Business Segment Information

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2011

Business Segment Information [Abstract]

Business segment information

28.   Business segment information

The reportable segments presented below are the segments of Sony for which separate financial information is available and for which operating profit or loss amounts are evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The CODM does not evaluate segments using discrete asset information. Sony’s CODM is its Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President.

Sony realigned its reportable segments from the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, to reflect modifications to the organizational structure as of April 1, 2010, primarily repositioning the operations of the previously reported B2B & Disc Manufacturing segment. In connection with this realignment, the Consumer Products & Devices segment was renamed the Consumer, Professional & Devices (“CPD”) segment.

The CPD segment includes televisions, digital imaging, audio and video, semiconductors and components as well as professional solutions (the B2B business which was previously incorporated in the B2B & Disc Manufacturing segment). The equity results of S-LCD are also included within the CPD segment. The Networked Products & Services (“NPS”) segment includes Game as well as PC and Other Networked Businesses. The Pictures segment develops, produces and acquires and manufactures image-based software, including motion picture, home entertainment and television products mainly in the U.S., and markets, distributes and broadcasts these products in the worldwide market. The Music segment includes SME, SMEJ and a 50% owned U.S. based joint venture in the music publishing business, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the Music segment’s operating income includes the equity results for SONY BMG through September 30, 2008. The Financial Services segment primarily represents individual life insurance and non-life insurance businesses in the Japanese market, a credit financing business and a bank business in Japan. The equity earnings from Sony Ericsson continue to be presented as a separate segment. All Other consists of various operating activities, including a mobile phone OEM business in Japan and So-net Entertainment Corporation, an Internet-related service business subsidiary operating mainly in Japan. The disc manufacturing business previously included in the B2B & Disc Manufacturing segment is now included in All Other. Sony’s products and services are generally unique to a single operating segment. In connection with the realignment, all prior period amounts in the segment disclosures have been restated to conform to the current presentation.

Sales and operating revenue:

	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31
	2009			2010			2011
Sales and operating revenue:
Consumer, Professional & Devices —
Customers		3,926,386			3,207,546			3,345,048
Intersegment		431,363			310,573			227,696
Total		4,357,749			3,518,119			3,572,744
Networked Products & Services —
Customers		1,684,758			1,511,575			1,493,136
Intersegment		70,885			61,041			86,195
Total		1,755,643			1,572,616			1,579,331
Pictures —
Customers		717,513			705,237			599,654
Intersegment		—			—			312
Total		717,513			705,237			599,966
Music —
Customers		363,074			511,097			457,771
Intersegment		23,979			11,519			12,972
Total		387,053			522,616			470,743
Financial Services —
Customers		523,307			838,300			798,495
Intersegment		14,899			13,096			8,031
Total		538,206			851,396			806,526
All Other —
Customers		453,603			379,862			377,816
Intersegment		76,523			80,904			70,004
Total		530,126			460,766			447,820
Corporate and elimination		(556,297	)		(416,752	)		(295,857	)
Consolidated total		7,729,993			7,213,998			7,181,273

CPD intersegment amounts primarily consist of transactions with the NPS segment.

NPS intersegment amounts primarily consist of transactions with the CPD segment.

All Other intersegment amounts primarily consist of transactions with the Pictures segment, the Music segment and the NPS segment.

Corporate and elimination includes certain brand and patent royalty income.

Segment profit or loss:

	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31
	2009			2010			2011
Operating income (loss):
Consumer, Professional & Devices		(115,571	)		(53,174	)		2,898
Networked Products & Services		(87,428	)		(83,265	)		35,569
Pictures		29,916			42,814			38,669
Music		27,843			36,513			38,927
Financial Services		(31,157	)		162,492			118,818
Equity in net income (loss) of Sony Ericsson		(30,255	)		(34,514	)		4,155
All Other		3,105			(4,976	)		8,554
Total		(203,547	)		65,890			247,590
Corporate and elimination		(24,236	)		(34,118	)		(47,769	)
Consolidated operating income (loss)		(227,783	)		31,772			199,821
Other income		98,825			43,834			44,966
Other expenses		(45,997	)		(48,694	)		(39,774	)
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes		(174,955	)		26,912			205,013

Operating income (loss) is Sales and operating revenue less Costs and expenses, and includes Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies.

Corporate and elimination includes certain restructuring costs and other corporate expenses, which are attributable principally to headquarters and are not allocated to segments.

Other significant items:

	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31
	2009			2010			2011
Equity in net income (loss) of affiliated companies:
Consumer, Professional & Devices		3,746			(647	)		7,084
Networked Products & Services		—			—			—
Pictures		7,991			4,347			2,483
Music		(6,029	)		(80	)		(265	)
Financial Services		(1,796	)		(1,345	)		(1,961	)
Sony Ericsson		(30,255	)		(34,514	)		4,155
All Other		1,234			2,004			2,566
Consolidated total		(25,109	)		(30,235	)		14,062
Depreciation and amortization:
Consumer, Professional & Devices		250,353			219,132			164,478
Networked Products & Services		21,651			23,662			24,483
Pictures		7,904			8,427			7,996
Music		9,756			13,427			12,166
Financial Services, including deferred insurance acquisition costs		67,714			56,531			62,077
All Other		20,561			21,488			20,777
Total		377,939			342,667			291,977
Corporate		27,504			28,337			33,389
Consolidated total		405,443			371,004			325,366

The following table includes a breakdown of sales and operating revenue to external customers by product category in the CPD and NPS segments. The CPD and NPS segments are each managed as a single operating segment by Sony’s management.

	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31
	2009		2010		2011
Sales and operating revenue:
Consumer, Professional & Devices
Televisions		1,275,692		1,005,773		1,200,491
Digital Imaging		831,820		664,502		642,570
Audio and Video		531,542		449,882		426,594
Semiconductors		310,682		299,715		358,396
Components		613,013		476,097		410,090
Professional Solutions		346,326		295,360		287,394
Other		17,311		16,217		19,513
Total		3,926,386		3,207,546		3,345,048
Networked Products & Services
Game		984,855		840,711		798,405
PC and Other Networked Businesses		699,903		670,864		694,731
Total		1,684,758		1,511,575		1,493,136
Pictures		717,513		705,237		599,654
Music		363,074		511,097		457,771
Financial Services		523,307		838,300		798,495
All Other		453,603		379,862		377,816
Corporate		61,352		60,381		109,353
Consolidated total		7,729,993		7,213,998		7,181,273

Geographic information:

Sales and operating revenue to external customers which are attributed to countries based on location of customers for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and long-lived assets as of March 31, 2010 and 2011 are as follows:

	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31
	2009		2010		2011
Sales and operating revenue:
Japan		1,873,219		2,099,297		2,152,552
U.S.A.		1,827,812		1,595,016		1,443,693
Europe		1,987,692		1,644,698		1,539,432
Asia-Pacific		1,285,551		1,193,573		1,288,412
Other areas		755,719		681,414		757,184
Total		7,729,993		7,213,998		7,181,273

	Yen in millions
	March 31
	2010		2011
Long-lived assets:
Japan		1,254,663		1,260,682
U.S.A.		750,436		729,647
Europe		194,717		156,201
Asia-Pacific		113,360		124,383
Other areas		58,545		50,337
Total		2,371,721		2,321,250

Geographic information for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2009 and 2010 in the table above has been restated to reflect the change in geographic classification.

Major areas in each geographic classification excluding Japan and U.S.A. are as follows:

(1) Europe:	United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia and Spain
(2) Asia-Pacific:	China, Taiwan, India, South Korea and Oceania
(3) Other areas:	The Middle East/Africa, Brazil, Mexico and Canada

There are not any individually material countries with respect to the sales and operating revenue and long-lived assets included in Europe, Asia-Pacific and Other areas.

Transfers between reportable business segments or geographic areas are made at amounts which Sony’s management believes approximate arms-length transactions.

There were no sales and operating revenue with any single major external customer for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2009, 2010 and 2011.