Sectors & IndustriesCommunication Services

Best Communication Service Stocks to Buy Now (2026)

Top communication service stocks in 2026 ranked by overall Due Diligence Score. See the best communication service stocks to buy now, according to analyst forecasts for the communication services sector.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best communication stocks to buy right now are:

Nexxen International (NASDAQ:NEXN) is the #1 top communication service stock out of 241 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +28.5% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Nexxen International (NASDAQ:NEXN) is: Value: B, Growth: B, Momentum: C, Sentiment: B, Safety: B, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Nexxen International (NASDAQ:NEXN) has a Due Diligence Score of 40, which is 12 points higher than the communication service sector average of 28. It passed 12 out of 33 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Nexxen International has seen its stock return 6.55% over the past year, overperforming other communication service stocks by 59 percentage points.

Nexxen International has an average 1 year price target of $13.00, an upside of 45.25% from Nexxen International's current stock price of $8.95.

Nexxen International stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 8 analysts covering Nexxen International, 37.5% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 62.5% have issued a Buy, 0% have issued a Hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Cinemark Holdings (NYSE:CNK) is the #2 top communication service stock out of 241 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +28.5% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Cinemark Holdings (NYSE:CNK) is: Value: B, Growth: B, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: B, and AI: C.

Cinemark Holdings (NYSE:CNK) has a Due Diligence Score of 27, which is -1 points lower than the communication service sector average of 28. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates CNK as a "A".It passed 11 out of 38 due diligence checks and has average fundamentals. Cinemark Holdings has seen its stock return 36.84% over the past year, overperforming other communication service stocks by 90 percentage points.

Cinemark Holdings has an average 1 year price target of $37.90, an upside of 4.12% from Cinemark Holdings's current stock price of $36.40.

Cinemark Holdings stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 10 analysts covering Cinemark Holdings, 10% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 30% have issued a Buy, 60% have issued a Hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Meridian Holdings (NASDAQ:MRDN) is the #3 top communication service stock out of 241 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +28.5% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Meridian Holdings (NASDAQ:MRDN) is: Value: B, Growth: A, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: B, and AI: D.

Meridian Holdings (NASDAQ:MRDN) has a Due Diligence Score of 16, which is -12 points lower than the communication service sector average of 28. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates MRDN as a "A".It passed 5 out of 33 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Meridian Holdings has seen its stock lose -7.58% over the past year, overperforming other communication service stocks by 45 percentage points.

Out of 57 communication service stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 communication service stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Shutterstock (NYSE:SSTK) has an annual dividend yield of 24.14%, which is 19 percentage points higher than the communication service sector average of 4.72%. Shutterstock's dividend payout is not stable, having dropped more than 10% one times in the last 10 years. Shutterstock's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Shutterstock's dividend payout ratio of -24.3% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Townsquare Media (NYSE:TSQ) has an annual dividend yield of 18.6%, which is 14 percentage points higher than the communication service sector average of 4.72%. Townsquare Media's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Townsquare Media's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Townsquare Media's dividend payout ratio of -27.9% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Liberty Capital (NASDAQ:GLIBA) has an annual dividend yield of 14.34%, which is 10 percentage points higher than the communication service sector average of 4.72%.

Liberty Capital's dividend payout ratio of -25.6% indicates that its high dividend yield might not be sustainable for the long-term.

Communication service stocks were down -0.38% in the last day, and up 0.67% over the last week. Cable One was the among the top losers in the communication services sector, dropping -27.57% yesterday.

Cable One shares are trading lower after lender CoBank ACB filed a lawsuit Friday seeking to block the company’s acquisition of a 55% stake in Mega Broadband Investments from private equity firm GTCR.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued communication service stocks right now are:

Yelp (NYSE:YELP) is the most undervalued communication service stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Yelp has a valuation score of 43, which is 18 points higher than the communication service sector average of 25. It passed 3 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Yelp's stock has dropped -40.38% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the communication service sector by 12 percentage points.

Doubledown Interactive Co (NASDAQ:DDI) is the second most undervalued communication service stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Doubledown Interactive Co has a valuation score of 71, which is 46 points higher than the communication service sector average of 25. It passed 5 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Doubledown Interactive Co's stock has gained 52.34% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the communication service sector by 105 percentage points.

Criteo Sa (NASDAQ:CRTO) is the third most undervalued communication service stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Criteo Sa has a valuation score of 71, which is 46 points higher than the communication service sector average of 25. It passed 5 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Criteo Sa's stock has dropped -24.05% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the communication service sector by 29 percentage points.

39.39% of communication service stocks rated by analysts are a strong buy right now. On average, analysts expect communication service stocks to rise by 27.82% over the next year.

4.19% of communication service stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 15.57% of communication service stocks are rated B (Buy), 61.08% are rated C (Hold), 15.57% are rated D (Sell), and 3.59% are rated F (Strong Sell).