OREANDA-NEWS. Sony Corporation sent a letter to Third Point LLC following a unanimous vote of Sony’s Board of Directors. The letter outlines that the Board and management team strongly believe that continuing to own 100% of the Company’s entertainment businesses is fundamental to Sony’s success, and that a rights or public offering is not consistent with the Company’s strategy for achieving sustained growth in profitability and shareholder value.

The letter sets out a number of reasons, including:
* Demand for content is increasing its value in a dynamic industry environment characterized by emerging distribution platforms and the proliferation of both powerful mobile devices and access to broadband. Sony believes its entertainment businesses will increasingly benefit from these trends, and the Company’s shareholders will benefit from owning all, rather than a part, of these valuable assets; and
* Full control of Sony’s entertainment businesses drives internal collaboration, facilitates synergies, and allows the Company to be more nimble. Sony believes that the opportunities for collaboration among Sony’s businesses are numerous and increasing, and a rights or public offering would create the need for otherwise unnecessary and burdensome arm’s length intercompany relationships as a result of minority shareholder rights, thereby limiting Sony’s control and strategic flexibility.

In addition, Sony’s Board and management believe it has adequate capital resources to fund its business plans. Should Sony require capital, or in the event of unanticipated events, the Company’s priority would be to raise capital without selling a portion of an asset fundamental to the growth strategy, and without unnecessarily burdening Sony’s ability to execute its business strategy for both entertainment and electronics.

The Company expects to begin providing additional disclosures regarding its entertainment businesses for the second quarter of the current fiscal year to help market participants better analyze performance of these businesses.