3 Wireless Stocks Set to Benefit From Industry Tailwinds

The Zacks Wireless Equipment industry is poised to capitalize on the healthy demand trends, driven by the rapid deployment of 5G and the transition to cloud and fiber networks. However, large-scale investments for seamless 5G evolution, margin erosion from price wars, higher customer inventory levels and inflated raw material costs owing to geopolitical conflicts, a challenging macroeconomic environment and uncertain business conditions might erode profitability.

Amid this backdrop, Ubiquiti Inc. UI, InterDigital Inc. IDCC and Unusual Machines, Inc. UMAC are likely to profit from a vast proliferation of IoT, increased fiber densification and evolution to superfast cloud services and 5G technology.

Industry Description

The Zacks Wireless Equipment industry primarily comprises companies providing various networking solutions, wireless telecom products and related services for wireless voice and data communications through scalable modular platforms. Their product portfolio encompasses integrated circuit devices (chips) and system software for wireless voice and data communications, analog and digital two-way radio, satellite telecommunications, wireless networking and signal processing and end-to-end enterprise mobility solutions. The firms also provide a broad range of routing, switching and security products, video surveillance and machine-to-machine communication components that secure VPN appliances, enable intrusion detection and thwart data theft. Some firms even provide electronic warfare, avionics, robotics, advanced communications and maritime systems to the defense industry.

What’s Shaping the Future of the Wireless Equipment Industry?

Resource Optimization: A faster pace of 5G deployment is expected to augment the telecommunications industry’s scalability, security and universal mobility and propel the wide proliferation of IoT. Expansion of fiber optic networks to support 4G LTE and 5G wireless standards, as well as wireline connections, is likely to act as a tailwind. The industry participants are enabling their customers to move away from an economy-of-scale network operating model to demand-driven operations and seamlessly migrate to 5G by offering easy programmability and flexible automation through steady infrastructure investments. The exponential growth of cloud networking solutions is further resulting in increased storage and computing on a virtual plane. As both consumers and enterprises use the network, there is tremendous demand for quality networking equipment.

Integrated Service Offerings: The majority of the industry participants offer mission-critical communication infrastructure, devices, accessories, software and services that enable their customers to run businesses with increased efficiency and safety for their mobile workforce. These systems drive demand for additional device sales, software upgrades, infrastructure overhaul and expansion, as well as additional services to maintain, monitor and manage these complex networks and solutions. The comprehensive suite of services ensures continuity and reduces risks for constant critical communication operations.

Depleting Profits: Although higher infrastructure investments will eventually help minimize service delivery costs to support broadband competition and wireless densification, short-term profitability has largely been compromised. Margins are likely to be affected by the high cost of first-generation 5G products, the Middle East war and volatility in crude oil prices. Uncertainty regarding chip shortages (albeit to a lesser extent) and supply-chain disruptions, shipping delays and scarcity of other raw materials due to geopolitical unrest are expected to affect the expansion and rollout of new broadband networks. Extended lead times for basic components might also hurt the delivery schedule and raise production costs. High customer inventory levels, owing to a challenging macroeconomic environment and volatile market conditions, pose another headwind for the companies.

Network Convergence: With operators moving toward converged or multi-use network structures, combining voice, video and data communications into a single network, the industry is increasingly developing solutions to support wireline and wireless network convergence. These investments are likely to help minimize service delivery costs to adequately support broadband competition and expand rural coverage and wireless densification in the long run. The industry players have enabled enterprises to rapidly scale communications functionalities to a vast range of applications and devices with easy-to-use software application programming interfaces. The firms support high user volumes without affecting deliverability and cost-effectively eliminate performance degradation.