3 Robotics Stocks That Could Benefit From U.S. Manufacturing Boom

Key Points

• With the Trump administration's efforts to stimulate domestic manufacturing through tariffs, robotics firms offering tools to automate production may be in demand.
• Aeva specializes in sensing and perception technologies, while Zebra focuses on identification and data capture solutions, both with broad applications across the manufacturing sector.
• FANUC's products may face headwinds due to tariffs, but they have become widespread—American firms may see them as worth the extra cost for the manufacturing benefits they provide.

With the latest round of tariffs from the Trump administration in early April 2025, investors and business owners alike are reckoning with the idea that the policy is encouraging a repatriation of manufacturing to the U.S. Should American firms that engage other countries to complete crucial manufacturing work offshore instead decide to build up manufacturing infrastructure domestically in order to avoid dealing with high tariffs on global imports, there will undoubtedly be a surge in demand for technologies and tools that make automation more readily achievable.

A number of robotics companies—centered both within the U.S. and abroad—provide software and products that could be crucially important for new U.S.-based manufacturing operations across a host of industries. These companies include Aeva Technologies Inc. NYSE: AEVA, Zebra Technologies Corp. NASDAQ: ZBRA, and FANUC Corp. OTCMKTS: FANUY.

Aeva’s 4D LiDAR Drives 116% Revenue Growth and Expands Automotive Dominance

Aeva develops sensing and perception technology, including LiDAR (light detection and ranging) tools, for applications in the automotive, electronics, and consumer health industries, among others. It has already achieved an increasingly dominant position among passenger vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), including a new deal with a global top 10 company to develop its next-generation vehicle platform, announced in March 2025.

Aeva's revenue growth has been impressive as well—for the last quarter of 2024, it posted 69% year-over-year (YOY) revenue gains, and for the full year 2024, revenue increased by more than 116% YOY. The company's revenue gains have been driven in part by its advancements in 4D LiDAR technology, including the first-ever behind-windshield integration of one of these systems.

Aeva's technology has most often been used for cutting-edge vehicle designs, though it is possible that it could be redirected for vehicle builds at multiple design levels should manufacturing demand in the U.S. pick up. Regardless, even without a boost from increased manufacturing, Aeva has made a compelling case for its role in the development of sensing technology going forward.

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Zebra Drives Manufacturing Growth with RFID and Printing Solutions

Zebra's automatic identification and data capture solutions have become indispensable to various industries. The company's products include printers for various labels, tickets, receipts, plastic cards, and personal identification materials, as well as radio frequency identification device (RFID) printers and related tools. The products made possible by Zebra's offerings have applications throughout manufacturing and could see a surge in demand if production levels rise in the U.S.

One recent example of the broad applicability of Zebra's mobile computing and asset visibility tools is the company's partnership with Merck NASDAQ: MRK to produce a handheld reader combined with a product trust solution to verify product authenticity.

Zebra shares fell by about 27% in the year leading to Apr. 8, 2025, bringing the company's price-to-sales ratio to a compelling 2.3. Analysts have set a consensus price target for ZBRA shares of $374.09, nearly 73% above the current level.

FANUC: A Key Player in Factory Automation With Strong Demand for Robotics and Control Equipment

Japanese firm FANUC builds factory automation products, including an open platform widely used across the manufacturing industry. Though the company's revenue has shrunk year over year in recent quarters, strong demand in its factory automation business—responsible for selling control equipment for manufacturing applications, among other things—may be able to turn around top-line performance this year.

The company’s robodrills have become essential for a wide range of milling, drilling, and tapping needs in manufacturing. Demand for these products has grown internationally, and FANUC has increased its exports in response. While U.S. tariffs could present a headwind, the nature of these tools—purchased infrequently and in smaller quantities to support long-term manufacturing operations—means many U.S. manufacturers may still view them as cost-effective, even if prices rise.

FANUC ADRs, available over the counter, had been swinging up and down for most of the last year, although the early April tariff woes in the market sent them plunging. This could present a buying opportunity for investors optimistic that the company's products may still serve an important function if the U.S. increases its own manufacturing capacity going forward. FANUC's fairly attractive price-to-sales ratio of 4.0 sets it apart from some other robotics stocks in terms of its value prospects.