Logitech Earnings: A Less-Than-Bright Future
Editor's note: A previous version of the article indicated it covered recently reported earnings. It has been updated to correct that. The Fool regrets the error.
Logitech is set to report earnings on Jan. 23. However, it has been a difficult year for the company. As investors prepare to digest whether the company's position improved this holiday quarter, here's a look back at Logitech's last earnings report.
The good
Operating income rose 3% compared to this time last year. Also, net income was $55 million for Q2 FY 2013 compared to $17 million from the same time last year. However, that also includes a net tax benefit of $32 million from the closure of an income tax audit. Last, gross margin was 35.8% compared to 33.7% last year.
The bad
Sales dropped 7%, but that includes an unfavorable exchange rate. If you don't include that, sales only dropped 4%. Logitech stated that weakness in the PC market was responsible for this drop in sales, as well as the anticipated launch of Microsoft's Windows 8.
But therein lies a big problem: Logitech is known for making computer accessories like webcams, keyboards, and gaming equipment, but with the rising popularity of tablets, Logitech has seen the need for it's products dwindling.
Both Apple and Google have dominated the computer industry with their tablets. According to Apple's latest Quarterly earnings, it sold 14 million iPads during the quarter, representing a 26% unit increase. Compare that with only 4.1 million Macs sold, and you can see how tablets are taking over.
Granted, Logitech has made a concerted effort to break into the tablet world by supplying tablet accessories like keyboards, iPad cases, and wireless mice, but that doesn't seem to be enough to slow the company's falling sales.
Where to go from here
Logitech, the world's biggest producer of computer mice, has had a rough year. Early last year, it reduced its sales forecast to $2.3 billion. Understandably, that caused its stock to drop significantly.
Furthermore, Logitech stated, "[G]iven the uncertainty in the PC market, we are now planning for continued strong headwinds in all of our PC-related categories for the remainder of the fiscal year. We expect this weakness to more than offset the positive impact of our new product launches."
As we look forward to Logitech's next earnings report, the company is expected to post adjusted earnings of $0.31 per share, which would be slightly off from the previous year. That weakness looks to continue into the March quarter as well. Logitech's not standing still in a world shifting from PCs to mobile, but it looks like we'll need past next quarter to see if its efforts pay off.
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The article Logitech Earnings: A Less-Than-Bright Future originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Katie Spence has no position in any stocks mentioned. Follow her on Twitter @TMFKSpence. The Motley Fool recommends Apple, Google, and Logitech International. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Google, Logitech International, and Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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