Sony Corp yesterday posted a 33.5 percent jump in quarterly profit as sales improved in its PlayStation 4 (PS4) video game business.
Tokyo-based Sony kept its full-year profit projection unchanged at ￥140 billion (US$1.2 billion), which would be a reversal from red ink in the previous fiscal year.
Sony recorded a ￥120 billion October-December profit. Sales for the fiscal third quarter edged up 0.5 percent to ￥2.58 trillion.
Photo: EPA
Sony, which also makes Bravia TVs and Xperia mobile phones, has been undergoing a marathon restructuring to focus on more profitable operations.
The company’s sales were still struggling in image sensors and mobile communications, but it received a lift from better sales of PS4 game software as well as the machines.
The Japanese electronics and entertainment conglomerate, which also has a music division, benefited from the strong theatrical performances of the films Spectre and Hotel Transylvania 2.
Sales in its music business improved with the release of Adele’s new album 25. One Direction’s Made in the A.M. was also a strong seller.
The results appeared to show that Sony was gradually getting its restructuring under control, after selling some assets, such as its Vaio personal computer business and its stake in Japanese game maker Square Enix.
However, its once strong brand image has lost much of its luster in the face of competition from Apple Inc in digital music players and smartphones, as well as Samsung Electronics Co of South Korea in TVs.
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