This Week in Imaging: Epson, Kyocera, Konica Minolta Report Interesting Financial Results

This week’s news brought continuing good news for the A3 copier/MFP segment, with both Konica Minolta MFP business and Kyocera Document Solutions reporting improved year-over-year revenue and profit. At Kyocera, what was particularly striking was that while two other main businesses groups faltered, its Document Solutions reported strong year-over-year results.

For Konica Minolta, first-quarter revenue for its Digital Workplace Business was ¥143.2 billion ($999.232 million) up 11.2 percent year-over-year, and operating profit was ¥1.9 billion ($13.27 million), versus a loss for the first quarter last year. The firm said sales of A3 MFPs were up in all major regions due to steady demand.

Meanwhile over at Kyocera, its Solutions business revenue was ¥264.60 billion ($1.86 billion), up 2.6 percent year-over-year, and business profit was ¥15.68 billion ($110.28 million), up 6.5 percent year-over-year. Kyocera said both sales revenue and profit increased due to “robust sales of products in the Document Solutions business (which is within its Solutions business). However, Both sales and revenue for Kyocera’s two other businesses – Core Components and Electronic Components – were down year-over-year.

Over at Epson, which is more exposed to the home/hybrid market, it was a bit of a different story, as office and home printers saw a decline. Its Printing Solutions business reported year-over-year sales increases, but the higher sales were mainly for its Commercial & Industrial Printing segments.

Within Epson’s Printing Solutions group, the Office & Home Printing group had net revenue of ¥149.8 billion ($1.06 billion), up 4.7 percent year-over-year, and profit of ¥12.6 billion ($89.77 million), down 23.3 percent year-over-year.

Overall, it appears that A3 office MFPs revenue and profit continues to do well, while the home/hybrid segment seems to be slipping. As we’ve noted previously, the decline of the home/hybrid market is probably due to a saturated market more than anything else, and we expect the hybrid market for home workers to be a continuing permanent market.

This Week in Imaging

Financial News

Some Improvement for Konica Minolta’s Latest Quarter

Sales, Profit Down for Kyocera, But Strong Profit Growth for Document Solutions Business

Lower Profits for Epson’s First Quarter; Office and Home Printers See Decline

Workflow and Solutions

Konica Minolta Adds Enhanced Cloud Functionality to bizhub MFPs

Commercial and Production Printing

Ricoh Launches Next-Gen Flagship Color Toner Cut-Sheet Press

Imaging Supplies

Brother Recycled Toner Cartridge is World’s First to Receive Blue Angel Certification

Acquisitions

Eakes Acquires Western Plains Business Solutions