Philips sells the last of its consumer electronics

Philips has finalised the sale of the last of its consumer electronics operations to Japanese firm Funai, generating €150m.

Funai will take over Philips’ audio activities in the second half of this year, while the video operations will be transferred in 2017. The television activities were transferred to Chinese control last year.

Philips’ Consumer Lifestyle division will now focus on personal care products such as electric toothbrushes, as well as domestic apparatus like coffee machines.

Loss

Philips also said on Monday the company had made a fourth quarter loss of €355, due to the €509m fine levied by the European Commission for its role in a cathode ray tube cartel.

Philips is planning to appeal against the fine.

The company’s fourth-quarter turnover reached €7.16bn, up from €6.71bn in 2011. Sales were up 4% in Healthcare and Lighting, while Consumer Lifestyle sales rose 2%.

Over 2012 as a whole, Philips booked net profit of €231m, compared with a loss of almost €1.3bn in 2011. Turnover rose from €22.6bn to €24.8bn.

Philips expects the economic situation in the US and Europe to impact on sales in the first part of 2013 but that they will recover in the second half.

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