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 July 2006
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/ Nobuyuki Oneda
(Signature)
Nobuyuki Oneda
Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer
Date: July 13, 2006
List of materials
Documents attached hereto:
i) A Press release announcing - Sony Ericsson Q2 Results
Sony Corporation Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
6-7-35, Kitashinagawa SE-164 83 Stockholm
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, 141-0001 Japan Sweden
PRESS RELEASE July 13, 2006
Sony Ericsson More than Doubles Year-on-Year Income Before Taxes
Q2 Highlights:
- Continued sales & volume growth
- Positive momentum generates market share gain
- Success of Walkman(R) phones continues
- Launch of first Cyber-shotTM phone
The consolidated financial summary for Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB
(Sony Ericsson) for the second quarter ended June 30, 2006 is as follows:
Q2 2005 Q1 2006 Q2 2006
Numbers of units shipped (million) 11.8 13.3 15.7
Sales (EURO m.) 1,614 1,992 2,272
Income before taxes (EURO m.) 87 151 211
Net income (EURO m.) 75 109 143
Units shipped in the quarter reached 15.7 million, a 33% increase compared to
the same period last year, and generated an increase in market share both on a
year-on-year and sequential basis. Sales for the quarter were Euro 2,272
million, representing a year-on-year increase of 41%. Income before taxes was
Euro 211 million representing a year-on-year increase of 143%. Net income was
Euro 143 million.
Sony Ericsson continued the momentum of the first quarter by shipping three new
Walkman(R) branded phones, the W300, W700 and W42S as well as announcing two new
stylish Walkman models: the W850, a tri-band/UMTS slider phone, and the
quad-band EDGE W710, the first sports Walkman(R) with pedometer and jogging
applications. The quad-band EDGE W810 Walkman(R) phone, a follow-up to the
popular W800, became a big success during the quarter and continued to build the
company's position as a leader in mobile music. This was further enhanced by the
shipment of the W42S for KDDI, the first Walkman(R) branded phone for the
Japanese market.
Following the successful introduction of the Walkman(R) brand to the mobile
phone market last year, the company started shipping the K800, Sony Ericsson's
first Cyber-shot TM branded 3.2 Megapixel camera phone, bringing an instantly
recognisable Sony camera brand to its high-tier imaging products. In Japan, Sony
Ericsson increased its line up of FOMA TM phones for NTT DoCoMo to three, with
the shipment of the SO702i and SO902iWP+.
"The second quarter has seen Sony Ericsson both announce and start to ship a
wide variety of products confirming the company's ability to compete, capture
market share and profitably grow the business. With a product line-up that
includes a broad range of both basic and feature phones, Sony Ericsson is now in
a position to broaden its customer base in all market regions and customer
segments," said Miles Flint, President of Sony Ericsson.
R&D investment continued to increase to support further expansion of the
portfolio in 2007 and marketing expenditure also increased as new products, such
as the K610, K800 and the eagerly awaited M600 Symbian OS messaging phone
entered the market towards the end of the quarter. Average Selling Price (ASP)
declined slightly sequentially, due to a greater proportion of low-priced
models, such as the J100, J220 and J230 shipping in volume.
Growth in the global handset market continued to outpace expectations, and Sony
Ericsson now forecasts the global market outlook for 2006 to be above 950
million units, up from the previous estimate of "above 900 million units".
FOMA is a trademark of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries.
NTT DoCoMo's FOMA service is only available to subscribers in Japan.
WALKMAN(R) and Cyber-shot TM are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony
Corporation.
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications serves the global communications market with
innovative and feature-rich mobile phones, accessories, and PC-cards.
Established as a joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in 2001, with global
corporate functions located in London, the company employs approximately 6,000
people worldwide, including R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China and America. Sony
Ericsson is the global title sponsor of the Women's Tennis Association, and
works with the Association to promote the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in over 80
cities during the year. For more information on Sony Ericsson, please visit
www.SonyEricsson.com
CONTACTS:
Investors/Analysts
Ericsson Investor Relations
Gary Pinkham (Stockholm) +46 8 719 0858
Sony Investor Relations
Takao Yuhara (Tokyo) +81 3 5448 2180
Chris Hohman (London) +44 20 7444 9711
Press/Media
Ericsson External Relations
Ase Lindskog (Stockholm) +46 8 719 9725
Sony Corporate Communications
Koji Kurata (Tokyo) +81 3 5448 2200
Sony Ericsson Corporate Communications
Aldo Liguori (London) +44 208 762 5860
Merran Wrigley (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.