Chris Lau is an individual investor and economist with 30 years of experience covering life science, technology, and dividend-growth income stocks. He has degrees in Microbiology and Economics. Chris runs the investing group DIY Value Investing where he shares his top stock picks of undervalued stocks with catalysts for upside, dividend-income recommendations with quant and payment calendar tracking, high upside plays, and research requests to help you become a better do-it-yourself investor. Learn more.Top ...

Core Insights - An emerging opportunity in space exploration is attracting investor interest, particularly in companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, although they are not publicly traded. Publicly traded companies are engaged in various projects, including lunar research and satellite networks aimed at enhancing global communications [1] Group 1: Rocket Lab USA - Rocket Lab has positioned itself as a key player in launching small satellites, with its Electron rocket being the second-most frequently used orbital rocket in the U.S. since its test launch in 2017, completing 57 missions, including 15 in 2024 [3] - The company's space systems business generated $220 million in revenue, accounting for 72% of its total gross profit through the first three quarters of 2024 [4] - Rocket Lab plans to debut its Neutron rocket, which has a payload capacity 60 times greater than Electron, with launch costs between $50 million and $55 million, potentially unlocking revenue and profit six times greater than Electron's [6] Group 2: Intuitive Machines - Intuitive Machines achieved a significant milestone with its IM-1 lunar mission, marking the first lunar landing by an American-made spacecraft since 1972 and the first by a commercial spacecraft [7] - Following this success, NASA awarded Intuitive Machines several contracts, including one with a maximum potential value of $4.82 billion over the next 10 years [8] - The upcoming IM-2 mission aims to analyze subsurface materials on the Moon's South Pole, which could provide insights into hydrogen levels, an important indicator of water presence [9] Group 3: AST SpaceMobile - AST SpaceMobile aims to enhance global communication by providing cellular broadband through low-Earth-orbit satellites, targeting regions lacking traditional infrastructure [12] - The company has expanded partnerships with AT&T and Verizon, successfully launching five new satellites in 2024 and planning to launch an additional 60 satellites over the next two years, with a goal of 155 satellites by 2030 [13] - Deutsche Bank analysts project AST SpaceMobile's revenue could reach $50 million by next year, grow to $1.4 billion by 2027, and soar to $5.1 billion by 2030, with expectations of becoming cash-flow-positive by 2027 [15]

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Shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) were falling Thursday. The firm's stock is down 13.5% as of 2:00 p.m. ET, but it had lost as much as 16.4% earlier in the day. The move down came as the S&P 500 gained 0.2% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.2%.Investors were unhappy with AST's proposal of a private offering.Fears of dilutionThe company announced late Wednesday that it intends to offer $400 million in convertible senior notes due by 2032. The space-based broadband and cellular provider needs to raise serious ca ...

A lot of growth is already baked into the satellite maker's shares.AST SpaceMobile's (ASTS -0.62%) stock has surged nearly 360% over the past 12 months. The bulls embraced the producer of low earth orbit (LEO) satellites as it launched its first batch of commercial satellites and secured new contracts.But the five Wall Street analysts who cover AST still believe it could head higher. They all rate the stock as a buy or strong buy, and the most bullish analysts at Deutsche Bank expect it to rally from its cu ...

Shares of satellite designer and manufacturer AST SpaceMobile (ASTS -0.62%) rocketed 250% higher in 2024, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. The space company made significant progress establishing its spaced-based cellular broadband network during the year and inked deals with major telecommunications giants, which sent shares soaring.A banner year for AST SpaceMobileAST SpaceMobile aims to transform global communication by delivering reliable cellular broadband through its low-E ...

Spectrum Agreement and Financing - AST SpaceMobile signed an 80+ year agreement with Ligado Networks for spectrum usage rights, gaining access to up to 40 MHz of L-band mobile satellite spectrum in the US and Canada, plus an additional 5 MHz in the 1670-1675 MHz band in the US [1] - The deal includes $550 million in institutional financing to fund the transaction through a non-recourse senior-secured delayed-draw term loan facility [4] - Ligado will receive 4.7 million penny warrants convertible into AST SpaceMobile Class A shares and $550 million upon closing, plus approximately $80 million annually for spectrum usage rights [3] Strategic Partnerships and Market Impact - AST SpaceMobile partnered with AT&T and Verizon to leverage their customer base and funding for building a global satellite network [5][6] - The AT&T agreement extends until 2030, aiming to integrate space-based direct-to-mobile technology with AT&T's network to enhance connectivity in unreachable areas [5] - Verizon committed $100 million for satellite direct-to-cellular services, boosting ASTS stock price and expanding cellular coverage in the US [6] Technological Advancements and Market Potential - The Ligado deal enables AST SpaceMobile to support up to 10,000 MHz of processing bandwidth per satellite, with data transmission speeds of up to 120 Mbps [2] - The SpaceMobile service is compatible with all major mobile phone brands and delivers broadband connectivity directly to unmodified devices, addressing cellular coverage gaps [9] - The collaboration with carriers and access to premium mid-band spectrum assets positions AST SpaceMobile to bridge the digital divide and expand its global presence [10] Financial Performance - AST SpaceMobile's stock price surged 388.7% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry's 29.5% growth [7]

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS 9.93%) stock is surging in Friday's trading. The space-tech company's share price was up 9.2% as of 2 p.m. ET, while the S&P 500 index and the Nasdaq Composite index were up 1.2% and 1.7%, respectively.AST SpaceMobile stock is gaining ground in conjunction with bullish momentum for the broader market and excitement surrounding SpaceX's scheduled rocket launch tonight. Even though the two companies are competitors, investors are viewing wins for SpaceX as a bullish indicator for the bro ...

Earlier this month I warned you that SpaceX's growing ability to offer direct-to-cell (DTC) communications, connecting calls between ordinary off-the-shelf cellphones through the use of Starlink satellites with no cell towers required, posed a clear and present danger to the business model of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS -4.06%) -- which invented the concept.Less than two weeks later, it's become clear that the danger is even bigger than I at first realized.Investors are realizing this now, too, in the wake of Spa ...

Closing connectivity gaps from space.Scott Wisniewski is president and chief strategy officer of AST SpaceMobile, a satellite company that's trying to bring connectivity literally everywhere -- the desert, the ocean, the air, everywhere. In this podcast, Motley Fool host Ricky Mulvey caught up with Wisniewski to discuss:What universal connectivity actually achieves.The operational challenges of getting something as large as a cell tower onto something as small as a rocket.The developing "land grab" in low-e ...