Nintendo is now worth over $86 billion, twice as much as Sony

Nintendo Wii and DSNintendo is now worth 10.1 trillion Yen (over US$86.5 billion!) in market value after the phenomenal success of their DS & Wii systems, which caused their worth to almost triple in value since the launch of the Wii console late last year.

Nintendo is now Japan’s third-most valuable listed company behind automaker Toyota Motor and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. Nintendo’s Wii console and DS handheld machines have catapulted the once struggling brand past Sony’s latest PlayStation consoles and Microsoft’s Xbox 360. The stock rose 5.3% to 71,300 Yen yesterday, bringing its market capitalization to 10.1 trillion yen — a fivefold increase in the past two years.

Nintendo’s market capitalization is almost double that of Sony, whose total revenue is more than eight times as big as Nintendo’s. And Japan’s largest bank and analysts see shares setting more high scores in the future. KBC Securities analyst Hiroshi Kamide said: “There’s more upside than downside risk. There’s every reason to believe Nintendo will continue to execute its strategy well in expanding the gaming industry to strengthen its position… and really keep doing what it’s been doing regardless of what competition is doing.” Not surprising, since Nintendo estimate the total of DS units to reach 58 million by March 31, 2008.– Via Reuters