Sony and Sharp have forged an alliance to help them meet the growing demand for liquid crystal display televisions.
Sony is to take a one-third stake in Sharp’s $3.5bn (£1.8bn) LCD panel factory, which is due to be completed in March 2010. Sony does not currently make the LCD panels for its flat-screen televisions, relying instead on a joint venture with South Korea’s Samsung.
Sony and Samsung branded televisions are competing for the number one spot in LCD sales, with Sharp trailing behind them. Global sales of LCD televisions are expected to double to 155 million units by 2012, according to the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Association.
In the meanwhile, Sony has cut its profit forecast by about 9% - saying falling stock markets have dented its investments while the strong yen is hitting overseas sales. It also warned the US economic slowdown could hit its sales in that market. The Japanese firm said it expected to make about 410bn yen (£305m; $608bn) in the year to March, down from its earlier prediction of 450bn yen. But in more upbeat news, Sony added that Playstation 3 sales had helped its video games arm to reach profitability.
But Sony’s games division made its first profit in two years after it cut costs and boosted demand by lowering prices. Sony said there had also been strong demand for its digital cameras and Vaio personal computers during the Christmas period. “The game division turning into the black is a positive,” said Norinchukin Zenkyoren Asset Management senior fund manager, Takeshi Osawa.

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