Derivative instruments and hedging activities (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Estimated Fair Values of Outstanding Derivative Instruments

The estimated fair values of Sony’s outstanding derivative instruments are summarized as follows:

Derivatives designated as hedging instruments	Yen in millions
	Balance sheet location	Fair value				Balance sheet location	Fair value
		March 31					March 31
	Asset derivatives	2012		2013		Liability derivatives	2012		2013
Interest rate contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets		151		2	Current liabilities other		14,017		1,227
Interest rate contracts	Assets other		—		254	Liabilities other		1,184		18,892
Foreign exchange contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets		11		5	Current liabilities other		15		15
			162		261			15,216		20,134

Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	Yen in millions
	Balance sheet location	Fair value				Balance sheet location	Fair value
		March 31					March 31
	Asset derivatives	2012		2013		Liability derivatives	2012		2013
Interest rate contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets		5		—	Current liabilities other		4,390		147
Interest rate contracts			—		—	Liabilities other		—		2,784
Foreign exchange contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets		18,345		20,706	Current liabilities other		21,612		18,933
Foreign exchange contracts	Assets other		5		895			—		—
Credit contracts	Prepaid expenses and other current assets		1		—			—		—
			18,356		21,601			26,002		21,864
Total derivatives			18,518		21,862			41,218		41,998

Effects of Derivative Instruments on Consolidated Statements of Income

Presented below are the effects of derivative instruments on the consolidated statements of income for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Derivatives under fair value hedging relationships	Yen in millions
	Location of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative
		Fiscal year ended March 31
		2011			2012			2013
Interest rate contracts	Financial services revenue		588			(2,998	)		(11,275	)
Foreign exchange contracts	Foreign exchange gain or (loss), net		(18	)		(49	)		1
Total			570			(3,047	)		(11,274	)

Derivatives under cash flow hedging relationships	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31, 2011
	Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in OCI on derivative			Gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into  income (effective portion)			Gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative (ineffective portion)
	Amount			Location	Amount		Location	Amount
Interest rate contracts		(108	)	Interest expense		329	Interest expense		—
Total		(108	)	Total		329	Total		—

Derivatives under cash flow hedging relationships	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31, 2012
	Amount of gain or  (loss) recognized in OCI on derivative		Gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income (effective portion)			Gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative (ineffective portion)
	Amount		Location	Amount		Location	Amount
Interest rate contracts		171	Interest expense		308	Interest expense		—
Total		171	Total		308	Total		—

Derivatives under cash flow hedging relationships	Yen in millions
	Fiscal year ended March 31, 2013
	Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in OCI on derivative			Gain or (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income (effective portion)			Gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative (ineffective portion)
	Amount			Location	Amount		Location	Amount
Interest rate contracts		(69	)	Interest expense		615	Interest expense		—
Total		(69	)	Total		615	Total		—

At March 31, 2013, amounts related to derivatives qualifying as cash flow hedges amounted to a net reduction of equity of 742 million yen.

Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments	Location of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative	Amount of gain or (loss) recognized in income on derivative (Yen in millions)
		Fiscal year ended March 31
		2011			2012			2013
Interest rate contracts	Financial services revenue		(3,332	)		(3,303	)		(2,779	)
Interest rate contracts	Financial services expenses		32			—			—
Foreign exchange contracts	Financial services revenue		(1,294	)		(79	)		7,202
Foreign exchange contracts	Foreign exchange gain or (loss), net		8,311			4,324			5,596
Bond contracts	Financial services revenue		44			—			—
Credit contracts	Financial services revenue		(101	)		(25	)		(3	)
Total			3,660			917			10,016

Summary of Derivatives Additional Information Including Notional Amounts

The following table summarizes additional information, including notional amounts, for each type of derivative:

	Yen in millions
	March 31, 2012					March 31, 2013
	Notional amount		Fair value			Notional amount		Fair value
Foreign exchange contracts:
Foreign exchange forward contracts		1,227,889		(7,305	)		1,127,799		(7,185	)
Currency option contracts purchased		9,878		91			1,296		44
Currency option contracts written		152		(1	)		1,037		(6	)
Currency swap agreements		519,041		2,206			459,019		9,507
Other currency contracts		48,347		1,743			58,294		298
Interest rate contracts:
Interest rate swap agreements		451,416		(19,435	)		529,642		(22,794	)
Credit contracts:
Credit default swap agreements		1,367		1			—		—