August 2008
Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today reported second-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $200 million, or $0.66 per share, on sales of $2.485 billion. Kodak’s revenue from digital businesses rose 10% to $1.636 billion, driven by strong year-over-year increases in most of its digital businesses.
“Our second quarter represents another step in our journey to create a growing, profitable Kodak,” said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Eastman Kodak Company. “The digital franchise that we have built performed well during the quarter. Customer acceptance of our digital plates, digital cameras, digital picture frames, retail printing systems, and consumer and commercial inkjet products remains strong.
“In our traditional business, entertainment imaging revenue improved, but unprecedented commodity cost increases across the business are presenting a headwind that we are aggressively addressing,” Perez said.
“We delivered another quarter of growth, which reinforces our confidence in the promise of our digital franchise,” Perez said. “As a result, we have decided to increase our investment in a number of product lines. In just two examples, we are increasing the projected volumes for our consumer inkjet printers for 2009 and pulling forward by three to six months the delivery date of our new Stream inkjet technology for commercial printers. The more we develop these opportunities, the more we see the value in investing to accelerate growth.”
For the second quarter of 2008:
On the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the company reported second-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $200 million, or $0.66 per share, compared with a loss on the same basis of $154 million, or $0.53 per share, in the year-ago period. Items of net benefit that impacted comparability in the second quarter of 2008 totaled $245 million after tax, or $0.79 per share.
The most significant item included a $270 million gain, or $0.88 per share, from interest earned on a tax settlement with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, partially offset by other items of net expense totaling $0.09 per share. Items of net expense that impacted comparability in the prior-year quarter totaled $266 million after tax, or $0.92 per share, primarily due to restructuring charges, partially offset by gains on sales of assets and businesses.
Other second-quarter 2008 details:
Segment sales and results from continuing operations before interest, taxes, and other income and charges (segment earnings from operations), are as follows:
“We have built a great portfolio of digital businesses and we have exciting new product introductions planned for the remainder of the year,” Perez said. “While we face challenges today from rising raw material prices and a soft economy, our view of the future remains confident and optimistic. Our Board’s recent decision to repurchase up to $1.0 billion of our own outstanding shares and the increased investment in our most promising digital businesses underscore the confidence we have in our ability to create significant value for our shareholders.”
Updated 2008 Outlook
For 2008, Kodak remains focused on three key financial metrics, as it transforms itself into a growing company with sustained profitability: revenue growth, driven by digital businesses, earnings from continuing operations, and cash generation.
The company today provided an updated outlook for 2008 performance against these metrics, as a result of recent significant increases in commodity costs on a worldwide basis, the impact of pricing and actions that the company is taking to increase productivity in response to these increased costs, and the previously announced benefit to depreciation expense from lengthening the useful life assumptions of its film and paper manufacturing assets.
Kodak continues to forecast total company revenue growth in the range of 0% to 2% and digital revenue growth in the range of 7% to 10%.
The company previously forecasted earnings from operations, a non-GAAP measure, in the range of $400 million to $500 million and now expects 2008 results to be in the lower end of that range. This corresponds to forecasted 2008 GAAP earnings from continuing operations before interest expense, other income (charges), net, and income taxes, at the lower end of the range of $400 million to $480 million, including pre-tax charges in the range of $80 million to $100 million for carryover restructuring and other rationalization costs.
Finally, the company originally estimated 2008 cash generation before dividends to be in the range of $400 million to $500 million. Kodak now expects 2008 cash generation before dividends will be in the range of $725 million to $825 million, including the previously announced IRS tax settlement of $575 million, net of state taxes to be paid in 2008. This corresponds to net cash provided by operating activities, on a GAAP basis, in the range of $850 million to $950 million. Factors impacting cash are: higher commodity costs versus plan, in the range of $125 million to $175 million; earnings-related reductions associated with revenue declines in consumer film and photofinishing; additional investments in consumer inkjet, digital printing and workflow solutions; increased expenditures for commercial capital to drive continued revenue growth; slightly higher rationalization payments, reflecting enhanced emphasis on continued cost reductions; and impacts from the Hollywood writers strike along with first quarter outflows for agreements and settlements that will impact the total year. The company will also receive lower interest income based upon projected cash balances and interest rates.
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