TOKYO, July 27: Japanese consumer electronics giants Sharp Corp. and Sanyo Electric Co. are expected to see increases in group operating profit for April-June, thanks to strong sales of electronic parts and audio-visual and telecommunications equipment, a report said on Saturday.

Sharp estimates that profit rose seven per cent to $205.1 million, while Sanyo expects three per cent growth to 15 billion yen, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said.

Sharp’s sales likely climbed nine per cent to around 480 billion yen, while Sanyo’s sales rose one per cent to 505 billion yen, the newspaper said.

They saw growing demand for audio-visual and telecommunications equipment as well as liquid crystal display (LCD) panels, the financial daily said.

Despite the recovery in April-June, the two firms will likely leave their earnings forecasts unchanged for the full year through March 2003 due to concerns about appreciation of the yen and the slowing US economy, the Nihon Keizai said.

For fiscal 2002, Sharp expects sales to climb 11 per cent to two trillion yen, and operating profit to rise 22 per cent to 90 billion yen.

Sanyo projects a four per cent rise in sales to 2.19 trillion yen and a 51 per cent increase in operating profit to 80 billion yen.—AFP