Form 6-K
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of October, 2004
Commission File Number: 001-06439
SONY CORPORATION
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
7-35 KITASHINAGAWA 6-CHOME, SHINAGAWA-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN
(Address of principal executive offices)
The registrant files annual reports under cover of Form 20-F.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F,
Form 20-F X Form 40-F __
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Yes_ No X
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):82-______
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
SONY CORPORATION
(Registrant)
By:__ /s/ Katsumi Ihara
(Signature)
Katsumi Ihara
Executive Deputy President,
Group Chief Strategy Officer
and Chief Financial Officer
Date: October 15, 2004
List of materials
Documents attached hereto:
i) A press release announcing Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (the 50:50
joint venture of Sony and Ericsson) consolidated financial summary for the
third quarter ended September 30, 2004
Sony Corporation Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
6-7-35, Kitashinagawa SE-126 25 Stockholm
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 141-0001 Japan Sweden
October 14, 2004
Sony Ericsson reports continued growth in sales and profit
Tokyo and Stockholm -- Sony and Ericsson today announced the consolidated
financial summary for the third quarter ended September 30, 2004 of Sony
Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Ericsson), the 50:50 joint venture of
Sony and Ericsson.
Units shipped in the quarter reached 10.7 million, a 51% increase compared to
the same period last year. Sales for the quarter were Euro 1,678 million,
representing a year-on-year increase of 29%. Income before taxes was Euro 136
million and net income was Euro 90 million, which represent year-on-year
improvements of Euro 97 million (249%) and Euro 28 million (45%) respectively.
The company maintained its momentum from the first half of the year, generating
profitable growth. Sony Ericsson's Average Selling Price (ASP) increased
sequentially in line with company expectations due to new mid and high-end
Japanese and GSM products beginning to ship.
"Sony Ericsson has enhanced its portfolio during the quarter with the launch of
exciting products. Over 60% of phones sold during the quarter featured
integrated cameras which illustrates our position as a market leader in mobile
imaging," said Miles Flint, President of Sony Ericsson. "The quarter has seen us
shipping a number of new products such as our first GSM megapixel camera phone,
the S700, the new P910 smartphone and the youth orientated K500 series. In
addition we also announced together with Vodafone the V800, our second 3G UMTS
handset."
In Japan the company launched the mova(R) SO506iC for NTT DoCoMo, Sony
Ericsson's first handset with i-mode(R) FeliCa Service for mobile wallet
applications(1) and the W21S, a 3G CDMA 1x EV-DO phone for KDDI.
Q3 2003 Q2 2004 Q3 2004
Numbers of units shipped (million) 7.1 10.4 10.7
Sales (EURO m.) 1305 1504 1678
Income before taxes (EURO m.) 39 113 136
Net income (EURO m.) 62 89 90
** Q2 & Q3 2004 IBT includes consolidation of BMC and Net Income includes
deduction of minority interest in BMC(2)
--------------------------
(1) In July 2004, NTT DoCoMo. Inc. started the i-mode FeliCa Service in Japan,
which enables mobile phones to function as a mobile wallet for electronic
payment or as an electronic membership card using the "FeliCa" contactless IC
chips embedded in the phone. FeliCa is a contactless IC chip technology
developed by Sony Corporation and the registered trademark of Sony Corporation.
i-mode and mova are registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo. Inc. in Japan.
(2) On June 30 2004, Sony Ericsson announced it had increased its equity stake
in a Chinese factory, Beijing Ericsson Putian Mobile Communications Co. Ltd.
(BMC) to 51%, taking over majority ownership of the facility from Ericsson. BMC
operations have been fully consolidated into Sony Ericsson in the second and
third quarter which had a positive effect on the company results. The name of
the factory has been changed to Beijing SE Putian Mobile Communications Co. Ltd
(BMC).
Note:
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB serves the global communications market
with innovative and feature-rich mobile phones, accessories, PC-cards and M2M
solutions. Established as a joint venture by Ericsson and Sony in 2001, with
headquarters in London, the company employs approximately 5,000 people
worldwide, including R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China and America. For more
information, please visit www.SonyEricsson.com
CONTACTS:
Investors/Analysts
Ericsson Investor Relations
Gary Pinkham, Vice President (Sweden) +46 8 719 0000
Sony Investor Relations
Yukio Ozawa, Vice President (Tokyo) +81 3 5448 2180
Chris Hohman, Senior Manager (London) +44 20 7444 9711
Press/Media
Ericsson External Relations
Pia Gideon, Vice President (Sweden) +46 8 719 2864
Sony Corporate Communications
Gerald Cavanagh (Tokyo) +81 3 5448 2200
Keita Sanekata (Tokyo) +81 3 5448 2200
Sony Ericsson Corporate Communications
Aldo Liguori, Corporate Vice President (London) +44 208 762 5860
Peter Bodor, Manager, (London) +44 208 762 5863
Merran Wrigley, Manager (London) +44 208 762 5862
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve inherent
risks and uncertainties. We have identified certain important factors that may
cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in such
forward-looking statements. For a detailed description of risk factors see
Sony's and Ericsson's filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission,
particularly each company's latest published Annual Report on Form 20-F.