Sony (NYSE:SONY) Raised to "Strong-Buy" at Zacks Research

Key Points

• Zacks Research upgraded Sony to “strong-buy” from “hold,” while the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $22.00.
• Sony exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $0.36 in earnings per share versus the $0.28 estimate and $17.45 billion in revenue versus $17.17 billion expected; revenue increased 8.2% year over year.
• Insiders sold 804,518 shares worth approximately $17.6 million over the past 90 days, while institutional investors own 14.05% of Sony’s stock.

Sony (NYSE:SONY - Get Free Report) was upgraded by stock analysts at Zacks Research from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently commented on SONY. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d+)" rating on shares of Sony in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Benchmark restated a "buy" rating on shares of Sony in a report on Monday. Finally, Wall Street Zen raised shares of Sony from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Sony presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $22.00.

Sony Price Performance

Sony stock opened at $22.41 on Tuesday. The business's 50-day simple moving average is $21.20 and its 200 day simple moving average is $21.50. The stock has a market cap of $132.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.92. Sony has a 12-month low of $19.32 and a 12-month high of $30.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11.

Sony (NYSE:SONY - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Saturday, August 1st. The company reported $0.36 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.28 by $0.08. Sony had a positive return on equity of 13.06% and a negative net margin of 2.00%.The firm had revenue of $17.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $17.17 billion. During the same period last year, the company earned $42.84 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 8.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Sony will post 1.39 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Sony

In other news, insider Ravi Ahuja sold 36,826 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.08, for a total value of $776,292.08. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 58,786 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,239,208.88. This represents a 38.52% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Kenichiro Yoshida sold 400,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.61, for a total transaction of $9,044,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 661,615 shares in the company, valued at $14,959,115.15. This represents a 37.68% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 804,518 shares of company stock valued at $17,608,914. Corporate insiders own 7.00% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of SONY. Binnacle Investments Inc raised its holdings in Sony by 81.7% in the third quarter. Binnacle Investments Inc now owns 1,032 shares of the company's stock worth $30,000 after purchasing an additional 464 shares during the period. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Sony in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Sony in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Osterweis Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Sony in the 4th quarter valued at $28,000. Finally, Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Sony by 404.1% in the 4th quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,109 shares of the company's stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 889 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 14.05% of the company's stock.

Sony News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Sony this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Spider-Man blockbuster supports Pictures: Sony and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day surpassed $1 billion globally, becoming the fourth billion-dollar movie of 2026. The milestone reinforces the earnings potential of Sony Pictures’ major franchises and recurring entertainment businesses. Hollywood is cranking out billion-dollar movies again
• Positive Sentiment: Improving earnings outlook: Sony’s latest quarterly results exceeded consensus estimates for earnings and revenue, with revenue up 8.2% year over year. Analysts have highlighted faster profit growth, raised forecasts and approximately 30% potential upside from the average price target, helping drive recent investor optimism. Sony Stock Gains 10.9% in a Week
• Positive Sentiment: 2026 gaming catalyst: Jefferies said the expected launch of Grand Theft Auto VI could make 2026 a breakout year for Sony, potentially benefiting PlayStation engagement, software sales and related network revenue. Sony's year to shine with GTA 6 on the way
• Positive Sentiment: Sensor expansion potential: A planned venture with TSMC could improve scale and technology in Sony’s image-sensor business, supporting longer-term semiconductor growth. Sony's TSMC Sensor Venture
• Neutral Sentiment: Limited near-term impact: Sony announced product, talent and corporate updates, including a new telephoto lens and leadership changes at Sony Music. These developments support the broader brand but are unlikely to materially change near-term earnings.
• Negative Sentiment: Risks remain: Analysts cited valuation, currency, cash-flow, earthquake and execution risks, along with smartphone weakness and costs associated with the sensor venture. Two insiders also sold shares to cover tax withholding on vested awards; the stated reason reduces the significance, but the transactions remain a modest sentiment headwind. Sony Insider Sells Shares

Sony Company Profile

Sony Group Corporation NYSE: SONY is a Japanese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. Founded in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita, Sony has grown from an electronics maker into a diversified global company with operations spanning consumer electronics, entertainment, gaming, semiconductors and financial services. The company’s shares trade in Japan and its American Depositary Receipts trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker SONY.

Sony’s primary businesses include Electronics Products & Solutions, which covers televisions, audio equipment, digital cameras and professional broadcast systems; Game & Network Services, anchored by the PlayStation platform, consoles, software and online services; Music and Pictures, through Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment, producing, distributing and licensing recorded music, film and television content; Imaging & Sensing Solutions, which develops CMOS image sensors and other semiconductor components; and Financial Services, offering life insurance, banking and other financial products in Japan.

This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to contact@marketbeat.com.

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