Analysts Expect Disappointing Q3 Results from Sony

When the company reports its quarterly earning this Thursday, most expect Sony's group operating profit for the third fiscal quarter (ending December 31) to come in at 120-140 billion yen -- a 15-27% decline over last year's Q3 results. Since March, Sony shares have lost about 45% of their value, and the outlook going forward is mixed. In its quest to keep to its PS2 production schedule, the company is being hit with a double whammy: higher operating costs and lower revenue thanks to sluggish game sales. At least there's a silver lining for the company: sales of Sony electronics, such as its digital cameras and Vaio computers, have been good, and will help the company's bottom line.