3 Audio Video Stocks to Watch as the Industry Grapples With Headwinds
The Zacks Audio Video Production industry is facing quite a few challenges. Hardware demand remains cyclical and sensitive to consumer spending. Global macroeconomic uncertainty stemming from escalating trade tensions, tariffs and associated inflationary pressure is likely to keep consumer spending in check. This does not augur well for the participants. A highly promotional environment and stiff competition from importers of comparatively low-priced devices are denting margins. Online accessibility of recording equipment and the availability of distribution channels on the Internet are additional headwinds.
Nonetheless, participants like Sony Group Corporation SONY, Dolby Laboratories, Inc. DLB and Sonos Inc. SONO are likely to benefit from investments in cutting-edge technology solutions that drive enhanced communication experiences. The industry is moving into a phase that is marked by the convergence of content creation, immersive media (spatial audio, AR/VR and 3D video) and AI-driven workflows. Streaming, creator content, gaming, spatial audio and AI-powered tools are reimagining value creation across the industry. Rapid technological advances, such as 4K, 8K and immersive audio formats, are boosting the demand for new devices, which bodes well for participants like Dolby. The players also stand to gain as they increase focus on direct-to-customer sales channels.
Industry Description
The Zacks Audio Video Production industry comprises television, speaker, video player and camcorder manufacturers. It includes companies that offer gaming consoles and high-end cameras for individuals and industrial markets. These firms provide state-of-the-art audio, imaging and voice technologies that enhance entertainment and communication experiences. Some industry participants develop audio and imaging products, including digital cinema servers and products for film production and entertainment industries. Apart from providing theatrical and television production services for cinema exhibitions, broadcast and home entertainment, these companies work with film studios, content creators, broadcasters and video game designers. Some prominent players are present in the music and image-based software markets worldwide.
3 Trends Shaping the Future of the Audio-Video Production Industry
Macroeconomic Headwinds Likely to Hurt Consumer Demand: The global macroeconomic uncertainty amid escalating trade tensions and tariffs, and associated inflationary pressures, is likely to keep consumer spending, especially discretionary purchases, in check. While companies keep investing in market share gains and supply-chain resilience, a shortage of critical hardware components due to the disruption in the supply chain could hurt revenues in the near term. Fluctuations in commodity pricing for different components are additional concerns. Elevated promotional activity to boost sales amid weak spending is also affecting the performance of these industry participants.
Aggressive Competition: In the United States, smart-connected televisions, microphones and speaker enclosures are the most popular electronic devices among customers. However, U.S.-based manufacturers of audio and video systems face intense competition from importers of comparatively low-priced devices, particularly from China, Vietnam and Mexico. These firms face stiff competition across all end markets, often leading to intense price wars and margin contraction.
Technological Advancement to Spur Growth: From rapid technological advances like 4K, 8K and immersive audio formats, the demand for high-resolution visual and audio experiences is a major growth driver. The rise of streaming or OTT platforms is fueling this trend, as consumers and businesses seek to recreate a cinematic atmosphere at home. Gaming is another catalyst, as PC and console gamers now seek enhanced visuals and immersive sound design. The rise of the creator economy is also fueling the demand for enhanced cameras and editing tools. Industry players like GoPro are benefiting from this trend, as its cameras are popular among creators. Automotive audio represents another lucrative opportunity as vehicles become more software-driven and experience-focused.
Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bleak Prospects
The Zacks Audio Video Production industry is housed within the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector. The industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of #207, placing it in the bottom 17% of more than 248 Zacks industries.
The group’s Zacks Industry Rank, which is the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bleak near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by more than two to one.
Before we present a few audio-video production stocks you may want to consider for your portfolio, let’s look at the industry’s recent stock market performance and valuation picture.
Industry Outpaces the Sector but Lags the S&P 500
The Zacks Audio Video Production industry outpaced the broader Zacks Consumer Discretionary sector, but underperformed the S&P 500 composite in the past year.
The industry has lost 10.2% over this period against the S&P 500’s 21.4% return. The broader sector has edged down 14% over the same timeframe.
One-Year Price Performance
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Industry's Current Valuation
Price-to-earnings is commonly used for valuing audio-video production stocks. The industry has a forward 12-month P/E of 17.65X compared with the S&P 500’s 20.22X. It is above the sector’s forward 12-month P/E of 16.62X.
In the past five years, the industry has traded as high as 23.92X and as low as 12.06X, with a median of 16.6X, as the chart below shows.
Price-to-Earnings Forward Ratio (Past Five Years)
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3 Audio Video Production Stocks to Watch
Sony Group Corporation: The Japan-based conglomerate designs, manufactures and sells several consumer and industrial electronic equipment. The company’s product roster comprises audio and video equipment, televisions, network services, game hardware and software, mobile phones and image sensors.
Strategic focus on entertainment and intellectual property continues to support Sony’s long-term growth strategy. Sony continues to expand its ecosystem through PlayStation, Crunchyroll, Music and Pictures while leveraging cross-platform collaborations.
For the first quarter of fiscal 2026, net sales advanced 8.2% to ¥2,837.8 billion, led by Imaging & Sensing Solutions and Music, while gaming profitability strengthened. Game & Network Services (G&NS) sales were nearly flat at ¥937.1 billion. Segment operating income climbed 37% to ¥202 billion, supported by U.S. tariff refunds and favorable forex movements.
PlayStation monthly active users reached 125 million in June 2026, up 2% year over year. Sony raised fiscal 2026 G&NS operating income guidance to ¥660 billion from ¥600 billion. Management expects major title releases later in calendar 2026 to lift engagement and has secured memory for projected PlayStation 5 sales.
Imaging & Sensing Solutions sales jumped 26% to ¥512.7 billion, while Music sales rose 21% to ¥562 billion.
At present, SONY carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 bottom line is pegged at $1.41 per share, unchanged in the past seven days. Shares have declined 9.7% in the past year.
Price & Consensus: SONY
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Dolby’s growth strategy hinges on wider adoption for its Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision technologies. For fiscal 2026, revenues are projected at $1.41-$1.44 billion, while Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and imaging-patent revenues are expected to increase roughly 15% year over year.
Dolby is extending its presence in the automotive market, driven by strong demand from OEMs to elevate in-car entertainment quality. By third-quarter fiscal 2026, Dolby had announced agreements with more than 40 automakers since the launch of the program.
Dolby is also building new revenue streams. A key growth driver is Dolby’s push into content-platform licensing through its video distribution patent program. Meta and Alibaba became licensees during the quarter, joining other major participants such as ByteDance, Kuaishou, Roku and Tencent. The program has attracted 45 licensors in less than a year, strengthening management’s confidence in its ability to broaden Dolby’s addressable market beyond device licensing and move toward its goal of generating 10% of revenues from content partners by the end of fiscal 2028.
Further, Dolby OptiView is gaining traction in ultra-low-latency video streaming, and Dolby Vision is expanding into smart glasses and video cameras.
However, rising component costs and macroeconomic uncertainties, including broader supply-chain dynamics, remain concerns.
At present, DLB carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its fiscal 2026 bottom line is pegged at $4.31 per share, unchanged in the past seven days. Shares have plunged 14.2% in the past year.
Price & Consensus: DLB
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Sonos is showing improving top-line momentum, supported by product innovation, geographic expansion and disciplined execution. For the third quarter of fiscal 2026, revenues from Sonos speakers rose 12.5% year over year to $285.3 million and remained its largest product category. The quarter included the first full period of availability for Sonos Play and Era 100 SL, both of which contributed meaningfully to revenue growth.
By region, APAC revenues rose 27% year over year, EMEA increased 17% and the Americas grew 4%.
The installed base also provides room to deepen household penetration. Sonos has more than 17 million homes and more than 53 million connected devices. The company is also expanding its product ecosystem through Amp Multi.
Higher memory costs remain a gross margin risk as the industry shifts supply toward newer memory standards. In third-quarter fiscal 2026, higher memory costs reduced gross margin by about 380 basis points and adjusted EBITDA by $14 million year over year. Management expects the impact to rise to about $35 million, or roughly 1,000 basis points of gross-margin drag, in the fiscal fourth quarter.
At present, SONO carries a Zacks Rank #3. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its fiscal 2026 bottom line is pegged at $1.25 per share, unchanged in the past 30 days. The company’s shares have gained 9.9% in the past year.
Price & Consensus: SONO
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Dolby Laboratories (DLB) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Sonos, Inc. (SONO) : Free Stock Analysis Report
This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
