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

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Sony (NYSE:SONY) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday morning,Zacks.com reports.

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

Sony Price Performance

Shares of NYSE SONY opened at $22.41 on Tuesday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $21.20 and its 200 day moving average price is $21.50. The stock has a market cap of $132.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.01, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.92. Sony has a 52 week low of $19.32 and a 52 week high of $30.34. The company has a current ratio of 1.25, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11.

Sony (NYSE:SONY) last announced its earnings results on Saturday, August 1st. The company reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.28 by $0.08. Sony had a negative net margin of 2.00% and a positive return on equity of 13.06%. The firm had revenue of $17.45 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $17.17 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $42.84 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that Sony will post 1.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Sony

In other Sony news, insider Toshimoto Mitomo sold 25,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.02, for a total transaction of $525,500.00. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 115,700 shares in the company, valued at $2,432,014. This trade represents a 17.77% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO Hiroki Totoki sold 225,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.02, for a total value of $4,729,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 173,250 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,641,715. This represents a 56.50% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last three months, insiders sold 804,518 shares of company stock worth $17,608,914. 7.00% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sony

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. V Square Quantitative Management LLC acquired a new stake in Sony during the fourth quarter worth about $27,000. Elyxium Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Sony in the 4th quarter valued at $27,000. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Sony by 404.1% during the 4th quarter. Annis Gardner Whiting Capital Advisors LLC now owns 1,109 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 889 shares during the period. Twin Tree Management LP boosted its position in shares of Sony by 4,218.5% during the 4th quarter. Twin Tree Management LP now owns 1,112 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,000 after acquiring an additional 1,139 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Osterweis Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in Sony in the fourth quarter valued at about $28,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 14.05% of the company’s stock.

Key Sony News

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.