In this piece, we will take a look at the 11 best virtual reality stocks to buy. For more stocks, head on over to 5 Best Virtual Reality Stocks to Buy.
Advances in semiconductor fabrication and manufacturing have enabled chip makers to squeeze unthinkable amounts of computing power into pieces of silicon the size of a human thumbnail. This growth has also spurred industries of its own, and one such sector is the virtual reality segment of the broader technology industry.
Virtual reality, as the name suggests, refers to technologies that create an artificial representation of reality for users to immerse themselves into – whether for entertainment or productivity needs. This is achieved through headsets, processors, and software, with different companies providing different technologies for the processes.
The virtual reality industry was estimated to be worth $4.4 billion in 2020, and through a massive compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 44.8%, the segment can be worth a whopping $84 billion in 2029, according to a research report from Fortune Business Insights. Driving this growth will be several factors, such as the demand for virtual training platforms in industries, that let firms prepare their employees for complex tasks without investing in physical infrastructure. This allows companies in industries such as automobile manufacturing to reduce worker injuries and conduct factory personnel training safely.
Another research report, this time from Valuates Report, analyzes both the virtual and augmented reality markets. Augment reality is a subset of virtual reality that serves as a ‘bolt on’ to existing reality instead of rendering a completely new environment. This research firm believes that the markets were worth $14 billion in 2020 and through a strong CAGR of 41%, they will grow to sit at $454 billion by the end of 2030.
Therefore, looking at these estimates, it’s clear that virtual reality has a bright future ahead of it, despite the bloodbath in technology stocks this year. Today’s piece will look at the key players in the industry and some well known firms in the list are Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META), and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT).
Photo by mahdis mousavi on Unsplash
Our Methodology
We took a look at the virtual reality industry and current trends to pick out which firms are currently offering creative products and services in the industry. We preferred companies with strong financial performance, technological advantages, and relevance to current industry dynamics. These stocks are ranked via hedge fund sentiment gathered through Insider Monkey’s 895 fund survey for this year’s second quarter.
Best Virtual Reality Stocks to Buy
11. Tencent Holdings Limited (OTCMKTS:TCEHY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 2
Tencent Holdings Limited (OTCMKTS:TCEHY) is a Chinese conglomerate that owns several companies including the video game developer Epic Games. The firm is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People’s Republic of China.
Epic Games is one of the most well known game developers in the world, which rose to fame due to its Fortnite gaming brand. The company, like other game developers, is also targeting the metaverse industry which is seeing strong interest from large firms. Sony and The Lego Group invested a whopping $2 billion in Epic Games in 2022 to spur metaverse development.
Additionally, Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, which is used by video game developers to develop their products, is capable of developing assets that support 3D visualization and augmented and virtual realities. Insider Monkey’s Q2 2022 survey of 895 hedge funds revealed that two had invested in Tencent Holdings Limited (OTCMKTS:TCEHY).
Along with Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Tencent Holdings Limited (OTCMKTS:TCEHY) is a top virtual reality stock.
10. MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 4
MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS) is an American company that develops sensors used in automobiles. Additionally, it also develops a scanning technology that enables the creation of large images for a full field of view. It also develops displays concepts, designs, and modules that are used in augmented and virtual reality headsets. The firm is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.
MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS)’s lidar systems scored a big win in September 2022, when chip giant NVIDIA Corporation announced that the MAIN DR dynamic view system would be supported by NVIDIA’s Drive AGX platform. This will improve highway safety for vehicles.
By the end of its second fiscal quarter, MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS) had $93 million in cash, which is important given the company’s weak operating income profile. The firm has invested some of this into treasury securities, and its latest quarterly operating costs stood at $9.7 million – giving it plenty of runway room. Four out of the 895 hedge funds polled by Insider Monkey for their June quarter of 2022 portfolios had invested in the company.
MicroVision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS)’s largest investor in our database is Daniel S. Och’s Sculptor Capital which owns 572,200 shares that are worth $2.1 million.
9. Matterport, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTTR)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 7
Matterport, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTTR) is an American company that caters to the front end of the virtual reality space. Its software applications allow developers to capture the depth and imagery of a physical space to create a virtual reality environment. The firm is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Matterport, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTTR) reported a strong second fiscal quarter earlier this year, which despite negative revenue growth, saw the firm expand its presence in the market. At the earnings, the firm announced that its subscribers grew by a massive 52% annually to stand at 616,000 during the quarter.
Matterport, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTTR) also counts some of the largest companies in the world as its customers, with firms such as Proctor & Gamble, Sealy, and Netflix part of the 23% of the Fortune 1000 firms that use the company’s products. Additionally, the firm’s latest quarter also saw it grow its services revenue by 74% and its subscription revenue by 20%.
Insider Monkey took a look at 895 hedge funds for their second quarter of 2022 holdings to discover that 7 had invested in Matterport, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTTR).
Matterport, Inc. (NASDAQ:MTTR)’s largest investor is Chase Coleman and Feroz Dewan’s Tiger Global Management LLC which owns 3.6 million shares that are worth $13 million.
8. Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 23
Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U) is a software platform provider whose products allow its customers to develop 2D and 3D content for a wide variety of gadgets and devices such as smartphones, tablets, computers, gaming consoles, and virtual and augmented reality platforms. The firm is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U) is also aggressively targeting growth, with its research and development expenses during its second fiscal quarter representing close to 73% of its revenue. This opens up a large opportunity for explosive growth in the future, should these investments bear fruit.
Needham set a $50 share price target for the company in October 2022, stating that its software platform is one of the best in the world and will benefit from the strong growth in the demand for 3D content. 23 out of the 895 hedge funds polled by Insider Monkey during the second quarter of this year had invested in Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U).
Out of these, Jim Davidson, Dave Roux, and Glenn Hutchins’s Silver Lake Partners is Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U)’s largest investor. It owns 34 million shares that are worth $1.2 billion.
7. Roblox Corporation (NYSE:RBLX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 26
Roblox Corporation (NYSE:RBLX) is an online operating platform operator and developer whose studio allows developers to create and operate virtual 3D environments. The firm is headquartered in San Mateo, California, the United States.
Roblox Corporation (NYSE:RBLX) posted record high revenues of $600 million in its second fiscal quarter, which enabled it to cross $1 billion in revenue for the first half of this year. The company’s extreme focus on its products led it to develop a voice chat feature for months before it finally rolled it out to users. Additionally, it has a creative advertising strategy, which creates a unique environment that lets users interact with the ad and then make potential purchases.
Roblox Corporation (NYSE:RBLX)’s platforms are also attractive for advertisers since they provide a large user base of young users that are yet to cement their buying preferences. Needham reduced the company’s share price target to $53 from $55 in September 2022, stating that its advertising platform is one of a kind. Insider Monkey’s Q2 2022 895 hedge fund survey saw 26 having held a stake in the company.
Roblox Corporation (NYSE:RBLX)’s largest investor is Jim Simons’ Renaissance Technologies which owns 11.5 million shares that are worth $380 million.
6. Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 26
Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY) is a Japanese multinational platform that designs and sells consumer electronics products and owns video game development platforms. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.
Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY) operates in the hardware side of the virtual reality ecosystem, as it designs and sells the PlayStation PS VR headset. This headset has two modes, 3D and 2D modes. The former lets users view content in HDR resolution at 90Hz or 120Hz, and the latter lets them play games in HDR at 24Hz, 60Hz, and 120Hz.
When compared to some other virtual reality companies that have weak financials, Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY) is an established player that has sold millions of units of its gaming consoles and brings in close to $100 billion in revenue each year. By the end of this year’s second quarter, 26 of the 895 hedge funds surveyed by Insider Monkey had bought the company’s shares.
Out of these, Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY)’s largest investor is Mario Gabelli’s GAMCO Investors which owns 1.7 million shares that are worth $146 million.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META), and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY) is a VR stock you must look at.
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Disclosure: None. 11 Best Virtual Reality Stocks to Buy is originally published on Insider Monkey.
