The company has released its annual financial report for 2018, explaining that it is “pursuing reform” and shifting its focus from defence to offence.
During the financial year ending 31 March 2018, Sharp has revealed that its net sales have increased by 18 percent YoY, from ¥2.05 trillion ($18.2 billion/€16 billion) in FY 2017 to ¥2.4 trillion ($21.3 billion/€18.7 billion), with growth in both its domestic and overseas sales.
The company’s operating profit has also risen, from ¥62.4 billion ($555.3 million/€487.8 million) in 2017 to ¥90.1 billion ($801.9 million/€704.4 million) in 2018.
Capital investment has risen substantially, from 2017’s ¥77.7 billion ($607.4 million/€691.5 million) to ¥119.3 trillion ($1.06 trillion/€932.1 billion), while its investment in R&D has registered a slight decrease, from ¥106.1 billion ($944 million/€828.7 million) in 2017 to this year’s figure of ¥100.5 billion ($894 million/€785.1 million). 
Sales in Sharp’s Smart Business Solutions segment, which include MFPs, rose by 4.2 percent YoY, though segment income decreased by 10.6 percent, said Sharp, “due in part to falling prices, despite our efforts to reduce overhead expenses.”
The company has stated in its financial report that “Profits improved steadily throughout the year as the company recorded profits for four consecutive quarters in a single fiscal year for the first time since 2007, prior to the Lehman shock.”
As of May 2017, Sharp has been striving to adopt a business vision entitled Changing the World with 8K and IoT and the OEM says that, in line with this vision, it is “engaging in transformations” across businesses, arenas of competition and operations.
