Eastman Kodak Analysis
Essay Preview: Eastman Kodak Analysis
Report this essay
At your request, I have compiled information on Eastman Kodak Co., so that you may come to an investment decision. The report will consider the companys background (including Kodaks areas of production), a past obstacle Kodak has had to face and overcome, and a financial snapshot of Kodak over the past five years.
BACKGROUND
Originally founded in 1880 by George Eastman, the Eastman Kodak company now stands as a leader in the infoimaging industry. Infoimaging is a $385 billion industry that consists of using traditional and digital film to allow people to capture and deliver images through cameras, computers, and the media. Currently under the direction of Chairman and CEO Daniel A. Carp, Eastman Kodak is divided into three major areas of production.
1. Kodaks Digital and Film Imaging Systems section produces digital and traditional film cameras for consumers, professional photographers, and the entertainment industry. This segment accounts for 69% of revenues earned by Kodak in 2003.
2. Health Imaging caters to the health care market by creating health imaging products such as medical films, chemicals, and processing equipment. Health Imaging also places emphasis on radiology for dental, mammography, and oncology markets. Health Imaging accounts for 18% of revenues earned by Kodak in 2003.
3. The Commercial Imaging group produces aerial, industrial, graphic, and micrographic films, inkjet printers, scanners, and digital printing equipment to target commercial and industrial printing, banking, and insurance markets. Commercial Imaging accounts for 12% of revenues earned in 2003.
Since the formation of Kodak, the company has remained the worlds leading film provider with virtually no competitors. That is until the arrival of Fuji Photo Film, which now surpasses Kodak in earnings per share and is viewed as the industries number two.
OBSTACLE
While Eastman Kodak has remained an industry leader in the sales of film for photo-imaging, over the past five years Kodak has underestimated the demand for digital cameras. Digital cameras require no film whatsoever and with Kodaks main line of production being film Kodak has suffered great losses in net profit. Just in 2004 Camera film sales have been falling even than projected. The Photo Marketing Association predicted a six percent drop in film sales and Kodak projected an even more dismal 10-12 percent drop in film sales. The actual drop in sales reached an unforeseen 18%. In 2003 digital camera sales were greater than traditional film camera sales for the first time.
To account for their miscalculation in film sales, Kodak is undergoing a massive digitally based shift. Kodak plans on building a stronger