Top Brands & Products Make Sony a Buy

Article Excerpt

SONY CORP. ADRs $20 (New York symbol SNE; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Manufacturing & Industry sector; ADRs outstanding: 1.0 billion; Market cap: $20.0 billion; WSSF Rating: Above average) is one of the world’s leading makers of consumer electronics. Top brands include Bravia (TV sets) and Vaio (computers). This business accounts for 67% of its revenue. The company’s other businesses include PlayStation video games (14% of revenue), motion picture and TV programming through Columbia Pictures (10%), financial services (6%) and other (3%). Sony has restructured its operations in past few years, mainly to take advantage of growing consumer demand for high-definition, flat-screen TV sets. Sales fell from $72.1 billion in 2003 to $63.9 billion in 2005 (fiscal years end March 31), as the company phased out its older products. However, new products helped push sales up to $89.3 billion in 2008. Cost cuts spur big earnings jump Besides launching new products, the company also aggressively cut its operating costs. Earnings rose from $0.89 per ADR…