AMSTERDAM - Royal Philips Electronics NV, the largest maker of lights by sales, has posted a fourth-quarter loss due to a worse performance by its lighting and health care arms, as well a charge on its long-suffering television business.
The net loss for the October to December period was €160 million ($211 million), compared with profit of €465 million in the same period a year ago. Chief executive Frans van Houten, who has issued three profit warnings since assuming the company's top job in April, said Monday the outlook for 2012 is clouded due to "uncertainty in the global economy, and Europe in particular."
Sales rose 3.3 per cent to €6.79 billion. Philips' television business, which is being sold to China's TPV, posted a €272 million loss, worsening from a loss of €38 million in the same period of 2010.
