Sony Group posted a 22% increase in operating income for its fiscal third quarter, raising its full-year guidance on the back of asset gains and stronger performance in music, semiconductors, and gaming services. However, Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) saw revenue and profit drop sharply due to difficult comparisons against the prior year’s blockbuster-driven quarter.
Sony Group reported total revenue of ¥3.713 trillion ($24.1 billion) for the quarter ending December 31, 2025, up 1% year over year. Operating income rose 22% to ¥515 billion ($3.3 billion), supported by a ¥43.9 billion land transfer gain related to the Sony Life Insurance spin-off. Net income increased 11% to ¥377.3 billion ($2.5 billion). The company raised its full-year operating profit forecast to ¥1.54 trillion, up 8%, and also lifted its revenue outlook by 3% to ¥12.3 trillion.
Sony Pictures reported revenue of $2.32 billion in the quarter, a decline of 11%. Operating income fell 9% to $197 million. The drop came as expected due to a tough comparison with the previous year, when “Venom: The Last Dance” delivered $478 million at the global box office. This year’s theatrical slate included five titles: Soul On Fire, Chainsaw Man The Movie Reze Arc, Nuremberg, SISU Road to Revenge, and Anaconda, but none matched the scale of the prior year’s hit.
The television production segment also declined, with revenue down 10% to $718 million. Notable titles included Doc and Universal Basic Guys for Fox, and Outlander Blood of My Blood for Starz. Broadcast mainstays like Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, and Shark Tank continued to contribute, but were not enough to offset the year-over-year decline.
Media networks was a relative bright spot for SPE. Revenue rose 10% to $775 million. The company closed 2025 with 38 television channels and a global subscriber base of 535.2 million.
Sony’s PlayStation division reported a 4% dip in revenue to $10.5 billion. Operating income, however, increased 19% to $91 million. Growth was driven by favorable foreign exchange rates, stronger sales of first-party game titles, and increased contributions from network services. Monthly active users on the PlayStation Network reached a record 132 million, up from 129 million the year before.
Sony Music posted strong results. Revenue increased 13% to $3.5 billion and operating income rose 9% to $690 million. Streaming revenue grew 5% in recorded music and 13% in music publishing on a U.S. dollar basis. Top-performing artists during the quarter included Rosalia, Tyler, The Creator, Tate McRae, SZA, Bad Bunny, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Depeche Mode.
The Imaging & Sensing Solutions segment saw revenue climb 21% to $3.9 billion, driven by demand for image sensors in mobile devices. Operating income grew 35% to $857 million.
The Entertainment, Technology & Services segment recorded a 7% revenue decline to $4.3 billion, mainly due to lower display unit sales. Operating income dropped 23% to $39 million.
The quarter also marked a leadership transition. CEO Kenichiro Yoshida will step down on April 1. Current president Hiroki Totoki will take over as CEO, while Yoshida will become executive chairman.
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