Toshiba confirms $1bn lost ditching HD DVD

Falling Flash prices didn't help either

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

19th March 2008 12:53 GMT

Toshiba has knocked ¥100bn ($1bn/£498m/€639m) off its full-year pre-tax earnings, blaming not only the elimination of its HD DVD operation but also falling Flash prices.

The Japanese giant had previously forecast income of ¥350bn for the full year to 31 March, the company's 2007 fiscal year. It said sales would total ¥7.8tr.

But today it knocked ¥100bn off both figures, reducing them to ¥250bn and ¥7.7tr, respectively.

It attributed the reduction "primarily [to] costs incurred in the discontinuation of the HD DVD business". It also saw "a significant decrease in operating income due to a larger than anticipated declines in sales prices of NAND Flash memories".

Toshiba formally announced the end of HD DVD hardware production last month. Last week, it was predicted that Toshiba's decision would have just such a ¥100bn impact on its FY2007 figures.

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