Sony is a leading manufacturer of electronic products, also operating in the entertainment, finance, game, music and motion picture industries. For example, the company produces the popular PlayStation console, the Xperia smartphone and tablet range, and VAIO computers.
Sony Ownership
Sony was founded in 1946 by two friends, Masaru Ibuka and Aiko Morita. Originally, Morita's family was the largest shareholder; it is now a publicly traded company. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SNE and on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under the listing 6758.
IPO
In 1958, Sony went public in Tokyo. It listed its shares on the New York Stock Exchange in September 1970, and on the London Stock Exchange in October of the same year.
Shares and Large Shareholders
Over 1 billion shares have been issued since Sony went public. As of September 2013, there are 695,264 shareholders. The company has 10 shareholders that hold over 1 percent of the company. Some notable owners include JP Morgan Chase Bank, Japan Trustee Services Bank and The Bank of New York.
References
Writer Bio
Mike Beyman is a vice president at WVBR-FM. He also is the co-executive producer of "The Sunday Forum with Tommy Bruce" hosted by Cornell University's vice president of communications. Beyman is a Bachelor of Arts candidate from Cornell University.