Sony Raises Sales Guidance, Quarterly Profit Surpasses Expectations on Gaming Strength
Sony raised its sales forecast for the fiscal year on Thursday after posting strong quarterly results, particularly driven by its gaming division. The Japanese tech giant exceeded analyst expectations for operating profit in the September quarter, with a 73% year-over-year increase.
For the quarter, Sony reported:
- Revenue: ¥2.97 trillion ($19.4 billion), a 9% increase compared to last year but slightly below the expected ¥3.03 trillion.
- Operating Profit: ¥445.1 billion ($2.91 billion), a 73% jump from the previous year, exceeding the expected ¥336.07 billion.
As a result, Sony raised its fiscal year 2025 revenue target to ¥12.7 trillion from the previous ¥12.6 trillion. The company maintained its operating profit forecast of ¥1.3 trillion, in line with earlier expectations.
Sony’s gaming and network services division, home to the PlayStation brand, was a key contributor to the positive results. The division’s revenue reached ¥1 trillion, up 11% from the previous year, buoyed by digital game sales and the PlayStation Plus subscription service. Despite a weak console market, which impacted hardware shipments, Sony’s software sales saw significant growth. The company sold 3.8 million PlayStation 5 units in the quarter, a 22% decline from the previous year, but game software sales rose by 28% to ¥612.3 billion.
One highlight in the gaming sector was the success of Astro Bot, which sold 1.5 million units in its first two months. Additionally, Sony recently launched the PlayStation 5 Pro, promising upgraded graphics and artificial intelligence features, sparking optimism for a resurgence in hardware sales, especially with the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto VI.
