Last Updated on 08/26/2020 by Mark Beckenbach
This major role reversal in the stock market be a sign of things to come in the future
Canon has been king when it comes to the photography world for some time now. However, it appears things might be changing. In what can only be called a shock, Fujifilm stocks surged above Canon on the market yesterday. In doing so, Fujifilm left Canon and a string of other camera and optical manufacturers in their dust. The markets are all kinds of crazy right now, but a more diverse portfolio from Fujifilm could mean larger profits, which in turn, could lead to bigger, better things in the future from them. Let’s discuss after the break.
While we are not usually ones to speculate regarding the stock markets, this jump from Fujifilm is notable. A big part of this jump in their stock is likely due to their involvement in medical fields. Still, we all know that both medical fields and optical and imaging fields often go together.
As you can see in the image above, the jump over Canon is pretty significant. While it’s not listed here, the value of the companies has shifted too. Fujifilm has a value of 18.79 billion, while Canon’s value has dropped to 18.18 billion. This, from what we have been told, might be the first time Fujifilm’s worth has been greater than Canon’s. That, in itself, is a significant milestone for the company.
We’re not really surprised here. Besides the medical division, the Instax Division has always done well. If you include it with Fujifilm’s sales, they’re probably a bigger company than Canon. That could make them the #1 seller of photographic tools.
What Does the Future Hold for Fujifilm?
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, though. As stated above, the reason for this jump in valuation is probably due to Fujifilm playing a part in finding a COVID-19 vaccine. Their involvement in medical imaging is also a factor. When it comes to camera sales, according to Nikkei, Canon still reigns supreme with 45.4% of the market. Fujifilm covers just 4.7%. Sony holds 20.2%, and Panasonic claims 4.7%.
This massive jump in stock prices, though, can only mean good things for the future of Fujifilm. We all know how business works. More money in the coffers means more money can be pushed into research and development. More R&D leads to new technologies and goodies for us to play with down the line. Okay, it’s not quite that simple, but you get the gist. Here’s what we do know, though.
Fujifilm has carved out a niche market for itself with its fantastic APS-C and Medium Format cameras. More people are starting to take note of their APS-C cameras’ excellent performance compared to Full-Frame cameras. They have great value cameras like the GFX 50R and GFX 100. It’s just a matter of time before Fujifilm’s market share grows.
With other companies focus more on entry-level Full-Frame cameras instead of crop sensors, Fujifilm might corner the APS-C market along with Pentax. Pentax cameras are great, but even still, Fujifilm doesn’t have to worry about their less than 1% share of the market. When it comes to Medium Format, Fujifilm is pretty much out there on its own with the low price points. It’s easy to see that the future is bright for Fujifilm. What do you think the future has in store for Fujifilm? Let us know in the comment section below.
