TOKYO, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Japan's Ricoh Co. (7752.T: Quote, Profile, Research) will likely post a first-half operating profit of 70 billion yen
($617.6 million), up 21 percent, on strong sales of copiers and other office machines, business daily Nihon Keizai reported on Friday.
That would be slightly below a projection by the world's third-biggest copier maker of a profit of 70.8 billion yen for the six months to September.
The paper estimated sales were likely up 5 percent at 920 billion yen, larger by 2 billion yen than the company's forecast, and net profit would total 42 billion yen, falling 1 billion yen short of the company's earlier forecast.
Analysts polled by Reuters Estimates on average estimate half-year operating profit of 71 billion yen and net profit of 42.9 billion yen.
Ricoh officials were not immediately available for comment.
For the full year to March, Ricoh is poised to report 4 percent rise in its sales, but profits will likely stay in line with its earlier projection due to a slow recovery in chip-related demand and rising reorganisation costs, the paper said.
($1=113.33 Yen)
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