Toshiba Corp. is still evaluating how its decision to pull out of the HD DVD business will affect its earnings, the company said Thursday.

"When we have determined if a revision to our earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending in March is necessary we will release it as soon as possible," the Japanese electronics maker said in a statement.

The major business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported Thursday that Toshiba expects to rack up a loss of ¥50 billion in discontinuing its next-generation DVD business.

Total HD DVD losses could reach as high as ¥100 billion for the business year ending March 31, the daily said in an unsourced story.

The report prompted traders to sell the company's shares amid a broad drop on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Toshiba's stock was down 3.81 percent at ¥706 in late Thursday afternoon trading.

Toshiba announced in February that it will no longer develop, make or market HD DVD players and recorders, handing a victory to Sony Corp.'s rival Blu-ray disc technology in the format battle for next-generation video.

Despite being a possible blow to Toshiba's pride, analysts have said they expect the exit to lessen the potential damage in losses from HD DVD operations.

Goldman Sachs has said pulling out would improve Toshiba's profitability between ¥40 billion and ¥50 billion a year.

HD DVD supporters included Microsoft Corp., Intel Corp. and Japanese electronics maker NEC Corp.