Conclusion
None of Sharp’s production facilities suffered extensive damage as a result of the Great East Japan Earthquake. However, for the industry as a whole, the supply chain, which spans a wide range of areas including the semiconductors, materials, gases and chemicals necessary for various production activities, and the energy infrastructure such as electric power, were severely affected. We expect the business environment to remain unpredictable, as a steep decline in consumption is anticipated.
It is difficult at this time to reasonably estimate the impact of the earthquake on our financial results, which will be broad across our entire business activities from production to sales. Therefore, we decided to not announce the forecast of financial results for fiscal 2011 at the results announcement on April 27, 2011. The forecast of financial results will be disclosed as soon as the outlook becomes clearer.
We expect a rough financial performance for the first quarter in fiscal 2011, as reflected by the suspension of glass input at the large-size LCD plants.
However, we aim to improve profitability by conducting business aggressively, even in this unclear business environment. We expect that various measures we have worked on will start to contribute to financial performance gradually. These measures include producing small- and medium-size LCDs at the Kameyama No. 1 and No. 2 Plants, starting full-fledged production of large-size LCDs at the G6 plant in China, starting operations at a solar cell plant in Italy that is operated by a joint venture company with Enel Green Power and STMicroelectronics in the latter half of 2011, and working on solar power generation plant projects through Recurrent in the U.S., which we acquired as a wholly-owned company.
For fiscal 2010, after careful consideration of consolidated business performance and the financial situation, Sharp will distribute a year-end dividend of 7 yen per share. Together with the 10 yen per share interim dividend, an annual dividend for fiscal 2010 will be 17 yen per share, the same as fiscal 2009.
The annual dividend for fiscal 2011 will be determined considering future results and the financial situation in a comprehensive manner.
|
|