Sony Confirms Heavy Overall Losses

Electronics giant Sony has posted its highest quarterly loss since 2003, for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2007. Though the company's general performance was in line with projections, Sony still managed to beat analysts' estimates on all fronts.

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Partially confirming this week's expectations from the Japanese analyst community, electronics giant Sony has posted its highest quarterly loss since 2003, for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2007. Though the company's general performance was in line with projections, Sony still managed to beat analysts' estimates on all fronts. Quarterly losses totalled 67.6 billion yen ($US561 million), up only 2% year over year as compared to the 14% estimated increase. Revenues rose 13% year over year to 2.09 trillion yen (US$17.4 billion), beating the 9.5% increase estimate.

Much of the company's current financial shortfall was cited as resulting from high costs and lower than expected sales of PlayStation 3, despite strong performance from the electronics unit and its Bravia television sets, and Sony Pictures with its successful film Spider-Man 3.

Bringing Sony to positive profit margins is a prime goal of CEO Howard Stringer (pictured left), who has set a target of a 5% company-wide margin by March 2008. Stringer is currently managing a Sony in a nearly reversed financial situation than it has seen in the last several years, when the corporation was being largely carried by its successful PlayStation unit despite poorer performance from other divisions. The CEO will face challenges in making PS3 a contributor to his profitability target; many analysts believe that a price drop will be necessary to stimulate necessary sales, but the machine is already being sold significantly under cost.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    May 16, 2007 1:36 PM

    So if I bought a PS3, does that mean I contributed to their profits or their losses?

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      May 16, 2007 1:38 PM

      haha.. i was just wondering the same thing.

    • reply
      May 16, 2007 1:38 PM

      [deleted]

    • reply
      May 16, 2007 1:39 PM

      If you bought it in the beginning, you contributed to their losses.

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      May 16, 2007 1:43 PM

      You helped reduce their losses. A machine costs money to build and ship. It doesn't cost money when you buy it. You buying it (or the store buying it) helps recoup the losses incurred by building it.

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        May 16, 2007 1:44 PM

        (Although as pigvomit noted, it does sort of depend on the accountants. Some calculate figures at point of sale, but Sony reports shipped figures.)

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        May 16, 2007 1:46 PM

        That's true I guess. I still think it's a great piece of hardware, just needs more solid games available for it. I think the ball will start rolling with the release of Assassin's Creed. I can't wait for that game, I just hope they don't fuck it up.

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      May 16, 2007 1:50 PM

      It depends on your long-term value to the company. If you purchased a PS3 and 2 games, then you contributed to their loss. If you buy 10 games over the next three years and a few accessories, then you are boosting their bottom-line.

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        May 16, 2007 8:26 PM

        That's if they are Sony published games and not third party, in which case they get a lot less money from the sales of said games.

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