Here are 1-2 brief analogies for Daktronics:

• Daktronics is like the Otis Elevator of large-scale digital displays and scoreboards, specializing in designing, manufacturing, and servicing complex visual information systems for stadiums, public spaces, and transportation.
• Think of them as the Samsung of stadium jumbotrons and custom outdoor LED displays, focusing on robust, large-format visual solutions for sports, public information, and advertising.

• LED Video Displays: Large-format displays used in sports venues, corporate environments, and public spaces for various video, graphics, and animation content.
• Scoreboards: Electronic scoreboards designed for numerous sports, featuring digit displays, scoring/timing controllers, and statistics software.
• Timing Systems: Specialized equipment for precise timing in sports events, particularly aquatics and track, including touchpads and race start systems.
• Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Dynamic Message Signs: LED displays for road management, mass transit, and aviation applications.
• Specialized Digit and Message Displays: Includes outdoor time and temperature displays, fuel price displays for the petroleum industry, and parking guidance systems.
• Out-of-Home Advertising Displays: Digital billboards and street furniture displays used for public advertising.
• Sound Systems: Audio solutions primarily designed for outdoor sports venues.
• ADFLOW DMS Systems: Indoor networked digital signage solutions tailored for retailers, convenience stores, and other businesses.
• Control Software: Proprietary software platforms such as Venus Control Suite and Show Control for managing and operating Daktronics' display systems.
• Maintenance and Professional Services: Support and upkeep services provided for their range of electronic display, scoreboard, and timing products.

Major Customers of Daktronics (DAKT)

Based on the company description, Daktronics primarily sells its electronic display systems and related products to other companies and organizations. While specific customer names are not provided in the background information, their major customer categories can be identified as:

• Sports and Entertainment Organizations and Venues: This category encompasses professional sports teams, collegiate athletic departments, K-12 schools, municipalities (for park and recreation facilities), and larger entertainment complexes. These customers utilize Daktronics' wide array of scoreboards, video displays (e.g., centerhung, ribbon boards, video walls), timing systems, and sound systems for live events.
• Transportation and Infrastructure Authorities: This includes governmental entities and agencies responsible for managing road networks (e.g., Department of Transportation), mass transit systems, airports, and operators of parking facilities. Daktronics provides them with ITS dynamic message signs and digit/directional displays.
• Commercial and Retail Businesses: This broad category comprises various commercial entities such as general corporations (for corporate office entrance displays, architectural lighting), retailers and convenience stores (for indoor networked solutions like ADFLOW DMS), petroleum companies (for Fuelight digit displays), and outdoor advertising companies (for billboards and street furniture displays).

Ramesh Jayaraman, President & CEO

Ramesh Jayaraman was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Daktronics, effective February 1, 2026. He brings over two decades of global leadership experience across technology-driven industrial sectors, audiovisual, and integrated solutions, as well as global manufacturing and services businesses. His career has spanned across Asia Pacific, Europe, and the United States. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President and Americas Integration Leader for Bosch Home Comfort. During his tenure at Bosch, he held several senior leadership roles across the company's global Energy & Building Technologies portfolio. Earlier in his career, he led the Asia Pacific business for Harman Professional Solutions, served as Managing Director for Ariston Thermo Group's APAC operations, and held various commercial, operational, and strategy roles at Tyco/ADT. He began his career in consulting and business analysis. Jayaraman has a strong track record of driving transformational change and delivering significant organic growth.

Howard Atkins, Acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO) & Chief Transformation Officer

Howard Atkins assumed the role of Acting Chief Financial Officer and Chief Transformation Officer at Daktronics, effective March 5, 2025. He is a seasoned financial executive who currently owns and operates a consulting company that assists businesses in improving operating margins and developing growth strategies. Atkins is a former Chief Financial Officer of Wells Fargo, where he played a key role in successfully leading the bank through the 2008 financial crisis and organizing the acquisition of Wachovia Bank. He has extensive experience as a Board member, having served as a Director of Occidental Petroleum, Ingram Micro, and Express Scripts.

Sheila Anderson, Chief Data and Analytics Officer (CDAO)

Sheila Anderson transitioned to the newly created position of Chief Data and Analytics Officer in October 2024. Prior to this, she served as Daktronics' Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer from September 2012 until March 2025. Anderson joined Daktronics in 2002 as a senior accountant and became Corporate Controller in 2006. Her experience before joining Daktronics includes working in public accounting and consulting businesses in the Minneapolis area, as well as a senior accountant role at Dakota Minnesota and Eastern Railroad. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration.

Brad Wiemann, Executive Vice President

Brad Wiemann serves as an Executive Vice President at Daktronics. He previously held the role of interim President and CEO until January 31, 2026. Wiemann was promoted to Executive Vice President in June 2012 and is responsible for the Commercial and Transportation business units. He joined Daktronics in 1993, initially managing a design group that developed commercial and transportation products. Before joining Daktronics, he worked for Rockwell International Corporation, where he was involved in flight control systems development. Wiemann holds a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering and a Master of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering.

Shawna Hanson, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary

Shawna Hanson is the General Counsel & Corporate Secretary for Daktronics.

Here are the key risks to Daktronics' business:

1. Technological Obsolescence and Intense Competition: Daktronics operates in the electronic display industry, which is characterized by rapid technological advancements and intense competition. The company's diverse product portfolio, including LED video displays, scoreboards, and message displays, relies on current display technologies. A failure to continuously innovate, adapt to emerging technologies, or keep pace with competitors offering superior or more cost-effective solutions could significantly erode Daktronics' market position and profitability.
2. Economic Sensitivity and Discretionary Spending: Many of Daktronics' products, such as large video displays for live events, scoreboards for sports venues, and out-of-home advertising displays, represent significant capital expenditures for its customers. Economic downturns or budget tightening by businesses, educational institutions, municipalities, and sports organizations could lead to reduced or delayed investments in these products across Daktronics' Commercial, Live Events, High School Park and Recreation, Transportation, and International segments, thereby negatively impacting sales and revenue.
3. Supply Chain Disruptions and Raw Material/Component Cost Volatility: As a manufacturer of electronic display systems, Daktronics is reliant on a stable and affordable supply of electronic components, raw materials, and other inputs. Disruptions in the global supply chain, such as those caused by geopolitical events, natural disasters, or increased demand, could lead to shortages, increased costs, and production delays. This volatility could impact Daktronics' ability to manufacture products efficiently, meet customer delivery schedules, and maintain profit margins.

The rise of comprehensive, integrated "Smart Venue" and "Smart City" platforms offered by major technology companies or specialized integrators. These platforms aim to provide holistic management of urban spaces and event venues, bundling various technologies (including displays, IoT sensors, security, connectivity, analytics, and content management) into a single, often cloud-based, subscription-style service. If these platforms gain traction, they could commoditize individual hardware components like Daktronics' displays and control systems, reducing their strategic importance and potentially relegating Daktronics to a lower-margin hardware supplier role within a larger ecosystem controlled by others. This shifts the focus from best-in-class individual components to best-in-class integrated solutions and data analytics.

Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT) operates in several addressable markets for its main products and services. The following provides an overview of the market sizes for these key areas, noting the region for each:

Electronic Display Systems and LED Video Displays

• The global electronic display market size was valued at approximately USD 163.61 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach around USD 226.45 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 3.7% between 2025 and 2034. Another source estimated the global electronic display market at USD 157.8 billion in 2023, projected to reach USD 199.8 billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 3.4% from 2024 to 2030. The Asia Pacific region dominated this market in 2023.
• The global LED display market size reached US$8.96 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to US$10.33 billion in 2025, with a CAGR of 7.2%. Another report valued the global LED display market at around USD 29.86 billion in 2024, with a projection to reach USD 74.67 billion by 2034 at a CAGR of 9.6% between 2025 and 2034.
• Specifically, the global outdoor LED display market size was estimated at USD 8,311.0 million in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 23,381.5 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 15.9% from 2024 to 2030.
• The global direct view LED display market was valued at USD 7.7 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 14.4 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2025 to 2034.

Scoreboards

• The global sports scoreboard market size was valued at USD 865.06 million in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 1,517.63 million by 2032, with a CAGR of 7.33% during the forecast period 2026-2032. Digital scoreboards accounted for the largest market share in 2024. North America held the largest market share in 2024.
• Another estimate for the global game scoreboard market valued it at approximately USD 3.7 billion in 2024, anticipated to reach around USD 7.8 billion by 2033, reflecting a CAGR of 8.2% from 2025 to 2033. North America held the largest share (approximately 38%) in 2024.

Out-of-Home (OOH) Advertising Displays (including Digital Billboards and Message Displays)

• The global out-of-home advertising market size was valued at USD 31.24 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 71.88 billion by 2033, with a CAGR of 9.7% during the forecast period (2026–2033).
• The global digital out of home (DOOH) market was valued at USD 16.22 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 43.8 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 11.67% from 2025 to 2033. The U.S. leads in DOOH spending and installed base.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Dynamic Message Signs

• The global intelligent transportation system (ITS) market was valued at USD 47.2 billion in 2024 and is estimated to register a CAGR of 10.3% between 2025 and 2034, reaching around USD 121.4 billion by 2034. The Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) segment, which includes dynamic message signs, led the market in 2023 with approximately 35% of the revenue share.
• The U.S. intelligent transportation systems market size was valued at around USD 13.2 billion in 2024 and is predicted to grow to around USD 29.0 billion by 2034, with a CAGR of roughly 8.2% between 2025 and 2034. In 2024, the U.S. dominated the North American ITS market with revenue around USD 10.6 billion.
• The global market for Variable Message Signs for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is projected to grow from USD 1.67 billion in 2025 to USD 2.64 billion by 2031, at a 7.93% CAGR.

Sound Systems for Outdoor Sports Venues (part of Live Sound/Professional Audio Equipment)

• The global live sound equipment market size was valued at USD 1.24 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow from USD 1.31 billion in 2025 to USD 1.83 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period.
• The professional audio market was valued at USD 12.50 billion in 2025 and is estimated to grow to USD 17.82 billion by 2031, at a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period (2026-2031). Loudspeakers led with 38.02% revenue share in 2025 within the professional audio market. North America held 33.12% of the professional audio market share in 2025.
• The global loudspeaker market size was estimated at USD 6,524.4 million in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 10,672.0 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% from 2024 to 2030. North America was the largest market in 2023.

Daktronics (DAKT) is expected to drive future revenue growth over the next 2-3 years through several key initiatives and market trends:

1. Strong Order Backlog and Efficient Conversion: The company has demonstrated a robust and growing order backlog, which provides significant revenue visibility for multiple quarters. Management has highlighted efficient conversion of these orders into revenue, with manufacturing teams working to fulfill the increased demand. This strong pipeline of secured projects underpins consistent future revenue.
2. Continued Growth in the Live Events Segment: Daktronics has a strong track record and ongoing success in securing large projects within its Live Events segment. Recent achievements include major installations at five Major League Baseball stadiums and other sports venues, indicating sustained demand and project wins in this area.
3. Expansion within the Transportation Segment: The Transportation segment has experienced record order growth, particularly in intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and airport projects. This increased uptake in critical infrastructure projects, both domestically and internationally, is a significant driver for future revenue.
4. Advancements in Display Technology (Micro-LED): Daktronics has strategically acquired intellectual property and engineering teams from X Display Company (XDC) to accelerate its micro-LED and narrow-pixel capabilities. This focus on developing and integrating advanced display technologies is expected to expand product offerings and addressable markets, driving new revenue streams.
5. Strategic International Market Expansion: While some international markets have experienced varied recovery, Daktronics is actively pursuing and securing significant orders in regions such as the Middle East for stadiums, the United Kingdom for advertising, and Ireland for transportation initiatives. The international segment has shown periods of strong growth, indicating potential for continued expansion.

Share Repurchases

• Daktronics repurchased 547,501 shares for $10.56 million between November 3, 2025, and January 31, 2026.
• As of December 9, 2025, the Board of Directors approved an additional $20 million share repurchase authorization, with $25.7 million remaining available under the program.
• In fiscal year 2025, the company utilized $29.5 million for stock repurchases, acquiring 2.1 million shares at an approximate weighted average cost of $14.23 per share.

Share Issuance

• In fiscal year 2025, Daktronics issued 4.0 million shares for the conversion of a 9.0 percent convertible note payable.
• On September 3, 2025, stockholders approved the Daktronics, Inc. 2025 Stock Incentive Plan, replacing the prior 2020 plan.

Inbound Investments

• OCVIBE announced a $25 million partnership with Daktronics to deploy a fully integrated digital display system across its Anaheim campus.

Capital Expenditures

• Daktronics used $19.5 million for purchases of property and equipment during fiscal year 2025.
• The company is expanding its manufacturing capacity by adding facilities in Mexico and Ireland to enhance flexibility and complement its U.S. product fulfillment.
• In fiscal year 2025, $7.1 million was allocated to strategic and digital transformation initiatives, contributing to an increase in operating expenses that also included investments in IT staffing and sales team expansion.