Amid speculation over Sony’s ability to deliver ample supplies of its upcoming game console, analysts and investors sent shares of the Japanese giant slipping Thursday in response to lower ratings from a securities firm.

Mitsubishi UFJ Securities lowered its rating on Sony from 3 to 2 and slashed estimates of PlayStation 3 sales, according to Reuters.

Sony shares ended the day down ¥150 ($1.29), or 2.85 percent, to ¥5,100 ($43.80) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, shares of United States subsidiary Sony Corp. were down $1.20, or 2.7 percent, to $43.22 in recent trading.

Mitsubishi halved its PS3 sales forecast, predicting Sony will sell 3 million consoles between the system’s November launch and March 31. The revised prediction is attributed to anticipated difficulties producing enough of the system’s pricey components.

Sony says it plans to have 2 million PS3 consoles available for the system’s worldwide launch in November, followed by another 2 million by the end of December, and 2 million more by the end of March.

Split Forecasts

Analysts continue to give the Japanese giant’s PS3 strategy mixed reviews. Some predict a fatal stumble, while others see the company delivering on its promises.

Earlier this week, Wedbush Morgan Securities Analyst Michael Pachter told Red Herring that he thinks the company will deliver the units it promised.

“Sony’s blown it the last two launches and they’re not going to blow this one,” said Mr. Pachter. He believes the collaborative development of the PS3’s Cell processor and Blu-ray drive will get the company the components it needs (see Sony Making PS3s? Not yet).

Meanwhile, David Cole of DFC Intelligence thinks Sony’s decision to market the PS3 as a luxury item is a foolish one. The console will be available in two configurations, starting at $499, a move Mr. Cole describes as a “golden opportunity” for competitors Microsoft and Nintendo (see Sony’s PS3 a Sitting Duck? and Sony Prices PS3 at $499).

A report released last month by Citigroup analysts Yohei Kanazawa and Kota Ezawa cited “high hopes” for PS3 sales, at the same time saying Sony “failed to clarify the outlook for the new console.”

Sony has offered scant details on the software that will be available for the system’s launch—a critical element of early sales—but said yesterday it will offer some 27 playable PS3 games during September’s Tokyo Game Show.

On Fire

The electronics giant’s woes haven’t stopped with game consoles, either. Sony is linked to the mammoth recall announcement issued last week by computer giant Dell after the batteries were linked to fires starting in the laptops.

The company said it will voluntarily take back some 4.1 million notebook computer batteries, the largest such announcement in the history of the U.S. consumer electronics industry (see Dude, You’re Getting a Recall).

Sony supplied the batteries, and the news sent shares of both companies sliding. On Thursday, Japan’s trade ministry ordered the two firms to investigate the trouble.

A report released last week by Merrill Lynch said, “the impact on Sony is likely to be limited,” but implications could certainly broaden if the problem is found to be with the battery itself, rather than with Dell’s PC designs.

Sony’s portable power woes continued Thursday, with Apple saying it plans to recall some 1.8 million laptops with Sony lithium-ion batteries (see Apple Recalls Laptop Models).