Sony Expects $3 Billion Annual Loss
Sony today warned that it could post an annual operating loss of nearly $3 billion. The company blames the loss on the increasingly weak global economy and announced that it would be going ahead with restructuring and lay offs.
The news about restructuring and cutbacks in staff isn’t really a surprise. Last month Sony announced that it would be cutting as much as 8,000 jobs as well as reducing planned investments as a direct result of the current economic state and the strength of the Japanese currency. Despite the fact that Sony has cut 4,000 jobs abroad and 5,000 in Japan since 2003 (resulting in savings of around 83 billion yen per year), speculation following the announcement suggested that Sony would have to make further cuts and reductions.
The New York Times reports that the company projects an operating loss of approximately $2.9 billion, which represents a deterioration of 60 billion yen from the October forecast.
“The massive economic upheaval being experienced across the world is sparing no one in the consumer electronics world,” the Sony chief executive, Howard Stringer, said at a Tokyo news conference, according to the Times. This is a far cry from Stringer’s optimistic keynote at CES where he talked at length about innovation and the future.
The Times reports that the company said it expected to book restructuring charges of 60 billion yen this year and 110 billion yen next year as well as cutting 250 billion yen in costs next year. Sony executives said the top three managers would forgo their bonuses this year and other senior execs and managers would see reduced bonuses.
Check out the full story with all the numbers over on the New York Times.
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Jane McEntegart is a writer, editor, and marketing communications professional with 17 years of experience in the technology industry. She has written about a wide range of technology topics, including smartphones, tablets, and game consoles. Her articles have been published in Tom's Guide, Tom's Hardware, MobileSyrup, and Edge Up.
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TheViper That's what happens when you make such narrow margin products. You can't be a global conglomerate and sustain yourself for long on 1% margins. 1 recession is all it takes. 1 exchange rate swap is all it takes.Reply
Sony just got hit with both. Toss in serious competition from all angles and you have the makings of a downfall. -
sacre See, the only sad thing I see about this is that 8000 men and women will be going home jobless... Imagine what they're going through. The company will still pull in millions and millions, i could care less about them.Reply
Man, All these companies laying off people.. then they tell us to spend more to save the economy.. I see failed logic in there. -
Antilogic81 Sacre...it's not failed logic at all...I would explain but I think I'll just say jfgi.Reply -
zodiacfml it's not as simple as that,Reply
though, it is those who have deep pockets that should spend more. they're too afraid bring out their own money.
sacre All these companies laying off people.. then they tell us to spend more to save the economy.. I see failed logic in there. -
sacre Antilogic81Sacre...it's not failed logic at all...I would explain but I think I'll just say jfgi.Reply
So, because of the economy messing up, we have more people working lower end jobs. Prices are higher when it comes to homes, Jobs are becomming scarce, and then they say "spend more money". what about the lower class people? The people that can barely get by, its a bit of a slap in the face for them. I'm sorry, but when the Government says "spend more money" it just seems like a cheap alternate to a real solution. We can't spend more money because we're losing homes, we're losing jobs, we've got bills to pay. but if we don't spend more then more people will lose jobs.. hmm. -
martel80 ReplyI'm sorry, but when the Government says "spend more money" it just seems like a cheap alternate to a real solution.
Why don't you propose some solution then? Criticizing is so easy.
I'm no economist but what about the government spending uncovered money? This would rise the inflation and motivate people to withdraw their savings and buy something. :)
(just joking, this is not really a good idea)