Sharp’s solar operations reduce losses on restructuring and domestic sales boost

Sharp Corporation reported PV product sales of 55.9 billion yen for its FYQ3 2012, up 9.4% compared to the previous quarter.

The company said that the increase in revenue for solar products was primarily due to increased demand within Japan that had included the domestic, commercial and utility-scale markets.

Continued restructuring of its solar manufacturing operations, notably it’s a-Si thin-film manufacturing resulted in a decline in quarterly losses for its solar segment.

Sharp reported a loss of 1.9 billion yen (US$21 million) in FY 3Q 2012, compared to a loss of 5.3 billion yen in Q2 and a 6.2 billion yen loss in the same quarter a year ago.

The company reiterated that it had reduced its global headcount by about 5,400 from March, 2012.

However, Sharp said that it was “reviewing our sales and production bases in Japan and overseas.”

Revised guidance

 

Based on operational improvements in growing sales, management have revised full-year guidance for its solar operations. The company expects sales to be around 245.0 billion yen with an operating loss of 11.0 billion yen.

Management said that its ‘solar solutions’ business would expand and strengthen in the future on the back of strong and continued demand in Japan.