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IMAX is performing well with record metrics in all dimensions and the scalable asset lighting model is generating recurring revenue from expanding screen counts worldwide.
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An analyst named NVIDIA just named his top 10 AI stocks in 2010. Get it for free here.
Premium consumer experience brands do not sell goods. They sell the feeling of fine dining, concert-quality living room, or a cinematic experience that you can’t create at home. When these companies execute, customers don’t just buy once. They come back, rise, and preach. The question is, which of these three brands does it best now?
Here’s how Sonos (NASDAQ: SONOSharkNinja (NYSE: SN), and IMAX (NYSE: IMAX) stack up, ranking from #3 to #1.
Sonos is one of the most exciting comeback stories in consumer electronics right now, but it’s still a work in progress. The company’s 1 FY2026 results were truly amazing: Adjusted EBITDA reached $132.14 million, up 45% year-over-year, and the CFO noted that only Q1 generated more profit than FY2025. Gross margin expanded to 46.5% YoY and 43% YoY to 46.5% YoY. Expenses fell sharply from $193.31 million to $153.04 million.
New CEO Tom Conrad is hitting a difficult needle: cutting costs while rebuilding product credibility after a disastrous app redesign.
READ: The analyst named NVIDIA in 2010 Just naming his top 10 AI stocks
“Fiscal 2026 is a great start for Sonos as we progress toward a return to growth. We are focused on consistent execution across the growth dimensions that matter, from product and software to marketing and global expansion.”
Revenue continues to decline. Revenue came in at $545.66 million, down 0.9% year-over-year, and full-year 2025 revenue fell 4.93% to $1.443 billion. The stock is down about 19% for the year to March 10, 2026, even after a strong earnings beat. The analyst consensus sits at a price target of $19.38, suggesting upside from current levels, but the market wants to see earnings growth before getting excited. Look for Amp’s multi-launch and geographic expansion as key proof points.
Shark Ninja plays another game. With net sales of $6.4 billion in 2025, up 15.7% year-over-year, this is a company that has turned kitchen and home appliances into a growth category that many investors didn’t expect. The Q4 print was strong: Net income nearly doubled year-over-year to $255.21 million, and beauty and home appliances increased 63.2%, driven by fans, air purifiers, and a new face mask product line.
CEO Mark Barukas captured the moment:
“Shark Ninja delivered exceptional fourth quarter results, capping our strong year to date with 17.6% net sales growth and significant momentum across our entire portfolio.”
The company announced an inaugural $750 million share repurchase program, supported by a record cash position of $777.3 million. For 2026, management guided for 10-11% net sales growth and adjusted EPS of $5.90 to $6.00. The stock trades at about 27x trailing earnings with a consensus analyst target of $149.74. The main risk is tariffs. Shark Ninja’s supply chain is largely global, and any increase could compress margins quickly. Analysts and investors will be watching how management handles this risk through 2026.
IMAX posted records in virtually every metric in 2025 while guiding for more in 2026. Adjusted EBITDA came in at $184.94 million at a 45.1% margin, expanding 570 basis points. Free cash flow increased 187% to $85.15 million.
Only Q4 showed operating profit in this model: revenue rose 35.1% year-over-year to $125.21 million, and adjusted EPS of $0.58 beat estimates of $0.46 by more than 26%. Both JPMorgan and Benchmark raised their price targets after the print, and the consensus analyst target sits at $45 with 10 buy ratings and zero sells.
CEO Rich Gilfond explained why 2026 could be even bigger:
“Our slate for 2026 is arguably the strongest we’ve ever seen, with at least 12 films filmed for IMAX worldwide; a highly anticipated offering of family films at a time when we’re growing market share with family audiences; and more international blockbusters than ever before.”
The 2026 content slate includes Christopher Nolan the odyssey, Donne: Part III, Mandalorian and Grogoand Greta Gerwigs Narnia. IMAX is targeting $1.4 billion at the global box office by 2026. The real story is an asset-light model: IMAX doesn’t build theaters, it licenses the technology and splits the box office revenue. Each new screen adds recurring revenue with minimal investment cost. With 1,796 business locations and a reachable market of nearly 4,500 zones worldwide, the runway is long.
All three companies delivered impressive results. Sonos posted significant profitable growth but faced revenue headwinds. Shark Ninja reported record net sales and announced a $750M acquisition supported by a strong cash position. IMAX posted record financials in virtually every metric in 2025 and guides for further growth in 2026, supported by an expanded content slate and asset-light model. Of the three, I’m putting my money behind IMAX.
Wall Street is pouring billions into AI, but many investors are buying the wrong stocks. The analyst who first identified NVIDIA as a buyback in 2010 — before its 28,000% run — has identified just 10 new AI companies that he believes can deliver returns beyond that point. One dominates the $100 billion equipment market. Bill addresses the single biggest obstacle to maintaining AI data centers. The third segment is a net play in the optical network market that is quadrupling. Most investors haven’t heard of half of these names. Get a free list of all 10 stocks here.
