SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549

FORM 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of April 2017
Commission File Number: 001-06439

SONY CORPORATION
(Translation of registrant's name into English)

1-7-1 KONAN, MINATO-KU, TOKYO, 108-0075, JAPAN
(Address of principal executive offices)

The registrant files annual reports under cover of Form 20-F.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F,
 
Form 20-F  X
Form 40-F __
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Yes No X
 
If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):82-______
 
SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
SONY CORPORATION
 
(Registrant)
   
   
 
By:  /s/  Kenichiro Yoshida
 
                (Signature)
 
Kenichiro Yoshida
 
Executive Deputy President and
 
Chief Financial Officer
 
Date: April 7, 2017

List of materials

Documents attached hereto:
 
i) Press release Announcement of Company Split (Small-scale Company Split) from Sony Corporation into Tohoku Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in connection with the Transfer of Battery Business

 

 


April 7, 2017
Sony Corporation


Announcement of Company Split (Small-scale Company Split)
from Sony Corporation into Tohoku Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
in connection with the Transfer of Battery Business

Sony Corporation (“Sony”) today announced that it will transfer certain rights and obligations related to a part of Sony’s battery business to Tohoku Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (“TMM”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony, by an “absorption-type company split”, as set forth below.  This company split is a step in the process of the transfer of the Sony Group’s battery business to the Murata Group announced on October 31, 2016 in the press release entitled “Murata Manufacturing and Sony Sign Definitive Agreement for the Transfer of Battery Business”.

Certain information is omitted from this announcement since this is an absorption-type company split with Sony’s wholly-owned subsidiary.  In conjunction with the company split, Sony Energy Devices Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony, will also transfer certain rights and obligations related to a part of its battery business to TMM by an “absorption-type company split”.
 
1. 
Purpose of the company split
 
 
 
The purpose of this company split is to transfer to TMM certain rights and obligations (as set forth in the company split agreement) related to a part of Sony’s battery business, as part of the process of the transfer of the Sony Group’s battery business to the Murata Group.
 
 
 
 
2. 
Summary of the company split
 
 
(1) 
Schedule of the company split
 
 
 
Approval of the company split agreement
 
(by the representative corporate executive officer)         April 7, 2017
 
Execution of the company split agreement                       April 7, 2017
 
Effective date of the company split                                   July 1, 2017 (scheduled)

*
Sony will perform the contemplated company split without obtaining shareholder approval of the company split agreement pursuant to the provisions of the “small-scale company split” as set forth in Paragraph 2 of Article 784 of the Companies Act of Japan.
 
(2) 
Method of the company split
 
 
 
The method of the contemplated company split is an absorption-type company split between Sony (as the splitting company) and TMM (as the successor company).
 
 
(3) 
Details of consideration allotted upon the company split
 
 
 
TMM will issue 1 share of common stock of TMM to Sony upon the completion of the contemplated company split for the assets, liabilities, agreements and other rights and obligations transferred to TMM.
 
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(4)
Treatment of stock acquisition rights and bonds with stock acquisition rights of the absorbed company
 
 
 
There will be no changes to the treatment of stock acquisition rights or bonds with stock acquisition rights of Sony upon the completion of the contemplated company split.
 
 
(5)  Increase or decrease of share capital upon the company split
 
 
 
There will be no increase or decrease of share capital of Sony upon the contemplated company split.
 
 
(6)  Rights and obligations to be succeeded by the successor company
 
 
 
TMM, as the successor company, will succeed to certain rights and obligations related to a part of Sony’s battery business, as set forth in the company split agreement.
 
 
(7) 
Expectation on the performance capabilities of each party’s obligations
 
 
 
Sony expects that the contemplated company split will have no material impact on the ability of TMM to perform its obligations that become due after the effective date of the contemplated company split.
 
 
 
 
3.
Summary of both parties (The numbers shown below are as of March 31, 2016 for Sony and December 9, 2016 for TMM)
 
 
(1)
Summary of both parties
 
 
Trade name
Sony Corporation
(Splitting Company)
Tohoku Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
(Successor Company)
Location of head office
7-1, Konan 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
1-1 Shimosugishita, Takakura, Hiwada-machi, Koriyama-shi, Fukushima, Japan
Title and name of Representative
Kazuo Hirai
Representative Corporate Executive Officer
Yoshito Ezure
Representative Director
Business
Manufacture and sale of electronic and electrical machines and equipment, etc.
Manufacture and sale of consumer and industrial cell batteries, etc.
Stated capital
¥ 858,867 million
¥ 1
Date of incorporation
May 7, 1946
December 9, 2016
Number of shares issued
1,262,493,760 shares
1 share
Fiscal year-end
March 31
March 31
 
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Major shareholders and
shareholding ratio
 
1  Citibank as Depositary Bank for
Depositary Receipt Holders
8.82%
2  Japan Trustee Services Bank,
Ltd. (Trust Account)                                                                   
5.30%
 
3  The Master Trust Bank of
Japan, Ltd. (Trust Account)
4.49%
 
4  JPMorgan Chase Bank 380055
3.15%
 
5  State Street Bank and Trust
Company                                                                                  
2.23%
Sony Corporation                                                         100%
Net assets
¥ 3,124,410 million (consolidated) (Note)
¥ 1
(non-consolidated)
Total assets
¥ 16,673,390 million (consolidated)
¥ 1
(non-consolidated)
Net assets per share
¥ 1,952.79 (consolidated)
¥ 1
(non-consolidated)
Net sales
¥ 8,105,712 million (consolidated)
-
Operating income
¥ 294,197 million (consolidated)
-
Ordinary income
¥ 304,504 million (consolidated) (Note)
-
Net income
¥ 147,791 million (consolidated) (Note)
-
Net income per share
¥ 119.40 (consolidated) (Note)
-

 
Note:
Since Sony prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, “total equity”, “income before income taxes”, “net income attributable to Sony’s stockholders” and “net income attributable to Sony’s stockholders per share of common stock” are stated in place of “Net assets”, “Ordinary income”, “Net income” and “Net income per share”, respectively.

(2) 
Summary of business subject to the company split
 
 
   a.
Business subject to the company split
 
 
 
A part of Sony’s battery business
 
 
   b.
Operating results of the business transferred by the company split for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016
 
 
 
Net sales:                                        ¥ 165,000 million
 
Gross Profit on Sales:                   ¥ 1,700 million
 
Operating Income (negative):     ¥ (4,200 million)
 
 
   c.
Assets and liabilities to be succeeded upon the company split (as of December 31, 2016)
 
- 3 -

 
 
 
Assets:                                           ¥ 17,749 million
 
Liabilities:                                       ¥ 2,991 million
 
 
 
 
4.
Status after the company split
 
 
 
There will be no changes in the trade name, the location of the head office, the title and name of representatives, the business (excluding the business transferred by the contemplated company split), the stated capital or fiscal year-end of Sony upon the completion of the contemplated company split. Upon the completion of the contemplated company split, TMM plans to increase its stated capital to ¥ 100 million. There will be no changes in the trade name, the location of the head office, the title and name of representatives, the business (excluding the business transferred by the contemplated company split), or fiscal year-end of TMM upon the completion of the contemplated company split.
 
 
5.  Outlook
 
 
 
No material impact on Sony’s consolidated financial results is anticipated as a result of the completion of the contemplated company split. Sony plans to transfer all of the common stock of TMM to Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. after the completion of the contemplated company split.
 

(For reference)
  Sony’s consolidated financial forecast for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, which was announced on February 2, 2017, and its consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016.
 
(Yen in millions)
 
Sales and
operating
revenue
Operating
income
Income
before
income
taxes
Net income attributable to
Sony Corporation’s
stockholders
Consolidated financial
forecast for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2017
7,600,000
240,000
196,000
26,000
Consolidated financial
results for the fiscal year
ended March 31, 2016
8,105,712
294,197
304,504
147,791


 
 
 
 
EOF
 
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