KEY POINTS:
Sony, the world's largest maker of video-game players, is expected to report third-quarter profit fell 50 per cent after its flagship PlayStation 3 lost market share to Nintendo's Wii.
Losses from games probably drove net income down to 84.1 billion ($1 billion) in the three months ended December 31, from a record 168.9 billion a year earlier, analysts say.
Sales at Tokyo-based Sony, which reports earnings today, probably rose 9.6 per cent to 3 trillion.
The results may highlight chief executive Howard Stringer's failure to fend off rival Nintendo. Shares of Sony have risen 8.7 per cent in the past six months, trailing the 60 per cent gain by Nintendo and Xbox 360-maker Microsoft's 27 per cent increase.
Sony could exceed its full-year profit target because of a weaker yen, TV sales and growth at its movie unit.
"There's no surprise unless the company further reduces its profit forecasts," said Mitsushige Akino at Tokyo's Ichiyoshi Investment Management.
Sony in October cut this fiscal year's profit forecast to a five-year low of 80 billion.
- BLOOMBERG
