Sony to Hike Prices on Its Consumer Gear

Sony Electronics, the largest portion of Sony Corp.’s U.S. arm, said that in an effort to combat the strong yen, it will increase the prices retailers must pay for Sony’s consumer products.

The increases will be less than 10% and will take effect this fall, according to Rick Clancy, a Sony Electronics spokesman. Products include compact disc players, stereo receivers and other high-end home entertainment equipment.

The company said it expects to increase prices on more of its consumer and professional products in the future.

Earlier this year, Sony raised prices on its business and professional products, which include the cameras, monitors and editing machines used by television stations.

“With the dollar’s slide to a level of 99 yen, the cost for products produced in Japan for resale here in this country has gone up significantly,” said Carl J. Yankowski, president and chief executive of Sony Electronics.

For the second quarter, the dollar was worth about 98 yen, down from 107 yen in the year-ago quarter. Today, a dollar buys about 100 yen.

Last week, Sony said it intended to concentrate its capital spending for audiovisual products on plants outside Japan. It said the strength of the yen has cut into earnings from such low-cost products as TV sets and videocassette recorders.