Sony Group Corporation (SONY) shares surged 5.94% in pre-market trading on Thursday, following the release of its fiscal first-quarter 2025 results and an upward revision of its full-year profit forecast. The Japanese technology and entertainment giant demonstrated resilience in its core businesses, particularly in gaming and imaging, while also benefiting from a more optimistic view on potential tariff impacts.

The company reported a 23% increase in attributable profit to 259 billion yen ($1.79 billion) for the quarter ended June 30, surpassing analyst expectations. Earnings per share rose to 42.84 yen from 34.37 yen a year earlier, while operating income jumped 37% to about 340 billion yen. This strong performance was primarily driven by growth in Sony's game and network services and its imaging and sensing business segments.

Adding to the positive sentiment, Sony raised its full-year operating income forecast for fiscal 2025 by 4% to 1.330 trillion yen ($9.03 billion). The company now expects a smaller impact from additional US tariffs, revising the estimated effect down to 70 billion yen from the previous 100 billion yen. Sony also increased its fiscal 2025 net income guidance by 4% to 970 billion yen, signaling management's confidence in the company's growth trajectory despite ongoing global economic challenges. The gaming segment, in particular, continues to show strong momentum, with rising monthly active users and total gameplay hours across PlayStation users, prompting a 4% upward revision in the segment's estimated operating income.