As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q4. Today, we are looking at design software stocks, starting with Dolby Laboratories (NYSE: DLB).

The demand for rich, interactive 2D, 3D, VR and AR experiences is growing, and while the ubiquitous metaverse might still be more of a buzzword than a real thing, what is real is the demand for the tools to create these experiences, whether they are games, 3D tours or interactive movies.

The 7 design software stocks we track reported a strong Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 3.2% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was in line.

Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 7.3% since the latest earnings results.

Dolby Laboratories (NYSE: DLB)

Known for its iconic "D" logo that appears before countless movies and TV shows, Dolby Laboratories (NYSE: DLB) designs and licenses audio and video technologies that enhance entertainment experiences in movies, TV shows, music, and other media.

Dolby Laboratories reported revenues of $346.7 million, down 2.9% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 4.4%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and full-year EPS guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations.

"With a good start to the fiscal year, we are optimistic about our position in the market and confident in our growth opportunities," said Kevin Yeaman, President and CEO, Dolby Laboratories.

Dolby Laboratories delivered the slowest revenue growth of the whole group. The stock is down 3.1% since reporting and currently trades at $61.10.

Is now the time to buy Dolby Laboratories? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q4: Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK)

Starting with AutoCAD in the 1980s and evolving into a comprehensive design ecosystem, Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) provides software solutions for architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, and entertainment industries to design, simulate, and visualize projects.

Autodesk reported revenues of $1.96 billion, up 19.4% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.1%. The business had an exceptional quarter with an impressive beat of analysts’ billings estimates and EPS guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations.

Although it had a fine quarter compared its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 3.6% since reporting. It currently trades at $225.13.

Is now the time to buy Autodesk? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q4: Unity (NYSE: U)

Powering over half of the world's mobile games and expanding into industries from automotive to architecture, Unity (NYSE: U) provides software tools and services that allow developers to create, run, and monetize interactive 2D and 3D content across multiple platforms.

Unity reported revenues of $503.1 million, up 10.1% year on year, exceeding analysts’ expectations by 2.1%. Still, it was a mixed quarter as it posted EBITDA guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations significantly.

As expected, the stock is down 25.8% since the results and currently trades at $21.58.

Read our full analysis of Unity’s results here.

Cadence Design Systems (NASDAQ: CDNS)

Powering the chips behind everything from smartphones to AI accelerators for over 35 years, Cadence Design Systems (NASDAQ: CDNS) provides essential computational software, hardware, and intellectual property used by engineers to design and verify advanced electronic systems and semiconductors.

Cadence Design Systems reported revenues of $1.44 billion, up 6.2% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1%. It was a strong quarter as it also logged EPS guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a solid beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Cadence Design Systems had the weakest performance against analyst estimates and weakest full-year guidance update among its peers. The stock is flat since reporting and currently trades at $282.31.

Read our full, actionable report on Cadence Design Systems here, it’s free.

Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE)

Originally named after Adobe Creek that ran behind co-founder John Warnock's house, Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE) develops software products used for digital content creation, document management, and marketing solutions across desktop, mobile, and cloud platforms.

Adobe reported revenues of $6.40 billion, up 12% year on year. This print topped analysts’ expectations by 1.9%. Overall, it was a strong quarter as it also recorded an impressive beat of analysts’ billings estimates and EPS guidance for next quarter beating analysts’ expectations.

The stock is down 14.9% since reporting and currently trades at $229.68.

Read our full, actionable report on Adobe here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

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