GECs
Sony to expand TV business in India; forex and mobile segment dull Q3-17 numbers
BENGALURU: Sony Corporation’s (Sony) CFO Kenichiro Yoshida said at the investors meet, “In order to expand our businesses outside the US, primarily in India, we are taking various measures to grow including M&A.”
Sony plans to turnaround the Pictures (Film and Television business) Division that incurred a loss of ¥106.8 billion) for the quarter ended 31 December 2016 (Q3-17, current quarter). The loss was because by an impairment loss of goodwill to the extent of ¥112.1 billion (about $962 million at the applicable exchange rates at the time. For Q3-16, the division had reported an operating profit of ¥20.4 billion.
Sony’s Pictures segment reported a 14.1 percent decline in sales and operating revenue from ¥225.2 billion from 262.1 billion due to lower sales of Motion Pictures offset by the higher sales of Television Production business.
As a part of the turnaround, Sony says it will pursue new sales channels and movie merchandising opportunities. The impairment charge resulted from a downward revision in the future profitability projection for the Motion Pictures business within the Pictures segment.
The downward revision of goodwill was primarily due to a lowering of previous expectations regarding the home entertainment business, mainly driven by an acceleration of market decline. Underlying profitability projections of film performance were also reduced, but the adverse impact of that reduction is expected to be largely mitigated by measures that have been identified to improve the profitability of the Motion Pictures business says the company.
Overall, Sony reported a 7.1 percent year-on-year (y-o-y) decline in sales and operating revenue for Q3-17 at ¥2,397.5 billion as compared to ¥2,580.8 billion. The company says that the decline was primarily due to the impact of foreign exchange rates. On a constant currency basis, sales were flat y-o-y due to improved performance by its Games and Network Services (G & NS) division which was partly offset by the poor performance of its Mobile Communications segment.
Net income attributable to Sony’s shareholders’ declined to less than a sixth (declined by 83.7 percent) in the current quarter to ¥19.6 billion from ¥120.1 in the corresponding year ago quarter. The decline was primarily attributable to the impairment loss incurred by its Pictures division.
Sony’s Mobile Communication division reported a massive 35.3 percent y-o-y decline in operating and sales revenue in Q3-17 to ¥248.6 billion from ¥384.5 billion. Operating income declined 12.1 percent y-o-y in the current quarter to ¥21.2 billion from ¥24.1 billion.
The G & NS division reported a 5.2 percent (15 percent on a constant currency basis) y-o-y increase in Q3-17 in sales and operating revenue to ¥617.7 billion from 587.1 billion. Higher sales of PlayStation4 software and PlayStation VR which was launched in October 2016 contributed to the growth. The G & NS division reported 24.5 percent increase in operating income in the current quarter to ¥50 billion from ¥40.2 billion.
Sony’s Imaging Products and Solutions (IP & S) division reported a 9.6 percent y-o-y decline in sales and operating revenue in Q3-17 revenue to ¥167.1 billion from ¥184.8 billion. Operating income of the segment declined 7.5 percent y-o-y in the current quarter to ¥22.1 billon from ¥22.8 billion. The company attributes the declines to forex fluctuations and a change in its product mix for the division.
Home Entertainment and Sound (HE & S) division reported a 12.1 percent y-o-y decline in Q3-17 to ¥353.3 billion from ¥402 billion in sales and operating revenue. The company attributes the declines to forex fluctuations and a decline in home audio and video unit sales due to a contraction of the market.
Operating income of the HE & S division declined 16.7 percent y-o-y in Q3-17 to ¥25.9 billion from ¥31.2 billion.
Sony’s Semiconductors division reported a 16.9 percent y-o-y increase in sales and operating revenues in Q3-17 to ¥233.9 billion from ¥200 billion. The division’s operating income increased 27.6 percent y-o-y in the current quarter to ¥27.2 billion from ¥21.3 billion.
Components division reported 10.3 percent y-o-y decline in Q3-17 in sales and operating revenue at ¥51.4 billion from ¥57.3 billion. Operating loss of the segment in the current quarter reduced to ¥3.7 billion from ¥32.7 billion.
Sony’s Music division reported a 1.8 percent decline in sales and operating revenue in the current quarter to ¥178.5 billion from ¥181.8 billion. The decline was due to the appreciation of the yen against the US dollar and lower Recorded Music sales. Operating income of the segment increased 2.4 percent to ¥28 billion from ¥27.3 billion.
Sony’s Financial Services division reported 0.9 percent y-o-y decline in revenue in Q3-17 to ¥319.1 billon from ¥322 billion. Operating income of the division declined 44.5 percent y-o-y in the current quarter to ¥29 billion from ¥52.2 billion.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
