Nokia generates $270 million profit but sales drop
Struggling Nokia turns to Q4 net profit of $270 million but revenue slumps 20 percent
FILE - In this April 12, 2012, file photo, the window of Nokia's flagship store displays an advertisement of the new Nokia Lumia mobile phone in Helsinki on Thursday, April, 19, 2012 . Nokia Corp. reported a fourth-quarter net profit of €202 million ($270 million) Thursday Jan. 23, 2013 compared to a net loss of more than $1 billion a year earlier but revenue in the period fell 20 percent to €8 billion from a year earlier. (AP Photo/LEHTIKUVA / Markku Ulander, File) FINLAND OUT
HELSINKI (AP) -- Struggling Nokia Corp. turned a net profit of €202 million ($270 million) in the fourth quarter, compared with a loss of $1 billion a year earlier, but revenue fell 20 percent as it failed to make gains in the fiercely competitive smartphone market.
The Finnish company said Thursday that revenue dropped to €8 billion ($10.6 billion) from €10 billion as smartphone sales plunged 55 percent from a year earlier.
Nokia gave a grim outlook saying it expects operating margins in the first quarter of this year to be "approximately negative 2 percent, plus or minus four percentage points." It cited increased competition and lower-than-expected demand for its flagship Lumia phones and cheaper Asha models.
Nokia sold 15.9 million smartphones in the quarter, down from 19.6 million a year earlier, including 4.4 million Lumia phones. In all, it sold 45 million mobile phones in the period, 15 percent less than in 2011.
CEO Stephen Elop said he was encouraged that the company's strategy had reached "underlying profitability" and strengthened its financial position but cautioned that more cutbacks could be expected.
"We remain focused on moving through our transition, which includes continuing to improve our product competitiveness, accelerate the way we operate and manage our costs effectively," Elop said.
Elop said Nokia Siemens Networks "drove record profitability" during the quarter. The networks unit — a joint-venture with Germany's Siemens AG — saw its operating profit surge to €251 million from €67 million the previous year, while revenue was up 5 percent at €4 billion.
The unit has been loss-making for years but restructuring measures including substantial job cuts have improved its performance.
The company's stock dropped more 3 percent to €3.30 in early afternoon trading in Helsinki.
