Nikon Increases Market Share, Profits and Efficiencies

According to Nikons Quaterly report, it looks like they will have a great year in 2008. So far they have grown market share, exceeded their forecast and are now trying to increase production to meet dermand.

Here are three supporting questions and answers mentioned in their financial results for the first half of the year ending March 31, 2008.

Question: What is the outlook for the digital camera market?

Answer: Nikon's digital SLRs led the market during the first half of the year ending March 2008 in Japan. And they sold in other regions as well. October sales in the US exceeded our forecast, and while we as yet do not see any slowdown in consumer spending due to the subprime mortgage problem, we are paying close attention to how the Christmas selling season is going. Next fiscal year our competitors will develop their marketing to full extent in the digital SLR market, and we expect this will stimulate market growth and contribute to sales.

Question: What is the profit outlook for Imaging Products Business?

Answer: Robust digital SLR and interchangeable lens sales are being boosted by the appreciation of the exchange rate. We forecast an operating profit rate of 13.5%, higher than the 10.2% of the previous fiscal year. Currently, we are moving ahead with our manufacturing reform projects with the aim of achieving profit margins and cost efficiencies that rival our competitors.

Question: How are the new digital SLRs, D3 and D300, performing?

Answer: They have been extremely well received on the market since their announcement and we receive a great number of orders. In response, we are preparing to increase production of both models.