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Sony girds for US tariffs after record annual net profit

The entertainment and electronics giant said takings had been strong in the gaming, music and image sensor sectors in the year to the end of March 2025.

But US President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade levies have made the business environment less predictable, including for global conglomerates such as Sony Group.

“We currently expect to be able to manage the impact on the profitability to approximately 100 billion yen ($680 million), or less than 10 percent of the operating income forecast,” the company said.

The firm’s PlayStation 5 console production was “not in a tight spot” despite the tariffs, but Sony was monitoring Trump’s plan for a 100 percent tariff on films produced outside the United States, said president and chief executive officer Hiroki Totoki.

“Movies are shot at various locations depending on their storylines. That’s the general practice,” he told a news conference.

“Decisions to work outside the United States are made because of the soaring cost of Hollywood.”

Sony logged a record net profit of 1.14 trillion yen ($7.7 billion) for the 2024-25 financial year but said it expected that to fall 13 percent to 930 billion yen in the current financial year.

The forecast does not include its financial services sector, which the firm said it will partially spin off in the next 12 months.

Sony said Wednesday the decision to spin-off would allow it to “focus on a business portfolio centred around creation” — in particular its entertainment ventures and image sensors, which are used in smartphone cameras.

PS5 price hikes

The company had hiked its annual forecasts in February, following robust sales of games, music and other products in the year-end holiday shopping season.

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