Lexmark results beat estimates, shares jump

Tue Jan 28, 2014 8:51am EST

Jan 28 (Reuters) - Printer maker Lexmark International Inc reported better-than-expected quarterly results, helped by higher revenue from its managed print services and software businesses, sending its shares up 7 percent before the bell.
The company also forecast first-quarter adjusted earnings of 80-90 cents per share and revenue decline of 3-5 percent due to its exit from the inkjet printer business.
Analysts on average were expecting earnings of 85 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Lexmark and larger rival Xerox Corp are working to grow outside their traditional printing business as cost-conscious companies print less and personal computing moves to tablets and smartphones.
Lexmark's revenue from its perceptive software business, which makes software to scan everything from spreadsheets to medical images, rose 70 percent to $72 million in the fourth quarter.
Revenue from managed print services, which allow companies to outsource their printing needs to a service provider, rose 22 percent in the quarter ended Dec. 31.
Total revenue rose 4 percent to $1.01 billion.
Net income rose to $94 million, or $1.48 per share, from $26.3 million, or 40 cents per share, a year earlier.
Excluding items, the company earned $1.18 per share.
Analysts on average had expected earnings of $1.09 per share on revenue of $929.5 million.
Xerox reported weaker-than-expected quarterly revenue last week as growth in its outsourcing services business, now its biggest revenue generator, stalled.
Shares of Lexington, Kentucky-based Lexmark were trading at $37.50 in premarket trading on Tuesday.

Recycling Times Buys Recharger Magazine

Recycling Times Buys Recharger Magazine

By: Jiqiang Rong
January 24th, 2014 On January 21, Recycling Times Media broke the news that it purchased Recharger Magazine from 1105 Media for an undisclosed price. The World Expo, a remanufacturing industry tradeshow event that Recharger Magazine organized, was also included in the purchase.  According to Recycling Times Media, the current subscriptions of Recharger Magazine will be honored with Recycling Times news and views magazine, and the World Expo will be replaced by a new event for the remanufacturing industry and it will continue to be held in North America.
Compared with Recharger Magazine, which had been in business for over 25 years prior to the purchase, Recycling Times Media is a relatively new organization serving the aftermarket printer supplies industry.  It published the first issue of Recycling Times magazine in 2007 and organized its first aftermarket tradeshow, RemanxAsia Expo or Remax Asia Pacific as it was called then, in the same year. In a span of seven years, its industry magazine has grown from a publication with local aftermarket industry news and opinions into one of the premium magazines covering the printer supplies industry worldwide. Its tradeshow has grown from a small event of 113 exhibitors in 2007 to over 440 exhibitors in 2013. The purchase of Recharger Magazine is one more step that Recycling Times Media took for further growth, but outside of China this time.

Xerox Corporation : Patent Issued for Print Smoothness on Clear Toner Enabled Systems

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Journal of Engineering -- Xerox Corporation (Norwalk, CT) has been issued patent number 8619329, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by VerticalNews editors.

The patent's inventor is Lin, Guo-Yau (Fairport, NY).
This patent was filed on November 12, 2010 and was published online on December 31, 2013.
From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: "When printing large constant color or slowly transitioning area, smoothness is one of the main concerns. Smoothness is usually driven by the xerographic characteristics, halftone dot design, and can also be dependent on media substrate type. Toner scatter, unstable halftone dots, substrate materials (e.g. loose paper fiber), and the like, can prevent regions of color transition in an output print from appearing smooth. Applying clear toner is known to improve the smoothness. However, applying it to the entire print can be an expensive proposition. This is especially true for print shops specializing in color document reproduction. As such, methods are needed which can automatically determine, based upon characteristics of the document itself, where clear toner is best applied such that regions of color transition appear smooth.
"Accordingly, what is needed in this art are systems and methods for determining an amount of clear toner to be added to a document image to improve smoothness of an output print in document reproduction devices capable of delivering an amount of clear toner to an image in the image path."

Supplementing the background information on this patent, VerticalNews reporters also obtained the inventor's summary information for this patent: "What is disclosed is a novel system and method for determining an amount of clear toner to be applied to a document image to improve smoothness in an output print rendered using a xerographic device capable of applying clear toner to the image in the image path. Using clear toner to improve smoothness advantageously enables a Gray Component Replacement (GCR) strategy in which more black can be used which can decrease the incremental cost for clear toner for print shops specializing in color document reproduction.

"In one example embodiment, the present method for determining where to apply clear toner to an image of a document to improve smoothness in an output print involves performing the following. First, an image of a document is received. The received document image is intended to be rendered on a document reproduction device capable of applying clear toner in the image path. The received document image is then analyzed to detect objects contained within the document. The objects can be, for example, constant color objects, smooth shading objects, and image objects. Document objects can be selected via a user interface of a computer workstation. Once the objects have been identified, an amount of halftone dot area coverage is determined for one or more regions of each object wherein color transitions occur. The determined amount of halftone dot area coverage for a given region is then compared to a predetermined threshold. If the amount of area coverage is below the predetermined threshold, the document reproduction device is signaled to apply clear toner to this region. Excessive clear toner can be removed via an ink-limiting operation. In other embodiments, a rate of color transition in the object region is determined and then compared to a predetermined transition threshold in a spatial domain. If the rate of color transition is below the transition threshold then the device is signaled to apply clear toner to the region.
"Many features and advantages of the above-described method will become readily apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings."

Keywords for this news article include: Xerox Corporation.
Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world. Copyright 2014, NewsRx LLC
(c) 2014 Journal of Engineering via VerticalNews.com

Leadership Is About Emotion

Make a list of the 5 leaders you most admire. They can be from business, social media, politics, technology, the sciences, any field. Now ask yourself why you admire them. The chances are high that your admiration is based on more than their accomplishments, impressive as those may be. I’ll bet that everyone on your list reaches you on an emotional level.

English: Robert Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This ability to reach people in a way that transcends the intellectual and rational is the mark of a great leader. They all have it. They inspire us. It’s a simple as that. And when we’re inspired we tap into our best selves and deliver amazing work.

So, can this ability to touch and inspire people be learned? No and yes. The truth is that not everyone can lead, and there is no substitute for natural talent. Honestly, I’m more convinced of this now – I’m in reality about the world of work and employee engagement. But for those who fall somewhat short of being a natural born star (which is pretty much MANY of us), leadership skills can be acquired, honed and perfected.

Let’s Take A Look At Tools That Allow For Talent To Shine:

 

Emotional intelligence. Great leaders understand empathy, and have the ability to read people’s (sometimes unconscious, often unstated) needs and desires. This allows them to speak to these needs and, when at all possible, to fulfill them. When people feel they are understood and empathized something, they respond PERIOD and a bond is formed.

Continuous learning. Show me a know-it-all and I’ll show you someone who doesn’t have a clue about being human. Curiosity and an insatiable desire to always do better is the mark of a great leader. They are rarely satisfied with the status quo, and welcome new knowledge and fresh (even if challenging) input. It’s all about investing in yourself.

Contextualize. Great leaders respond to each challenge with a fresh eye. They know that what worked in one situation may be useless in another. Before you act, make sure you understand the specifics of the situation and tailor your actions accordingly.

Let Go. Too many people think leadership is about control. In fact, great leaders inspire and then get out of the way. They know that talented people don’t need or want hovering managers. Leadership is about influence, guidance, and support, not control. Look for ways to do your job and then get out of the way so that people can do theirs.

Honesty.  Not a week goes by that we don’t hear about a so-called leader losing credibility because he or she was dishonest. Often this is because of pressure to try and “measure up” and it’s not coming from a place of being real – often this relates to fear of not being accepted for your true self. We live in age of extraordinary transparency, which is reason enough to always be true to your core – your mission will be revealed, your motivations will show by your behaviors. But it goes way beyond this. It’s an issue that sets an example and elevates an organization. If you have a reputation for honesty, it will be a lot easier to deliver bad news and face tough challenges.  

Are you inspiring people from your heart? 
Kindness and respect. Nice leaders (people) don’t finish last. They finish first again and again. Ignorance and arrogance are leadership killers. They’re also a mark of insecurity. Treating everyone with a basic level respect is an absolute must trait of leadership. And kindness is the gift that keeps on giving back. Of course, there will be people who prove they don’t deserve respect and they must be dealt with. But that job will be made much easier, and will have far less impact on your organization, if you have a reputation for kindness, honesty and respect.

Collaboration. People’s jobs and careers are integral to their lives. The more your organization can make them a partner, the more they will deliver amazing results. This means, to the greatest extent possible, communicating your organization’s strategies, goals and challenges. This builds buy-in, and again is a mark of respect. People won’t be blindsided (which is a workplace culture killer) by setbacks if they’re in the loop.

Partner with your people. As I said above, people’s careers are a big part of their lives. That seems like a no-brainer, but leaders should have it front and center at all times. Find out what your employees’ career goals are and then do everything you can to help them reach them. Even if it means they will eventually leave your organization. You will gain happy, productive employees who will work with passion and commitment, and tout your company far and wide. This an opportunity to brand your greatness.

Leadership is both an art and a science. These tools are guidelines, not rigid rules. Everyone has to develop his or her own individual leadership style. Make these tools a part of your arsenal and use them well as you strive to reach people on an emotional level. Be Human. This Matters.