TOKYO -Driven by sales of personal computers, color televisions, digital and video cameras and DVD-video players, Sony’s fiscal third-quarter sales and operating revenue in the United States climbed 8.6 percent to $5.6 billion. Overall, in the fiscal third quarter ended Dec. 31, Sony’s sales and operating revenue worldwide for electronics jumped 21.3 percent to $13.8 billion.
By CE product category worldwide, Sony’s third-quarter sales and operating revenue for video-the largest category-soared 19.2 percent to $2.8 billion; audio sales decreased 0.5 percent to $2.3 billion; and television sales increased 14.4 percent to $2.2 billion.
Regarding third-quarter profit worldwide, Sony said this primarily was derived from sales of video and digital cameras, color televisions, audio equipment and semiconductors. Compared with the third quarter of last year, the profit performance of PCs and color TVs improved, said Sony.
Total worldwide shipments of PlayStation and PS one hardware were 3.69 million units in the third quarter, compared with 6.61 million units in the year-ago three months, resulting in cumulative shipments of 79.61 million units as of Dec. 31, 2000.
Worldwide shipments of PlayStation2 hardware were 2.88 million units in the third quarter, resulting in cumulative shipments of 6.40 million units as of Dec. 31.
Sales of Sony’s Game segment in the United States increased due to an increase of hardware sales reflecting the introduction of PlayStation2 last October, although software sales decreased.
For the nine months, Sony’s sales in the United States rose 3.2 percent to $15.3 billion. Worldwide electronics sales climbed 14.9 percent to $35.4 billion.
Due to a significant increase in its electronics business, among others, Sony said consolidated sales in the third quarter increased 10.1 percent to $18.4 billion, compared with the third quarter of last year.
Operating income was off 10.8 percent in the three months to $1.3 billion, compared with the year-ago figure, due to the negative impact of the yen’s strength against the euro, partially offset by the positive impact of the yen’s weakness against the U.S. dollar.
Net income dipped 22.8 percent to $628 million, compared with the third quarter in 1999.
For the nine months, Sony’s consolidated sales climbed 6.7 percent to $46.7 billion, compared with the year-ago nine months.
Operating income was off 13 percent to $2.1 billion in the nine months, compared with the year-ago nine months, while net income plunged 97.6 percent to $33 million, compared with the same nine months in 1999.
Looking ahead, Sony’s forecast for sales and operating revenue for the fiscal year ending March 31 remains steady at an 8 percent increase, or $62 billion. The operating income forecast has been increased to 8 percent for the fiscal year, or $2.2 billion, up from a negative 4 percent forecast. The net income forecast has been reduced to a negative 96 percent from a negative 92 percent, or $431 million.
