By Yuri Kageyama, Business Writer
TOKYO (AP) --Japanese electronics and entertainment company Sony Corp.'s net profit rose 32 percent in the last quarter, helped by healthy video game sales and its financial services business, the company said Tuesday.
Tokyo-based Sony's profit totaled 173 billion yen ($1.5 billion) in July-September, up from 131 billion yen the year before.
Quarterly sales totaled 2.18 trillion yen ($19.3 billion), up from 2.06 trillion yen.
Sony's popular mobile-game application "Fate Grand Order" and favorable revenue in Sony's insurance business helped boost profits, the maker of PlayStation video game machines said.
Robust image sensor sales of image sensors also helped offset restructuring costs in its movies division, the studio behind the Spider-Man films, and falling smartphone sales in Europe and Latin America.
In recent quarters, Sony's PlayStation 4 video game operations, especially software sales, have been doing well.
Sony raised its full year profit forecast through March to 705 billion yen ($6.3 billion) from an earlier 500 billion yen ($4.4 billion).
Jean Smart, Ariana Grande, Michael Keaton among hosts for “SNL” season 50
Fresh off her Emmys win, Jean Smart will kick off the landmark 50th season of "Saturday Night Live."
NBC on Thursday announced the lineup of hosts for the season, which premieres Sept. 28. Joining Smart on the first show will be Jelly Roll as the musical act. He was also at the Emmys, singing during the ceremony's in memoriam segment.
It will be Smart's first time hosting "SNL."
Comedian Nate Bargatze will host on Oct. 5, with Coldplay as the musical guest.
Ariana Grande will host Oct. 12, with musical guest Stevie Nicks.
"Beetlejuice" star Michael Keaton will host on Oct. 19, the last show before Halloween, and Billie Eilish will be that night's musical guest.
The host on Nov. 2 will be "SNL" alum John Mulaney, with breakout sensation Chappell Roan as the music guest.
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