Kodak posts 4Q loss, plans up to 4,500 job cuts

[January 29, 2009]  ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) -- Eastman Kodak says it is eliminating 3,500 to 4,500 jobs, or 14 percent to 18 percent of its payroll, as it posted a $137 million loss for the fourth quarter.

Kodak says sales and profits from both digital and film-based photography products plummeted.

The Rochester, N.Y.-based company said Thursday that its loss amounted to 51 cents a share in the last three months of the year. That compares with a year-ago profit of $215 million, or 75 cents a share. Excluding one-time items, the loss came to $21 million, or 8 cents a share.

It says sales fell 24 percent to $2.43 billion, as digital revenue fell 23 percent and traditional film-based revenue slumped 27 percent.

Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected, on average, a profit of 21 cents a share on higher sales of $2.81 billion.

[Associated Press]

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