*NEWS*KODAK:500,000 PRINTER UNITS SOLD

[Anonymous]

Kodak posts higher profit on digital sales
NEW
YORK  – Eastman Kodak Co on Wednesday its fourth-quarter profit rose,
driven by sales of digital products such as cameras and inkjet printers.
Net
income came to $215 million, or 71 cents per share, compared with a
year-earlier profit of $16 million, or 6 cents per share.Excluding
special items related to restructuring and other one-time factors, the
profit was 41 cents a share, falling short of analyst expectations of
52 cents a share, according to Reuters Estimates.

However,
revenue rose 4 percent to $3.22 billion, exceeding Wall Street analyst
view of $3.10 billion.Analyst and investors have found it difficult to
evaluate Kodak’s financial well being as it is growing in some areas,
such as commercial and consumer printing, while shedding employees and
capital in other segments.The photography company is carrying out a
lengthy and expensive effort to transform itself into a maker of
digital cameras and printing services. But analysts have expressed
concern over the degree to which it still relies on traditional film
sales.The Rochester, New York, company said digital revenue rose 15
percent, while traditional product sales fell 15 percent. Sales of
consumer inkjet printers, an important growth area exceeded the
company’s 2007 goal of 500,000 units, Kodak said.

[Author]

January 30, 2008 at 4:23 PM