By Abhirup Roy
(Reuters) - Xerox Corp (N:XRX), best known for its printers and copiers, said it would review its businesses and capital allocation options but was not currently considering a sale of the company.
Xerox also reported its first quarterly net loss since the first quarter of 2010, but profit excluding restructuring costs inched past market expectations.
The company's shares fell 2 percent to $10.13 in early trading.
"One of the things that we are not currently considering is the sale of the company, but all other options will be looked at as we progress through this review," Chief Executive Ursula Burns said on a conference call.
Xerox, like its rivals Lexmark International Inc (N:LXK) and Hewlett-Packard Co (N:HPQ), has been shifting focus to higher-value software and services as corporate customers cut printing costs and consumers shift to mobile devices.
Lexmark also said last week it was exploring strategic options.
"I don't think (Xerox) would cut the dividend, so I expect them to sharply curtail their share repurchases until the company is in better shape financially," said Argus Research analyst Jim Kelleher.
Kelleher said if Xerox was reviewing its technology business, the company might have to sell the unit because another partnership wasn't an option.
Xerox already has a joint venture with Japan's Fujifilm Holdings (T:4901).
Xerox itself has already gone through a bit of restructuring over the past several quarters but the stock is yet to respond to the company's efforts to turn around the 109-year old brand.
Xerox's stock has lost more than a quarter of its value this year.
The company is revamping its government healthcare IT business and said in July it would discontinue sales of a product that can support operations in call centers and document imaging.
Kathryn Mikells, the company's chief financial officer of two-and-a-half years, is also quitting to join Johnnie Walker whisky maker Diageo Plc (L:DGE).
Xerox named Leslie Varon, vice president of investor relations, as the interim CFO and said it would immediately start and external search process.
The company on Monday reported a $34 million quarterly net loss attributable to shareholders, or 4 cents per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30. Excluding items, the company earned 24 cents per share. Revenue fell 9.6 percent to $4.33 billion.
Analysts on average had expected a profit of 23 cents per share and revenue of $4.54 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.