Zacks Research Upgrades Sony (NYSE:SONY) to “Strong-Buy”

Sony (NYSE:SONY) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Zacks Research from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note issued on Tuesday,Zacks.com reports.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d+)” rating on shares of Sony in a research report on Wednesday, May 20th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Sony from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 1st. Finally, Benchmark reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Sony in a research report on Monday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $22.00.

Sony Stock Up 0.3%

Sony stock opened at $22.41 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 1.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.11. The firm has a market cap of $132.41 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.01, a P/E/G ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.92. The business has a fifty day moving average of $21.20 and a two-hundred day moving average of $21.50. Sony has a twelve month low of $19.32 and a twelve month high of $30.34.

Sony (NYSE:SONY) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Saturday, August 1st. The company reported $0.36 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.28 by $0.08. The firm had revenue of $17.45 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $17.17 billion. Sony had a positive return on equity of 13.06% and a negative net margin of 2.00%.The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business posted $42.84 EPS. On average, analysts forecast that Sony will post 1.39 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other Sony news, CEO Hiroki Totoki sold 225,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, July 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.02, for a total transaction of $4,729,500.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 173,250 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,641,715. This trade represents a 56.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Jonathan Jose Platt sold 16,512 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.08, for a total transaction of $348,072.96. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 83,326 shares in the company, valued at $1,756,512.08. This represents a 16.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 804,518 shares of company stock valued at $17,608,914 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 7.00% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Sony

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Financial Management Professionals Inc. lifted its stake in Sony by 136.1% in the 2nd quarter. Financial Management Professionals Inc. now owns 1,908 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 1,100 shares in the last quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. increased its position in Sony by 8.3% during the second quarter. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. now owns 6,272 shares of the company’s stock worth $126,000 after purchasing an additional 481 shares during the last quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new position in Sony in the 2nd quarter valued at about $802,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. acquired a new position in Sony in the second quarter valued at approximately $4,349,000. Finally, 55 North Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Sony in the second quarter valued at $259,000. 14.05% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Headlines Impacting Sony

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

About Sony

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.