Toshiba reported a net profit of 4.04 billion yen (35.29 million dollars) for the three months to June against a loss of 8.92 billion yen a year earlier.

It was the first positive result for Toshiba for a fiscal first quarter since the group started reporting quarterly results in late 2001.

The company made an operating profit of 20.8 billion yen after a year-earlier loss of 1.9 billion as revenue increased 11.9 percent to 1.45 trillion yen, the company said in a statement.

The core electronics devices division, as well as the digital home appliances and infrastructure system segments all contributed to the earnings turnaround.

"As all segments registered much improved profitability, we managed to post a profit in the first quarter," corporate executive vice president Fumio Muraoka told a press conference.

"In particular, strong sales growth outside Japan drove the (results)," he added.

Overseas sales now account for 50 percent of overall revenue, up from 45 percent a year earlier, the company said.

The earnings turnaround came despite a fall in prices of Toshiba's products, which the company managed to offset with increased sales, tight procurement controls and advances in production, Muraoka said.

Toshiba left its full-year forecasts unchanged at net profit of 90 billion yen, up 15 percent, on revenue of 6.6 trillion, up 4.1 percent.