Business
Sony, Panasonic Brace For Grim Earnings
Sony Corp and rival
Panasonic Corp are set to report a slump in quarterly earnings and may cut full-year forecasts after being hit by yen strength, Thai floods and consumer gloom in Europe during the vital pre-Christmas period.
Both companies saw their debt ratings downgraded by Moody’s Investor Services last week, as their TV divisions continue to bleed red ink despite restructuring efforts.
Sony, which reports on February 2, is expected to barely break even for the normally lucrative October-December quarter. Operating profit is seen shriveling 94 percent to 8.8 billion yen ($114.3 million), based on an average estimate from 6 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
That would be its worst third-quarter performance since the 2008 financial crisis. By contrast, Samsung Electronics posted a record quarterly profit this month on growing smartphone sales.
During the quarter, Europe’s debt crisis battered consumer confidence there while U.S. holiday spending on traditional electronic goods such as TVs and cameras — which Japanese makers are more reliant on — fell, as TV prices slid and as consumers splurged more money on tablets.
Japan’s TV makers have fallen behind their South Korean counterparts, partly hobbled by unfavourable exchange rates and their failure to bite the bullet on necessary investments.
“They have not made the right massive investments in panel manufacturing at the right time. If you do this half-heartedly, it ties your hands and has the opposite of the desired effect,” said Nobuo Kurahashi, an analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities.
Sony said last month it had extricated itself from its liquid-crystal display panel-making venture with Samsung Electronics, allowing it to source cheaper panels from the open market to try to keep pace with declines in TV prices.
That was seen as a necessary step to return its ailing TV business to profit after what is expected to be its eighth straight annual loss in the year to March.
But TV prices continue to slide. A 40-inch flat panel TV cost an average 68,200 yen in Japan in December, down nearly 40 percent from a year earlier, according to research firm BCN.
The maker of everything from PlayStation games consoles to “The Smurfs” movie, Sony has touted its mobile phone business as a way of integrating its online content offerings across devices to better compete with Apple.
But Sony Ericsson posted an unexpected 247 million euro ($322.3 million) loss for the final quarter, underscoring the hurdles Sony faces in smartphones too.
For the full-year to end-March, the market consensus from 19 analysts is for Sony to post an operating profit of just 8 billion yen, below the company’s forecast of 20 billion yen.
Panasonic, which reports on February 3, is expected to see a 41 percent fall in quarterly operating profit to 56.2 billion yen, hurt by losses in its TV division, lower chip earnings and a weak performance from its Sanyo unit.
Analysts expect a full-year operating profit of 124 billion yen, less than the company’s forecast of 130 billion yen, and the firm may cut its guidance for the second time.
The company is already forecasting a 420 billion yen net loss for the year, its worst in a decade, as it hives off overlapping businesses after buying out subsidiaries including Sanyo and accelerates restructuring in its TV division.
The best performer among domestic TV players may well be Sharp Corp, whose move to focus on premium large screen televisions, capitalising on its 10th generation LCD panel plant, may protect it from a slide in profit, some analysts say.
Games maker Nintendo Co Ltd, which kicks off the sector’s earnings announcements tomorrow, is expected to see a 50 percent slide in quarterly profit after slashing the price of its 3DS handheld games gadget to boost sales.
Shares in Sony have fallen by almost half since the beginning of the financial year, while Panasonic has fallen about 40 percent, compared with a decline of 10 percent for the Nikkei.
($1 = 77.1200 Japanese yen) ($1 = 0.7665 euros)
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
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