Sony Group raised its outlook for the current fiscal year ending in March, as the Tokyo-based tech and entertainment company beat expectations with a 22% increase in operating income for the September-December 2025 quarter.
For the three months ended Dec. 31, its third quarter of fiscal 2025, Sony reported total sales of JPY3.713 trillion ($24.1 billion), up a slight 1%, as operating income came in at JPY515.0 billion ($3.3 billion), up 22%. One reason for the higher income was a JPY43.9 billion in realized gains on land transferred by Sony Group to Sony Life Insurance Co. in connection with the latter’s spin-off in the quarter. Net income rose 11% to JPY377.3 billion ($2.5 billion).
The company raised its forecast for full-year fiscal 2025 operating profit to rise to JPY1.54 trillion, up 8% from its previous guidance, and upped its annual revenue projection by 3% to JPY12.3 trillion. Sony maintained its estimated losses from U.S. tariffs at JPY50 billion.
For the December 2025 quarter, Sony Pictures Entertainment posted revenue of JPY353.3 billion ($2.32 billion), down 11%, and operating income was JPY30.9 billion ($197 million), a decrease of 9%. The company said the drop was because the year-earlier period benefited from the contribution of the blockbuster film “Venom: The Last Dance” and licensing revenue from other theatrically released films.
Revenue in Sony’s music segment was JPY542.4 billion ($3.5 billion), up 13%, and operating income was JPY106.4 billion ($690 million), an increase of 9%. The company said streaming revenue year-on-year growth rates on a U.S. dollar basis were +5% for recorded music and +13% for music publishing. The music segment comprises Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Publishing and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan).
Sony’s PlayStation games and network services segment saw revenue of JPY1.613 trillion ($10.5 billion), down 4% compared with the year-earlier quarter. The segment’s operating income rose 19% to JPY140.8 billion ($91 million), which the company attributed to the positive impact of foreign exchange rates, increase in sales from networks services and higher sales of first-party games titles. Gaming user engagement trended well in the period, with monthly active users in December 2025 reaching a record 132 million accounts and total gameplay hours increasing year-on-year.
The company’s Entertainment, Technology & Services Segment (ET&S Segment) saw revenue fall 7% in the December quarter, to JPY658.1 billion ($4.3 billion), driven by a decrease in unit sales of displays. Segment operating income dropped 23% to JPY59.4 billion ($39 million).
Sony’s Imaging & Sensing Solutions Segment sales increased 21% to JPY604.3 billion ($3.9 billion) on higher sales of image sensors for mobile products, and operating income kicked up 35% to JPY132.0 billion ($857 million).
The U.S. dollar figures are calculated based on an average rate of $1 to 154.0 yen.
As previously announced, Kenichiro Yoshida will retire as CEO of Sony Group as of April 1, and will become executive chairman. Current president Hiroki Totoki is assuming the role of of CEO.
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