 3 million units.