ROCHESTER, N.Y., May 1 -- Eastman Kodak Company today reported a 35 percent, or $61 million, year-over-year improvement in its first-quarter loss from continuing operations on sales of $2.093 billion. Kodak's revenue from digital businesses rose 10% to $1.366 billion, driven by strong year-over-year increases in most of its digital businesses.

"Our first-quarter results are very much in line with our expectations, which included forecasted seasonality, and provide an early indication that Kodak is on a growth track," said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Eastman Kodak Company. "We delivered strong performance across our major digital businesses, reinforcing our confidence in achieving our revenue, earnings and cash goals for the year."

For the first quarter of 2008:

    •    Sales totaled $2.093 billion, an increase of 1% from $2.080 billion in the first quarter of 2007. Revenue from digital businesses totaled $1.366 billion, a 10% increase from $1.245 billion in the prior-year quarter. Traditional revenue totaled $724 million, a 13% decline from $830 million in the first quarter of 2007.

    •    The company's first-quarter loss from continuing operations, before interest, other income (charges), net, and income taxes was $81 million, compared with a loss of $186 million in the year-ago quarter.

On the basis of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the company reported a first-quarter loss from continuing operations of $114 million, or $0.40 per share, compared with a loss of $175 million, or $0.61 per share, in the year-ago period. Items of net expense that impacted comparability in the first quarter of 2008 totaled $2 million after tax, or $0.01 per share. The most significant items included curtailment gains resulting from previous restructuring actions of $0.03 per share and gains on asset sales of $0.03 per share, offset by discrete tax provision items and a legal settlement charge, together totaling $0.07 per share. Items of net expense that impacted comparability in the prior-year quarter totaled $95 million after tax, or $0.33 per share, primarily due to restructuring charges, partially offset by a foreign tax reserve reversal.

Other first-quarter 2008 details:

    •    Gross Profit margin was 20.3% for the quarter, down slightly from 20.6% in the year-ago period, primarily attributable to significant year-over-year increases in silver, aluminum and other raw material costs, and continued investment in the consumer inkjet business.

    •    Selling, General and Administrative expenses decreased $9 million from first-quarter 2007, primarily reflecting the company's continued focus on controlling costs. As a percentage of revenue, SG&A was 18.4%, compared with 18.9% in the year-ago quarter.

    •    First-quarter net cash generation was a use of $764 million, a $311 million increase in cash used from the year-ago period. This corresponds to net cash used in operating activities from continuing operations on a GAAP basis of $767 million in the first quarter, compared with $397 million in the first quarter 2007. This increase in cash usage is due primarily to higher working capital, including inventory build associated with projected revenue growth, and higher payments to suppliers related to revenue growth in the prior year's fourth quarter. The company also made increased payments for performance-based compensation and for various tax items, contractual obligations and legal settlements.

    •    The company's debt level stood at $1.606 billion as of March 31, 2008, comparable to the year-end 2007 debt level of $1.597 billion.

    •    Kodak held $2.203 billion in cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2008, compared to the year-end 2007 level of $2.947 billion.

Segment sales and results from continuing operations before interest, taxes, and other income and charges (earnings from operations), are as follows:

    •    Consumer Digital Imaging Group sales for the first quarter were $554 million, a 20% increase from the prior-year quarter. Loss from operations for the segment was $111 million, compared with a loss of $75 million in the year-ago quarter. The increased loss was driven by the planned investment in the consumer inkjet business, partially offset by continued earnings improvement in digital cameras and digital picture frames. In April, the company introduced the latest in its line of All-in-One printers, the KODAK ESP 5, and announced new retail partnerships with Target Retail Department Stores in the U.S., and London Drugs and Canadian Tire in Canada. Beginning in the second half of 2008, Kodak will broaden its current inkjet distribution network of more than 8,000 retail stores by expanding availability into countries in Latin America.

    •    Graphic Communications Group sales for the first quarter were $812 million, a 4% increase from the year-ago quarter. Loss from operations was $1 million, compared with earnings of $9 million in the year-ago quarter. This earnings decline was primarily driven by higher aluminum costs and planned R&D investment in the commercial inkjet printing business in advance of the industry's major trade show, DRUPA, scheduled for May 29 to June 11. At the show, the company will introduce KODAK STREAM Technology, a revolutionary approach to continuous inkjet printing that provides offset-class quality, speed and cost.

    •    Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group first-quarter sales were $724 million, down from $830 million in the year-ago quarter, representing a decrease of 13%. Earnings from operations were $26 million, compared with $30 million in the year-ago quarter. These results reflect impacts from increased silver and other raw material costs, decreased sales volume of photographic film and paper, and the effects of the Hollywood writers' strike, offset by decreased SG&A costs and lower depreciation expenses related to the company's change in useful life assumptions regarding its traditional manufacturing assets.

"I am encouraged by the positive customer response that we are receiving across our digital businesses and the continued strong operational performance of our traditional business," said Perez. "We look forward to a strong showing at DRUPA later this month, and continued growth throughout the year."