Insider Selling: Sony (NYSE:SONY) Director Sells 400,000 Shares of Stock

Key Points

• Sony director Kenichiro Yoshida sold 400,000 shares on May 18 at an average price of $22.61, generating about $9.0 million. After the sale, he still held 661,615 shares, a 37.68% reduction in his position.
• Sony shares were up 1.1% in Tuesday trading to $22.97, though volume came in below its average. The stock remains well below its 12-month high of $30.34 and has a consensus analyst rating of Hold.
• The company missed EPS estimates but beat on revenue in its latest quarterly report, posting $0.09 per share versus $0.22 expected while revenue rose 8.3% year over year to $19.15 billion. Sony also announced a dividend of $0.0796 per share payable on June 8.

Sony Corporation (NYSE:SONY - Get Free Report) Director Kenichiro Yoshida sold 400,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.61, for a total transaction of $9,044,000.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 661,615 shares in the company, valued at $14,959,115.15. This represents a 37.68% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

Sony Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of NYSE SONY traded up $0.26 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $22.97. 3,972,264 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 6,391,061. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a current ratio of 1.18. Sony Corporation has a 12-month low of $19.63 and a 12-month high of $30.34. The firm has a market cap of $136.62 billion, a P/E ratio of -114.62, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.92. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $20.98 and a 200 day moving average price of $23.84.

Sony (NYSE:SONY - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, May 8th. The company reported $0.09 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.22 by ($0.13). Sony had a negative net margin of 2.61% and a positive return on equity of 12.20%. The firm had revenue of $19.15 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.43 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $32.86 earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts expect that Sony Corporation will post 1.31 earnings per share for the current year.

Sony Dividend Announcement

The company also recently declared a dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 8th. Investors of record on Monday, March 30th will be given a dividend of $0.0796 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 30th. This represents a dividend yield of 80.0%. Sony's payout ratio is currently -55.00%.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the stock. Benchmark reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Sony in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a "market perform" rating and set a $22.00 target price (down from $30.00) on shares of Sony in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of Sony from a "hold (c-)" rating to a "sell (d+)" rating in a research note on Friday, February 20th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $22.00.

Trending Headlines about Sony

Here are the key news stories impacting Sony this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Sony announced a major entertainment expansion by buying the production company behind The Real Housewives and The Valley, which could strengthen its TV/content pipeline and support long-term growth. Sony buys ‘Real Housewives,’ ‘The Valley’ production company
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts highlighted Sony as a strong value stock, which may help sentiment by reinforcing the company’s valuation appeal. Here's Why Sony (SONY) is a Strong Value Stock
• Positive Sentiment: Sony also drew interest from product news, including leaks and previews around new Xperia phones and premium headphones, which can support consumer-electronics buzz. Sony's premium 'The ColleXion' headphones just leaked from top to bottom
• Neutral Sentiment: Sony first-party single-player games may remain PlayStation-exclusive instead of coming to PC, a strategic choice that could help console differentiation but may limit software reach. Sony first-party singleplayer games to stay PlayStation console exclusive, no longer release on PC
• Negative Sentiment: Sony is facing backlash for raising PlayStation Plus and multiplayer access prices, a move that could pressure user growth and spark gamer dissatisfaction. Sony Is Raising The Price Of Playing Multiplayer Games Online On PlayStation 5
• Negative Sentiment: Sony is also being sued over alleged tariff-related windfalls, adding legal and margin-risk concerns for investors. Sony Is Being Sued For Allegedly Retaining ‘Substantial Windfall’ Generated By ‘Illegal’ Tariffs
• Negative Sentiment: Consumer reaction to Sony’s new Xperia AI camera has been poor, with online criticism suggesting weaker enthusiasm for one of its mobile products. Sony’s new Xperia AI camera is going viral for making photos look worse

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sony

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. YANKCOM Partnership increased its stake in shares of Sony by 748.7% during the fourth quarter. YANKCOM Partnership now owns 976 shares of the company's stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 861 shares in the last quarter. V Square Quantitative Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Sony during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Elyxium Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Sony during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Sony by 404.1% during the fourth quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,109 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 889 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Twin Tree Management LP increased its position in shares of Sony by 4,218.5% during the fourth quarter. Twin Tree Management LP now owns 1,112 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,139 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 14.05% of the company's stock.

About Sony

Sony Group Corporation NYSE: SONY is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. Founded in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, Sony has grown from an electronics maker into a diversified global company with operations spanning consumer electronics, entertainment, gaming, semiconductors and financial services. The company’s shares trade in Japan and its American Depositary Receipts trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SONY.

Sony’s primary businesses include Electronics Products & Solutions, which covers televisions, audio equipment, digital cameras and professional broadcast systems; Game & Network Services, anchored by the PlayStation platform, consoles, software and online services; Music and Pictures, through Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment, producing, distributing and licensing recorded music, film and television content; Imaging & Sensing Solutions, which develops CMOS image sensors and other semiconductor components; and Financial Services, offering life insurance, banking and other financial products in Japan.

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