This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29233644

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Japan's Sony widens its full year loss forecast by $1.7bn Sony predicts increased losses due to struggling mobile business
(about 2 hours later)
Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony has said it expects to record much bigger losses because of its struggling mobile business. Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony has unexpectedly said its annual loss may be more than four times bigger than initially forecast.
For the full year to March 2015, Sony now expects a full year loss of 230bn yen ($2.15bn; £1.3bn) compared with a previous estimate of 50bn yen. The firm now expects a full-year loss of 230bn yen ($2.15bn; £1.3bn) compared with a previous estimate of 50bn yen.
The firm has cut forecasts for sales in its smartphone business as it faces competition from Apple and Samsung. This was attributed to its struggling mobile business, which has been losing money due to competition from global rivals such as Apple and Samsung.
Sony has been reorganising its business in recent years. Sony also said it would not pay a year-end dividend for the first time.
The company said in a statement its latest plan had been "modified to address the significant change in the market and competitive environment of the mobile business." In a statement, Sony said its latest plan had been "modified to address the significant change in the market and competitive environment of the mobile business."
Under chief executive Kazuo Hirai - who took charge in 2012 - Sony has sold off parts of the business deemed not central to the company's operations, in an attempt to return to profitability. That included the sale of its US headquarters building in New York, for more than $1bn, and the "Sony City Osaki" premises in Tokyo. This is the sixth profit warning from the company, which made the announcement after Japanese stock markets had closed.
And in its search for new revenues, earlier this month the company unveiled a new range of smartwatches and launched a smartphone that will allow gamers to integrate the device with its PS4 playstation console. Analysts say that while the company faces a hard time returning its smartphone division to profit, it is not impossible.
"They are not the only smartphone vendors to be under a lot pressure," Rachel Lashford from consultancy Canalys said.
"With the right restructuring and focus on products, at the right prices, it is absolutely possible for vendors to move forward."
Ms Lashford said both South Korea's LG and Taiwan's HTC have seen their smartphone divisions return to profit after several straight quarterly losses.
Major restructuring
Sony has been losing money for the past few years and has undertaken a major restructuring to try and stem the losses.
Once an investor darling, Sony has also seen its credit rating reduced to junk due to its poor financial performance.
Under chief executive Kazuo Hirai - who took charge in 2012 - Sony sold off parts of the business deemed not central to the company's operations, including its personal computer business
It also sold its US office building in New York for more than $1bn, and the "Sony City Osaki" premises in Tokyo, which had been its headquarters for six decades.
In addition, Sony culled 5,000 jobs from its computer and hard-hit television unit, which Mr Hirai has so far refused to sell because it is considered a core business.
Sony's high-end Xperia smartphones have seen poor sales in China and the US because of local competition and limited distribution.
In its search for new revenues, the company recently unveiled a new range of smartwatches and launched a smartphone that will allow gamers to integrate the device with its PS4 playstation console.