Sales of Audio-Visual and Communication Equipment in the third quarter were 381.0 billion yen, up 19.6% over the previous quarter, reflecting increased sales of LCD TVs, Blu-ray Disc recorders, and mobile phones. Operating income was 4.9 billion yen, up 25.3% over the previous quarter—a significant improvement from the operating loss of 21.8 billion yen in the same period last year—as profits improved for mobile phones.

Sales of Health and Environmental Equipment were 67.5 billion yen, up 12.1% and operating income was 6.7 billion yen, up 54.5% compared to the previous quarter. Sales of high-value-added products, such as air purifiers featuring Plasmacluster Ion technology and Plasmacluster Ion generators, increased.

Sales of Information Equipment were 65.5 billion yen, down 6.1%, and operating income was 2.2 billion yen, down 47.6% from the previous quarter. B-to-B sales continued to be sluggish, reflecting a decrease in corporate capital investment.

As a result, sales of these three product groups comprising Consumer/Information Products were 514.1 billion yen, up 14.6%, and operating income was 14.0 billion yen, up 10.5% from the previous quarter.

Sales of LCDs were 210.2 billion yen, down 5.5% from the previous quarter, and operating income was 1.0 billion yen. Sharp's large-size LCD panel plant at GREEN FRONT SAKAI began production in October 2009. This facility is now running at full capacity, and operations are stable. However, start-up costs and high material costs for panels had a temporary impact on profitability during the third quarter. In addition, the severe market environment for small- and medium-size LCDs, including price declines for units intended for mobile phones and game devices, continued to have an impact on overall LCD business.

Sales of Solar Cells were 57.7 billion yen, up 12.2%, and operating income was 1.4 billion yen, up 25.3% from the previous quarter. Sales in Japan increased, reflecting both the government's introduction of a new scheme of feed-in tariffs and its program to subsidize the installation of residential photovoltaic power generation systems.

Sales of Other Electronic Devices were 77.0 billion yen, down 6.3%, and operating income was 2.0 billion yen, down 2.2% from the previous quarter, reflecting a decline in sales of CCD/CMOS imagers.

As a result, sales of these three product groups comprising Electronic Components were 344.9 billion yen, down 3.1% and operating income was 4.4 billion yen, down 76.1% from the previous quarter.