Worldwide Page Volume Continued Slow Decline in 2012 as Gains in Developing Regions Failed to Offset Slowdown in Developed Regions, According to IDC

Worldwide page volume from digital hardcopy devices* decreased to 2.98 trillion in 2012 from 3.03 trillion in 2011, a decline of -1.5% year over year, according to new research from International Data Corporation (IDC). However, in spite of the decline, the world continues to print at a good clip. Annual A4 printed pages can cover the surface area of New York City 237 times.

Developed countries continued their negative page growth trend in 2012, driven by digital workflows, adoption of Managed Print Services (MPS), and anemic economies. The silver lining for print volume in developed economies appears to be net new incremental pages from mobile devices. While it may seem counterintuitive, smartphone and tablet users are generating more print volume compared to non-tablet/smartphone users. IDC research indicates that mobile printing is gaining traction on a year-over-year basis and by 2015 over 50% of smartphone and tablet business users will use mobile print in the office environment. Although mobile printing is growing rapidly on a year-over-year basis, both tablet and smartphone users need help to print from their devices. Over 50% of smartphone users and 35% of tablet users indicate that they do not know how to print from their mobile devices.

Developing countries helped to counter the negative trend in developed countries. In particular, Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan)(APeJ) led the way with 10% year-over-year page growth, followed by Latin America with 6.7% year-over-year growth. Meanwhile, growth of pages slowed slightly in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMA) (-0.72%). This is in contrast to last year when all developing regions experienced growth.

IDC expects worldwide page volume to remain flat for the 2013-2017 forecast period. In addition, APeJ is expected to displace the U.S. for the highest share of page volume by 2015. China and India are expected to be the major growth countries in the APeJ region.

From a technology perspective, monochrome laser will continue to have the largest share of pages across the forecast period. Mono laser’s installed base is forecast to grow, but pages are forecast to decline due to falling average monthly print volume (AMPV). Color laser has a small portion of the installed base and total pages, but it has the best outlook. For color laser, both the installed base and pages are forecast to grow, mainly because of color laser multifunction printers (MFPs). Color laser page growth will also be restrained by falling AMPVs. Inkjet’s installed base and pages are forecast to decline through 2017. Inkjet comprises the majority of the installed base, but a tiny minority of pages.

Technology Highlights

• Worldwide laser MFPs had overall positive growth in pages (+2%) with developing countries registering double-digit growth (+13.2%) in contrast to developed economies (-4.2%). Developing countries had double-digit page growth across both mono (+11.3%) and color (+23.2%). In contrast, developed countries had positive page growth across only color MFPs (+7.5%) while having negative growth in mono MFPs (-9.2%). User print volume is migrating as devices move up speed bands during their refresh cycle, causing some dampening in print volume.

• Worldwide laser printers had a negative growth story. Although developing countries managed an incremental rate of page growth (+0.11%), it was not enough to neutralize a negative page trend in developed economies (-5%). Developing countries registered page growth of +4.5% in color printers in contrast to -0.5% page growth in mono printers. Meanwhile, users continue to migrate from printer to MFP form factors.

• Worldwide color inkjet printers continued to yield ground to color inkjet MFPs, resulting in loss of color inkjet printer pages (-5%) on a year-over-year basis. The impact was stronger in developing economies with a drop in printer pages of -11.5%. However, as color inkjet users have already mostly migrated to MFPs, the impact on overall color inkjet pages was not drastic.

 

Originally posted @ idc.com

KONICA MINOLTA 1st Quarter Financial Results 2014

(Units of less than 1 million yen have been omitted.)

1. Overview of the 1Q performance (From April 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013)

(1) Business performance

Percentage figures represent the change from the same period of the previous year.

[Millions of yen]

	Net sales		Operating income		Ordinary income		Net income
1Q Mar/2014	218,543	15.4%	7,818	23.3%	7,050	47.3%	9,774	-%
1Q Mar/2013	189,373	1.7%	6,339	93.8%	4,786	87.3%	154	-%

Note: Comprehensive income
1Q Mar/2014:  ¥ 19,445 million (- %)
1Q Mar/2013: ¥ (10,033) million (- %)

 

	Net income per share	Net income per share (after full dilution)
1Q Mar/2014	18.43 yen	18.39 yen
1Q Mar/2013	0.29 yen	0.28 yen

 

(2) Financial position

[Millions of yen]

	Total assets	Net assets	Equity ratio (%)
June 30, 2013	952,724	482,094	50.4%
March 31, 2013	940,553	466,416	49.4%

Note: Shareholders’ equity
As of June 30, 2013: ¥ 480,500 million
As of March 31, 2013: ¥ 464,904 million

 

 

2. Dividends per share

[yen]

	1Q	2Q	3Q	Year-end	Total annual
FY Mar/2013	–	7.50	–	7.50	15.00
FY Mar/2014	–
FY Mar/2014 (forecast)		10.00	–	7.50	17.50

Note: Change to the latest dividend forecast announced:  None
Breakdown for dividends of 2Q Mar/2014 (forecast)
Common dividend: ¥ 7.50
Commemorative dividend: ¥ 2.50

 

 

3. Consolidated results forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014
(From April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014)

Percentage figures for the full year represent the change from the previous fiscal year.

[Millions of yen]

	Net sales		Operating income		Ordinary income		Net income		Net income per share
Full-year	900,000	10.7%	55,000	35.3%	53,000	36.2%	26,000	71.9%	49.03 yen

Note: Change to the latest consolidated results forecast announced:  None

 

 

Notes

(1)

Changes in status of material subsidiaries during the quarter under review (Changes to specified subsidiaries accompanying the additional consolidation or removal from consolidation of companies): 
Yes – excluded three subsidiaries: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.,
                                                          Konica Minolta Advanced Layers, Inc.,
                                                          Konica Minolta Technology Center, Inc.
Note: For more detailed information, please see the “(1) Changes in Status of Material Subsidiaries during the Quarter under Review” in the section 2. SUMMARY INFORMATION (NOTES) on page 12.

(2)

Adoption of special accounting treatment used in preparation of the quarterly consolidated financial statements:  Yes
Note: For more detailed information, please see the “(2) Adoption of Special Accounting Treatment used in Preparation of the Quarterly Consolidated Financial Statements” in the section 2. SUMMARY INFORMATION (NOTES) on page 12.

(3)

Changes in accounting policy, changes in accounting estimates, or restatement due to correction
a. Changes in accounting policy accompanying amendment of accounting principles:  None
b. Changes in accounting policy other than “a.”:  None
c. Changes in accounting estimates:  None
d. Restatement due to correction:  None

(4)

Number of outstanding shares (common stock)
a. Outstanding shares at period-end (including treasury stock)
    First quarter of fiscal year ending March 31, 2014: 531,664,337 shares
    Fiscal year ended March 31, 2013: 531,664,337 shares
b. Treasury stock at period-end
    First quarter of fiscal year ending March 31, 2014: 1,348,934 shares
    Fiscal year ended March 31, 2013: 1,346,048 shares
c. Average number of outstanding shares
    First quarter of fiscal year ending March 31, 2014: 530,316,486 shares
    First quarter of fiscal year ended March 31, 2013: 530,281,338 shares

Full Details @: http://www.konicaminolta.com/about/investors/pdf/fr/konicaminolta/2014_h26/1q_2014fr_all.pdf

Toshiba to Implement Reforms to Improve Profitability in Digital Products Business

Corporate Communications Office
1-1-1 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8001, Japan
URL: http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/index.htm
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2013

TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced that it will implement further structural reform of its LCD TV and PC businesses to accelerate profit-focused resource allocation and to establish an asset-light management strategy that reduces fixed costs, improves profitability and strengthens business foundations.
Toshiba will execute these measures immediately, and will also follow up with structural reforms in this fiscal year, including a review of production and a reform of sales operations in Japan and overseas.

Background

Last year, Toshiba transferred the LCD TV design and development function from Fukaya Complex in Saitama prefecture to Ome Complex in western Tokyo, Toshiba’s development hub for PC and tablets. Concurrently, Toshiba concentrated technical service operations for LCD TVs in Fukaya Complex to a group subsidiary.
Despite these efforts, Toshiba has recorded losses in the LCD TV business for 2 consecutive years, the result of continuing lower demand in Japan following the completion of the transition to terrestrial digital broadcasting, yen depreciation and price reductions in the global market, and lower demand in the sluggish economies of Europe.
In addition, the PC market is expected to see lower demand, reflecting the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets.
In these circumstances, Toshiba will promote a new round and continuing structural reform of its LCD TV and PC businesses, aiming to see positive figure in the Digital Products business in the second half of 2013.
Objective

Toshiba plans to increase sales and profit by accelerating profit-focused resource allocation and establishing a business strategy to reduce fixed costs, improve profitability and strengthen the business foundations. It will also seek to promote sales in emerging markets, focusing on B2B business and developing high value-added products.
In order to accomplish these plans, Toshiba will reorganize its Digital Products & Services Company, aiming to speed up decision making, and concentrate human resources into selected businesses. Through these measures, plus the structural reforms that it initiated last year, Toshiba plans to reduce fixed costs in the LCD TV and PC businesses by approximately 10 billion yen in FY 2013 and approximately 20 billion yen in FY 2014, against FY 2012, and by doing so establish the sound business foundations required to win against global competition.

Measures
1. Profit-focused resource allocation
LCD TV
(1) In sales, Toshiba will accelerate resource allocation and hone its market focus, including its business in emerging markets. The company expects to generate 30% of its sales in emerging markets in FY2012 and to boost this figure to approximately 40% in FY2013
(2) In terms of products, Toshiba will expand its line-up of high value-added products in the global market, including large screen 4K LCD TVs, promote the provision of cloud services, and continue to reinforce development of local-fit products in emerging economies. Toshiba will also strengthen its B2B business, including digital signage and LCD TVs for specific sectors, such as hotels and hospitals, and will seek to raise B2B sales to approximately 10% of all sales in FY2014
(3) Toshiba will draw on its wide-ranging know-how to diffuse its technologies into new business areas, including bringing glasses-free 3D TV technology into medical business.
PC
(1) Toshiba will accelerate resource allocation to expand business in emerging markets and B2B business and transform B2C focused business foundation. Sales in emerging markets are expected to rise from approximately 30% in FY2012 to approximately 40% in FY2013, and B2B sales are expected to rise from approximately 20% to approximately 40% in the three years of FY2012 to FY2015
(2) Toshiba will launch a new line-up enterprise products that offer improved security and mobility, and that provide solutions, including energy savings and lower cost asset management, through its client manager utility. The company will also promote business in the education and healthcare markets, in both hardware and software. In addition, the company will integrate its solutions businesses and seek to promote new business relationships with major clients.
(3) In the B2C market, Toshiba will launch strategic high value-added products, such as an Ultrabook™ with an advanced handwriting function, and expand direct sales through its online shopping site, Toshiba Direct, laying the foundations for more diversified sales channels and long-term profitability.

2. Asset-light management strategy
LCD TV
(1) Toshiba will promote global standard product design and reduce costs in development and design by reducing the number of product platforms from 14 in FY 2012 to 9 in FY2013, and the number of models from 115 models to 67 models in the same timeframe.
(2) Toshiba will reduce costs by reducing the number of global original design manufacturers (ODMs) to 1/3 and also promote selection of in-house manufacturing or ODM for individual products.
(3) Toshiba will tighten up control of inventories and logistics costs by improving operating processes from manufacturing through to distribution.
PC
(1) Toshiba will tighten up control inventories and logistics costs by improving operating processes from manufacturing through to distribution.
(2) Toshiba will streamline and speed up development by reducing the number of product platforms and models, and will reduce the number of platforms from 20 in FY2012 to 15 in FY2013

3. Human resource allocation to focused business

Toshiba will transfer approx. 400 employees, 20% of the total staff working in the LCD TV and PC businesses in Japan, from the design, sales and administrative departments of the LCD TV and PC businesses in Japan to social infrastructure businesses within this fiscal year.

4. Organizational reform

Toshiba will reform the organization of its in-house company, the Digital Products and Services Company on August 1, 2013. The company introduced a regional division system in 2011. While leveraging synergies generated by its regional business operations, the company will reform its operations into three divisions: the “Visual Solutions Division” that includes LCD TVs and Blu-ray disc players and recorders; the “Personal Solutions Division” that includes PCs and tablets, and the “Business Solutions Division” that includes B2B businesses. The company aims to promote business by rightsizing its organization and speeding up business decisions, and also aims to cultivate a B2B business and promote strategic business evolution through a specialist organization.

Konica Minolta Australia MD Dr David Cooke talks about our company ethos

Konica Minolta Australia’s Managing Director, Dr David Cooke talks about the ethos of our company. “We understand that listening to our customers and being able to tailor a solution that meets their needs is what makes a real difference and this is what we’re committed to at Konica Minolta. Not only do we have technology that offers excellence in quality and reliability, we have a vast range of software solutions and services to address the ever changing needs of our customers — and their customers,” he says.

Getting through the day…. with a little help from Konica Minolta

No Audio backtrack, but a good little video (good to run on a loop in a showroom)

Konica Minolta Signs Business Transfer Agreement with Panasonic Healthcare Regarding Ultrasonic Diagnostic Equipment Business

Tokyo (July 26, 2013) – Konica Minolta, Inc. (Konica Minolta) today announced that the company has signed a business transfer agreement with Panasonic Healthcare Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Healthcare) under which ultrasonic diagnostic equipment business of Panasonic Healthcare is to be transferred to Konica Minolta.

Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment has such advantages as enabling real-time diagnostic imaging and putting less physical burden on patients under repeated inspections because of its low-intrusion nature. Further growth is expected in the market in the future.

Konica Minolta and Panasonic Healthcare have been jointly developing ultrasonic systems. For the purpose of further enhancement and expansion of its healthcare business, including ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, Konica Minolta has signed a business transfer agreement under which Panasonic Healthcare’s assets necessary for planning, development, manufacturing, sales, maintenance, and so on will be transferred, effective on January 1, 2014. The existing OEM-supply business relationship between Panasonic Healthcare and its customers will also be transferred to Konica Minolta.

Konica Minolta continues to enhance its growth strategy in the healthcare business by expanding digital X-ray diagnostic imaging systems, including the AeroDR, its current mainstream products, fostering Healthcare IT services business and driving growth of business for new ultrasound diagnostic equipment with benefits based on Konica Minolta’s innovative strength through the business transaction announced today.

Under the communication message “Giving Shape to Ideas,” Konica Minolta will make further efforts in facing challenges to develop state-of-the-art technologies in the medical imaging fields and create new values for the customers with high-quality products, services and solutions.

 

Originally posted @: http://www.konicaminolta.com

Xerox sales up slightly, headcount continues to drop

The past couple years have been rough ones for Xerox Corp.’s technology business, with sales of equipment on a long slide.

But the past couple months have brought a few bits of good news, as Xerox saw its largest-ever order for high-speed color presses. And Xerox’s most-recent fiscal quarter saw the first growth in equipment sales since 2011.

However, none of that was enough to make up for yet another down quarter in Xerox’s technology side of the business. The growth in Xerox revenues during the quarter were all driven by business services. And Xerox, which has been cutting its headcount, plans to trim even more.

The Connecticut-based business services and printing company announced its latest quarterly financial results Thursday. For the three months ending June 30, the company took in $5.4 billion, up about 1 percent from the same three months in 2012.

Services revenues were up 5 percent from a year ago. Its technology business, including equipment sales and supplies, was down 5 percent at the same time. Services now account for 55 cents of every dollar Xerox takes in.

That 5 percent decline in the technology business was an improvement over the 9 percent decline in the first quarter, with increased equipment sales helping, Chief Financial Officer Kathryn Mikells told Wall Street analysts Thursday. “We feel good about the improving trends in this business,” she said.

“We’re effectively managing the (technology) business as a profitable, cash generating operation,” CEO Ursula M. Burns said.

After expenses, Xerox had profits of $271 million or 22 cents per share, down from $309 million or 23 cents per share a year ago.

Not counting one-time expenses, Xerox had adjusted profits of 27 cents per share. Wall Street analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had expected, on average, adjusted profits of 24 cents per share and sales of $5.5 billion.

Xerox stock closed Thursday at $9.79, down 4 cents or a fraction of a percent.

Bill Shaheen, CEO of Rochester wealth management firm Whitney & Co., called it “One of the better quarterly reports I have heard from them in quite a while.”

“Revenue was up overall, which has been the real struggle for them over the past several quarters,” Shaheen said. “So it looks like the mix through acquisitions and changing the business model is paying off.”

Xerox cut 1,300 positions worldwide during the quarter, at a cost of about $39 million in severance packages. And the company said it anticipates further restructuring during this current quarter, with the goal being “to create a lean, more flexible business model,” Burns said in a conference call with analysts. The company employs close to 6,300 in the Rochester region. It did not say how many of the cuts were local, though most of them were in North America.

The Rochester region long has been a stronghold of Xerox’s print-related technology business, particularly with Webster being the company’s largest manufacturing campus on the planet. And during the quarter, though revenues were down, Xerox did show some bright signs in technology. Revenues were up from the first quarter of 2013. And that largest-ever order for high-speed presses was for Webster-made iGen4 machines.

 

Originally Published @: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20130725/BUSINESS/307250015/xerox?nclick_check=1

Camera sales fall spurs Canon to cut earnings outlook for 2013

Canon Inc. on Wednesday revised downward its full-year earnings outlook for the business year through December, citing flagging sales of digital cameras in China and Europe as well as the negative impact of the eurozone economic slowdown.

The maker of printers, photocopiers and cameras now expects to post a group net profit of ¥260 billion, up 15.8 percent from the previous year, but lower than the earlier forecast of ¥290 billion.

Its consolidated operating profit is expected to rise 17.3 percent to ¥380 billion, down from the ¥450 billion projected in April, while sales are expected to gain 10.6 percent to ¥3.85 trillion, compared with the previous forecast of ¥3.98 billion.

Canon Executive Vice President Toshizo Tanaka said at a press conference in Tokyo that its inventories of digital cameras are increasing even in China, where luxury single-lens digital cameras had been selling well.

Reflecting a slowdown in the global digital camera market, the company slashed its sales target of cameras with interchangeable lenses in fiscal 2013 by 200,000 units to 9 million units, and that of compact cameras by 500,000 units to 14 million units.

For the six-month period through June, Canon posted a group net profit of ¥107.41 billion, down 5.2 percent from a year earlier, due to the adverse effects from the European economic slump as well as declining demand in emerging markets.

It also reported a consolidated operating profit of ¥153.13 billion, down 12.6 percent, on sales of ¥1.78 billion, up 3.2 percent.

Original Article:http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/07/24/business/camera-sales-fall-spurs-canon-to-cut-earnings-outlook-for-2013/#.UfA0pW0p_4Y

Konica Minolta: One Design-One Operation

Konica Minolta earns BLI Outstanding Achievement Award for Energy Efficiency

Buyers Lab awarded “Outstanding Achievement” accolades to the most energy-efficient models tested in the past eight months, with honours going to manufacturers including Konica Minolta. The winners exhibited significantly lower than average energy consumption for their respective product categories and offer a variety of environmentally friendly features to help users reduce their overall environmental impact.

After analysing the results for the top performers in a range of printer and MFP categories, BLI awarded a Summer 2013 “Outstanding Achievement” award to the Konica Minolta bizhub C284

The 28-ppm Konica Minolta bizhub C284 gave a stellar performance while running BLI’s environmental job stream test, which helped it earn its award-winning status for energy consumption. In fact, when its job stream energy was extrapolated out to one year, the unit’s projected annual energy consumption was about 41 percent lower than average for A3 colour MFPs in its speed range. But its environmental attributes don’t end at the power cord. This unit also features faster than average recovery times from overnight sleep, above average tested toner yields and a variety of features to help reduce waste, such as blank-page removal for print output. Plus, the unit enters sleep mode at its set time during an error condition—some competitive units tested stay active, consuming needless energy.

Taken from a release from buyerslab.com