4 Stocks to Capitalize on the Booming Virtual Reality Market

Virtual reality (VR) technologies some time back were hailed to be the next big thing. Regrettably, VR technologies failed to live up to expectations mostly due to pricey headsets and a dearth of quality content. But the companies that stuck with VR despite the odds over the last couple of years have certainly benefitted and are also well-poised to gain in the near term.

After all, the adaptation of automation in the consumer sector in recent times is expected to boost the VR market. Retailers can easily reduce crowding at shopping malls by deploying VR technologies, particularly at the time of coronavirus, and simultaneously provide customers the feel of shopping at an outlet without visiting the store.

The coronavirus pandemic, by the way, has completely altered the way businesses function, leading to more adaptation of remote work. And even if the outbreak subsides, the remote working trend is expected to outlast the health crisis. VR technologies, in fact, make it a lot easier to conduct remotely managed professional training programs.

Nonetheless, from gaming, education and industrial production to even fashion, nearly all industries in the market can benefit from VR technologies. Talking about the gaming industry in particular, the usage of VR head-mounted displays (HMD) is certainly giving customers a unique and satisfying experience. Interestingly, the demand for VR HMDs is on the rise in the healthcare sector amid the coronavirus pandemic to meet remote healthcare requirements.

The airline industry also uses VR technologies extensively. In order to ensure safety protocols, VR technologies are used to inspect planes before take-offs. Additionally, the application of VR technologies in various electronic devices has made watching movies and playing games pretty exciting.

Thus, the VR market is at present expected to expand by leaps and bounds. The VR market, as quoted in a marketsandmarkets article, is projected to expand at a CAGR of 27.9% from last year to 2025. It is expected to touch $20.9 billion by 2025.

Similarly, an analysis by Emergen Research, as mentioned in one of the globenewswire articles, showed that the VR market is anticipated to reach $43.01 billion in 2028, at a steady CAGR of 27.5%. According to Emergen Research, integration of 5G with VR should sooner or later fuel growth in the global VR market. This is because VR technologies can seamlessly function as 5G provides a faster Internet connection with low latency.

Hence, let us keep an eye on four solid stocks that are gaining from this cutting-edge technology.

Facebook, Inc. FB is the world’s largest social media platform. Its Oculus Quest 2, the all-in-one VR headset, has been welcomed by consumers. Oculus has driven Facebook’s revenues in recent times. Facebook currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up 17.4% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 30.6%.

Apple Inc. AAPL designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, and accessories worldwide. Apple for quite some time has shown keen interest in VR headset business. It had acquired VR startup Spaces as well as a VR events company known as NextVR. Apple currently has a Zacks Rank #2. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up 15.1% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 57.6%.

QUALCOMM Incorporated QCOM designs, manufactures and markets digital wireless telecom products and services. Qualcomm is known for manufacturing the key components needed in VR headsets. It’s Snapdragon XR2 chipset platform is used in VR headsets. Qualcomm currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up 6.6% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 85.9%.

NVIDIA Corporation NVDA is the worldwide leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of the graphic processing unit, or GPU. Nvidia’s realistic graphics are no doubt required for a VR experience, making it an excellent VR investment. Nvidia currently has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current-year earnings has moved up 18.5% over the past 60 days. The company’s expected earnings growth rate for the current year is 58.4%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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