Toshiba forecasts annual profit drop vs rise expected, limited virus impact
TOKYO (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp forecast on Friday a 15.7% drop in annual operating profit compared with expectations of a small rise in profit, even as a recent portfolio overhaul helps the industrial conglomerate limit the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
It forecast profit of 110 billion yen ($1 billion) for the year through March 2021, down from 130.46 billion yen a year earlier.
The outlook compared with the 136.71 billion yen average of 13 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv.
Since a crisis stemming from the bankruptcy of the U.S. nuclear power business in 2017, Toshiba has conducted a series of restructuring steps, including the sale of its laptop and television set businesses.
It is now focusing on social infrastructure businesses that are resilient to a global economic slump driven by the coronavirus outbreak.
Strong orders for infrastructure projects and cost cuts will help partly offset a 90 billion yen impact from the outbreak, the company said in an earnings presentation document.
($1=109.2000 yen)
(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
