"Up to this point, the category has not performed to expectations, but manufacturers sense the urgency, and are making sure that they lower prices to the point that Blu-ray players will become irresistible to consumers this holiday season, " said Bruce Tripido, a vice president of marketing at Sharp Electronics Corp.

WSJ: Retailers Slash Blu-Ray Player Prices

Electronics company Sharp Corp.

WSJ: Shades of '80s in Japanese Stock Rally

Among the top 100, notable beneficiaries of leaner and meaner strategies include electronics manufacturers Matsushita Electric (profits up 636% on sales down 4.5%) and Sharp Corp. (No. 54, profits up fivefold on sales up 6.3%).

CNN: Asiaweek.com | Asiaweek 1000 | E-Companies To Watch