TROUBLED electronics company Sony is set to make its fourth consecutive annual loss – the worst run in its 54 years as a listed firm – as the group yesterday upped its loss forecast from ¥90bn (£750m) to ¥220bn.
Sony also slashed its previous operating income forecast of ¥20bn to a ¥95bn loss.
The third quarter – usually lifted by the Christmas season – brought losses of ¥91.7bn, down from a ¥137.5bn profit in the same period last year.
Sony saw sales drop over 17 per cent to ¥1.8 trillion, blaming the exceptionally strong yen, the earthquake in Japan, flooding in Thailand and the state of the economy.
It also mentioned the ¥63.4bn one-off charge incurred from exiting its flat-screen TV partnership with Samsung.
The grim news follows Wednesday’s announcement that executive vice president Kazuo Hirai (pictured) will take over as chief executive from Sir Howard Stringer in April.
Despite its struggling TV division, which could lose up to ¥230bn this year, Hirai told journalists the company would maintain its aim to sell 20m TV sets this year.
But the firm cut forecasts of digital camera sales from 23m to 21m and PlayStation3 consoles to 14m.
Sony said it aims to halve losses on its TVs next year and collect operating profit of ¥200bn.
