TOKYO, Oct 31 — Japan's Sony Corp lifted its full-year operating income forecast today, expecting to book its highest-ever profit due to strong sales of image sensors used in smartphones and other devices.
The electronics firm forecast profit of ¥630 billion (RM23.5 billion) for the year ending March, from ¥500 billion estimated three months ago.
Meeting the new forecast would mean Sony exceeding its previous record of ¥526 billion set in the year ended March 1998, when strong sales of consumer electronics including its first PlayStation games console coincided with its box-office hit Men in Black.
The new outlook compared with a Thomson Reuters Starmine SmartEstimate of ¥585.81 billion drawn from the views of 26 analysts.
Sony also said profit for July-September jumped to ¥204.2 billion from ¥45.7 billion a year earlier. The result is higher than the ¥140.49 billion average estimate of 11 analysts. — Reuters
