Daktronics Appoints Ramesh Jayaraman as President and Chief Executive Officer
Rhea-AI Summary
Daktronics (NASDAQ:DAKT) announced that Ramesh Jayaraman will become President and Chief Executive Officer effective February 1, 2026, and will join the board upon approval.
Brad Wiemann will remain Interim President and CEO through the company’s third fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2026. Director and former Chairman, President and CEO Reece Kurtenbach will step down from the board when Jayaraman joins.
Jayaraman brings 25+ years of global operations experience across industrial technology, integration channels, and manufacturing. Daktronics said it will continue a business and digital transformation including tiered product strategy, sales and fulfillment enhancements, and data tools. The company will release Q2 fiscal 2026 results on December 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM CT.
Positive
- CEO effective February 1, 2026
- 25+ years of global operations and integration experience
- Interim continuity with Brad Wiemann through January 31, 2026
- Ongoing transformation: product, sales, fulfillment, data tools
Negative
- Board change: former CEO Reece Kurtenbach will step down from the board
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, DAKT declined 2.55%, reflecting a moderate negative market reaction. Our momentum scanner triggered 8 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $22M from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $851M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
DAKT is up 16.3%, while key peers show modest single-digit moves (e.g., CTS +1.45%, ROG +3.24%, ALNT -0.4%). This suggests stock-specific dynamics rather than a broad sector move.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10 | Earnings results | Positive | +16.3% | Strong Q2 FY2026 growth in sales, margins, orders and backlog. |
| Dec 03 | Leadership change | Positive | -2.5% | Announcement of new CEO effective February 1, 2026. |
| Dec 01 | Earnings date set | Neutral | -2.9% | Scheduling and access details for Q2 FY2026 earnings release. |
| Nov 11 | Investor conference | Neutral | -1.3% | Participation in Craig-Hallum Alpha Select investor conference. |
| Sep 10 | Investor conference | Neutral | +20.4% | Announcement of presentation at Sidoti Small-Cap Investor Conference. |
Recent history shows strong positive alignment on earnings, while other corporate or scheduling news has produced relatively smaller and mixed price reactions.
Over the last six months, Daktronics has combined investor outreach, earnings strength and leadership changes. Conference appearances in September and November 2025 were followed by moderate moves, while the Sidoti conference on September 17, 2025 coincided with a 20.37% gain. The Q2 FY2026 earnings release on December 10, 2025 showed higher sales, margins and backlog, with a 16.3% move. The CEO appointment on December 3, 2025 previously saw a modest -2.55% reaction, contrasting with stronger responses to financial results.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement introduces a new CEO with 25+ years of global operations experience and sets a clear transition timeline through January 31, 2026. It comes alongside an ongoing business and digital transformation, including tiered product strategy and enhancements in sales, fulfillment, and data tools. Investors may monitor upcoming Q2 FY2026 results on December 10, 2025 at 10:00 AM CT and subsequent updates for evidence of how the new leadership advances these initiatives.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
BROOKINGS, S.D., Dec. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Daktronics, Inc. (“Daktronics,” the “Company,” “we” or “us”) (NASDAQ-DAKT), the leading U.S.-based designer and manufacturer of best-in-class dynamic video communication displays and control systems for customers worldwide, today announced the appointment of Ramesh Jayaraman as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective February 1, 2026.
Upon approval by the Board of Directors, Mr. Jayaraman will also become a director of the Company, at which time Director and former Chairman, President and CEO Reece Kurtenbach will step down from the Board. Brad Wiemann will continue to serve as Interim President and CEO through the Company’s third fiscal quarter, which ends January 31, 2026.
Mr. Jayaraman brings over 25 years of global operations experience to Daktronics, with a strong track record of driving transformational change, delivering significant organic growth and successfully building high-performing, solution-oriented teams. He most recently served as Senior Vice President and Americas Integration Leader for Bosch Home Comfort. Throughout his career, he has led large-scale businesses and global teams through periods of major strategic shifts, enhancing financial and operational performance while leading enterprise-wide value creation initiatives. His career has spanned across technology-driven industrial sectors, integrated solutions and global manufacturing and services businesses.
During his tenure at Bosch, Mr. Jayaraman held several senior leadership roles across the company’s global Energy & Building Technologies portfolio, driving major strategic initiatives across business units. 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 a series of commercial, operational, and strategy roles at Tyco/ADT across the U.S., China, India, and broader Asia Pacific. He began his career in consulting and business analysis before moving into operational leadership. He holds an MBA from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering.
Daktronics Chairman Andrew D. Siegel said, “Ramesh has extensive experience across international markets, in building large and effective system integrator channels and in accelerating growth. We believe this diversified history of leading significant change at large-scale industrial technology organizations is the right leadership profile as our transformation gains steam.”
Commenting on his new role, Mr. Jayaraman added, “I am humbled and excited by the opportunity to lead Daktronics into its next chapter of growth and evolution. I’ve been well aware of Daktronics since my time at Harman International as a world-class business that sets the industry standard through the breadth and quality of its offerings, its exceptional customer service and its product innovation and manufacturing excellence. I look forward to building on these strengths and working alongside our team to position Daktronics for long-term success.”
Daktronics continues to execute its business and digital transformation to drive profitable growth and reduce costs. This includes implementing a tiered product strategy and enhancing key areas such as sales, fulfillment and support capabilities, corporate and performance management, and data and business intelligence tools.
Daktronics will release its second quarter fiscal 2026 financial results on Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 10:00AM CT. For more information, visit: https://investor.daktronics.com
ABOUT DAKTRONICS
Daktronics has strong leadership positions in, and is the world’s largest supplier of, large-screen video displays, electronic scoreboards, LED text and graphics displays, and related control systems. The Company excels in the control of display systems, including those that require integration of multiple complex displays showing real-time information, graphics, animation, and video. Daktronics designs, manufactures, markets and services display systems for customers around the world in four domestic business units: Live Events, Commercial, High School Park and Recreation, and Transportation, and one International business unit. For more information, visit the Company's website at: www.daktronics.com.
SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT
Cautionary Notice: In addition to statements of historical fact, this news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws and is intended to receive the protections of such laws.
All statements, other than historical facts, included or incorporated in this release could be deemed forward-looking statements, particularly statements that reflect the expectations or beliefs of Daktronics, Inc. (the “Company,” “Daktronics,” “we,” or “us”) concerning future events or our future financial performance. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are often characterized by discussions of strategy, plans, or intentions or by the use of words such as "may," "would," "could," "should," "will," "expect," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "intend," "plan," "forecast," "project," "predict," "potential," "continue," or "intend," the negative or other variants of such terms, or other comparable terminology. The Company cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, changes in economic and market conditions, management of growth, timing and magnitude of future contracts and orders, fluctuations in margins, the introduction of new products and technology, the impact of adverse weather conditions, increased regulation, the imposition of tariffs, trade wars, the availability and costs of raw materials, components, and shipping services, geopolitical and governmental actions, and other risks described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its 2025 fiscal year (the “Form 10-K”) and in other reports filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") by the Company. You should carefully consider the trends, risks, and uncertainties described in this press release, the Form 10-K, and other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Company before making any investment decision with respect to our securities. If any of these trends, risks, or uncertainties continues or occurs, our business, financial condition, or operating results could be materially and adversely affected, the trading prices of our securities could decline, and you could lose part or all of your investment.
Forward-looking statements are made in the context of information available as of the date of this news release and are based on our current expectations, forecasts, estimates, and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise such statements to reflect circumstances or events occurring after this press release except as may be required by applicable law. All forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
INVESTOR RELATIONS
Howard I. Atkins, Acting Chief Financial Officer
Tel (605) 692-0200
Investor@daktronics.com
Alliance Advisors IR
Carolyn Capaccio / Jody Burfening
DAKTIRTeam@allianceadvisors.com
MEDIA:
Gagnier Communications
Dan Gagnier / Lindsay Barber
Daktronics@gagnierfc.com
FAQ
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