Hewlett-Packard says its imaging and printing division helped it to stay in the black for the fourth quarter.

Sales were down 18% to 7.6bn ($11bn) with net earnings down 89% to 67m, an improvement over Q3.

The group highlighted its entry into high-end commercial print; this year it launched the Indigo-based HP 6600 (pictured) and A3-plus DesignJet 10, 20 and 50 proofers. HP claimed it had maintained or gained market share in all print hardware markets. Ink-jet revenues fell 35%.

As a thankyou to staff, many of whom took pay cuts this year, it awarded a cash bonus equivalent to two days salary.