We recently published 10 Stocks Already Shocking 2026 With Massive Gains. AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) was one of the top performers last week. AST SpaceMobile jumped by 16.01 percent week-on-week, with investor optimism primarily driven by its new BlueBird 7 satellite hype. Early last week, AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) announced that its BlueBird 7 has officially arrived in Florida, a few days after the successful takeoff of its BlueBird 6 into low orbit. Why Planet Labs PBC (PL) Is Decli ...

In this articleSATSVSATPLONDSATROCharlie ErgenKarl Gehring | Dever Post | Getty ImagesWall Street grew increasingly obsessed with the artificial intelligence boom this year, pouring money into chips, data centers and applications. But investors looking beyond Silicon Valley found outsized returns in another location: Space. Some of the year's biggest market winners were defense companies that benefited from renewed interest in space exploration and military reindustrialization. President Donald Trump's mili ...

Market Overview - All three major indices are in the red, with the Dow and Nasdaq down about one-tenth of a percent, while the S&P 500 remains mostly flat [1] - Over the past five days, the S&P 500 has seen a gain of about 0.4%, with expectations for a 1.3% gain to confirm a Santa Claus rally [1] - Commodities show mixed results, with gold reversing a selloff and silver experiencing its largest drop in five years before gaining momentum [1] Federal Reserve Insights - The Federal Reserve's December meeting minutes reveal a split among officials regarding rate cuts, with some favoring cuts due to job market concerns while others prefer to hold rates steady due to inflation worries [2][4] - Fed officials expect inflation to remain somewhat elevated in the near term, with concerns about tariffs potentially impacting consumer prices [3] - The job market is anticipated to stabilize, but uncertainty remains due to delays in official government data [4] Investment Strategies for 2026 - Optimism for 2026 is driven by anticipated stimulus, rate cuts, and strong profit momentum, suggesting a continued bull market [10][11] - Financials and consumer discretionary sectors are viewed as attractive due to expected economic stability and deal-making activity [21] - International investments are recommended as U.S. investors may have underweighted this area, with potential benefits from a weaker dollar and fiscal reforms in Europe and Japan [20] Oracle's Position - Oracle's stock has dropped approximately 30% this quarter, facing risks related to its partnership with OpenAI, which is reportedly losing around $12 billion a quarter [25][27] - Concerns about Oracle's earnings growth stem from nonrecurring items, with core operating income growing at a respectable 12-15% [29] - Oracle's credit spreads are widening due to increased capital expenditures, raising concerns about its financial health [31] AI and Technology Sector - The AI sector remains a focal point, with companies like Nvidia in advanced talks to acquire AI startup AI21 Labs for up to $3 billion [49] - The AI trade has slowed, but the overall market has held steady, indicating resilience beyond tech stocks [10] - Concerns about AI valuations being too high are prevalent, but the market is expected to continue benefiting from profit growth [15] Space Sector Developments - The space sector is evolving beyond launches to focus on data, connectivity, and infrastructure, with companies like Planet Labs leveraging AI for data analysis [39] - Global Star is enhancing connectivity through satellite technology, partnering with Apple for improved services [42] - Intuitive Machines is positioned for growth with upcoming projects related to lunar exploration and satellite manufacturing [45][47]

Core Insights - Retail investors have shown significant interest in five stocks this week, driven by retail hype, AI developments, and corporate news [1] Group 1: AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) - AST SpaceMobile made headlines with the successful launch of its BlueBird 6 satellite, which is the largest commercial communications array in low Earth orbit, providing 10 times the capacity of previous satellites for direct-to-smartphone 4G/5G broadband [5] - The stock is trading around $78 to $80 per share, with a 52-week range of $17.51 to $102.79, reflecting a year-to-date increase of 260.67% and a 216.25% rise over the year [6] Group 2: Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. (NASDAQ:DJT) - DJT experienced volatility following its $6 billion all-stock merger announcement with TAE Technologies, with concerns raised by ethics watchdogs regarding the deal [6] - The company stated it did not make new Bitcoin purchases, countering on-chain data suggesting over $40 million in BTC acquisitions, leading to panic among some retail investors [6] Group 3: Nike Inc. (NYSE:NKE) - Nike's stock is trading around $14 to $15 per share, down 57.94% year-to-date and 61.36% over the year, with a 52-week range of $10.18 to $43.45 [11] - The stock remains under pressure due to concerns over China's economic weakness and margin compression, but a significant purchase by Apple CEO Tim Cook sparked renewed interest among retail investors [11] Group 4: Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA) - Nvidia's shares are trading around $188 to $190 per share, with a 52-week range of $86.63 to $212.19, reflecting a year-to-date increase of 36.37% and a 34.79% rise over the year [18] - Positive sentiment was boosted by the announcement of plans to ship advanced H200 AI chips to China and a major licensing deal with AI startup Groq [17] Group 5: Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) - Tesla's stock is trading around $485 to $486 per share, with a 52-week range of $214.25 to $498.82, showing a year-to-date increase of 27.98% and a 6.89% rise over the year [20] - The stock is buoyed by momentum from the reinstatement of Elon Musk's pay package and positive developments in AI testing, although some investors remain skeptical about the company's growth prospects [18]

Group 1 - AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) has seen a significant increase in stock price, rising 14.03% to $86.48, driven by investor optimism regarding the upcoming launch of its next-generation satellite [1][3] - The Indian Space Research Organisation has scheduled the launch of AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 6 satellite for December 24 at 10:24 PM EST, after two previous rescheduling attempts [2] - The BlueBird 6 satellite represents a major advancement, featuring the largest commercial phased array in low Earth orbit at nearly 2,400 square feet, which is almost four times larger than previous generations and supports ten times the data capacity [3] Group 2 - The December 24 launch aims to provide widespread cellular broadband coverage directly to mobile phones from space [4] - AST SpaceMobile plans to increase production of its BlueBird 6 satellites, with manufacturing expansions planned in Florida and Texas [4]

AST SpaceMobile, which has inked agreements with more than 50 mobile network operators, is set to launch its next-generation satellites on Tuesday. ...

Core Insights - AST SpaceMobile, Inc. is set to launch its advanced communications satellite, BlueBird 6, on December 21, 2025, delayed from the original date of December 15 due to undisclosed reasons. This satellite aims to provide high-speed mobile Internet directly to smartphones without the need for special equipment [1][8]. Satellite Technology and Production - BlueBird 6 features the largest commercial phased-array antenna in low Earth orbit, measuring nearly 2,400 square feet, which is 3.5 times larger than previous models and capable of delivering 10 times more data capacity [2][8]. - The company plans to accelerate satellite production, targeting the launch of 45-60 satellites by the end of 2026 to ensure continuous mobile coverage across the U.S. and select markets. Partnerships with major telecom companies like Rakuten, AT&T, and Verizon are established to facilitate customer access to its technology [3][4]. Competitive Landscape - AST SpaceMobile faces competition from Viasat, Inc. and Iridium Communications Inc. Iridium is expanding its satellite network and services for IoT and critical infrastructure, while Viasat has launched the ViaSat-3 F2 satellite to enhance network capacity and provide improved Internet services [5][6]. Financial Performance and Valuation - AST SpaceMobile's stock has increased by 186.6% over the past year, significantly outperforming the industry growth of 21.1% [7]. - The company currently trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 95.11, which is considerably higher than the industry average [9]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AST SpaceMobile's losses has declined, with a projected loss of $1.06 for 2025 and $0.74 for 2026, reflecting a decrease of 8.16% and 8.8% respectively over the past 60 days [10][11].

Core Viewpoint - Satellite concept stocks have shown strong performance in early trading, with notable increases in share prices for companies such as Zhenlei Technology, Aerospace Electronics, and China Satellite, indicating a positive market sentiment towards the satellite industry [1] Group 1: Stock Performance - Zhenlei Technology's stock rose over 7% [1] - Aerospace Electronics' stock increased by more than 5% [1] - China Satellite's stock saw an increase of over 3% [1] - Satellite-related ETFs experienced a rise of over 2% [1] Group 2: Market Analysis - Analysts suggest that China is at a pivotal moment similar to SpaceX's network development phase from 2018 to 2020 [2] - The G60 Qianfan and GW National Grid are entering a period of intensive launches, indicating a shift in satellite manufacturing from custom lab designs to mass production akin to automotive assembly lines [2] - Companies providing standardized power, communication, and attitude control systems are expected to realize performance gains first [2]

Spire Global (NYSE:SPIR) Q3 2025 Earnings Call December 17, 2025 08:30 AM ET Company ParticipantsAndrew Steinhardt - Equity Research Senior AssociateAlison Engel - CFOTheresa Condor - CEOChris Quilty - Co-CEO and PresidentBen Hackman - Head of Investor RelationsConference Call ParticipantsJeff Van Rhee - Senior Research AnalystErik Rasmussen - VP and Senior Equity Research AnalystOperatorGreetings and welcome to the Spire Global third quarter 2025 results call. At this time, all participants are in a listen ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - GAAP revenue for Q3 2025 was $12.7 million, a decline year-over-year primarily due to the absence of approximately $11.5 million of maritime revenue from Q3 2024 [19] - Non-GAAP operating loss for Q3 2025 was -$13.9 million compared to -$6.1 million in Q3 2024, with adjusted EBITDA at -$11.8 million versus -$3.1 million a year ago [21][22] - The company ended Q3 2025 with $96.8 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities, utilizing $20.4 million of free cash flow during the quarter [22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company experienced triple-digit growth in commercial and government contracts, particularly in weather and security sectors [5] - The satellite manufacturing throughput doubled per year while maintaining flat headcount, indicating improved operational efficiency [6][15] - The backlog of remaining performance obligations exceeded $200 million, providing substantial revenue visibility moving into 2026 [22][23] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - Demand for weather data in Europe, especially from Germany, remained robust, with significant contracts secured from NOAA and EUMETSAT [6][7] - The European Space Agency pledged EUR 22 billion in new subscriptions for the next three years, with Germany contributing EUR 5 billion, enhancing the company's strategic positioning in Europe [13] - The U.S. government defense market continues to expand, with a shared ceiling of $151 billion for the Missile Defense Agency's multi-award Shield IDIQ contract, positioning the company for future task orders [10][11] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to become Adjusted EBITDA and operating cash flow break-even by Q4 2026, focusing on cost management and aligning its cost base with revenue expectations [24] - The strategic emphasis is on expanding partnerships with commercial entities, particularly in the defense sector, as the U.S. government pushes for more commercial partnerships [7][11] - The upcoming launch of a microwave sounding satellite is expected to address a multi-billion-dollar global atmospheric sounding need, enhancing the company's product offerings [8] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the company's technology advantage and expanding capacity, despite timing impacts from the U.S. government shutdown [17] - The company anticipates over 30% revenue growth in 2026, supported by contracted programs and an expanding backlog [25] - Management highlighted the importance of the NOAA relationship and the growing demand for radio frequency geolocation services as key drivers of future growth [48] Other Important Information - The company has secured its largest radio occultation contract from NOAA, which is three times the size of last year's contract in annual sounding volume [6] - The company is the only one in Germany with deep in-space radio frequency expertise, enhancing its competitive edge in the European market [12] - The company is actively working through an SEC subpoena, with no significant updates to share at this time [44] Q&A Session Summary Question: What gives confidence in the 30% growth estimate for next year? - Management noted that over $10 million shifted across the calendar year and emphasized the urgency for commercial partnerships in Europe, particularly with large budgets emerging from Germany [27][28] Question: Is the NASA Earth observation contract expected to be renewed? - Management indicated that while the contract is delayed due to the government shutdown, they do not believe it is lost and expect it to be signed [29][30] Question: How should cash balance be viewed going forward? - Management expressed confidence in finishing the year with a strong cash balance, despite timing issues related to revenue collection and ongoing legal fees [31][32] Question: Can you break down the revenue reduction in the second half? - Management detailed that approximately $6-$8 million was related to a percent complete contract, with additional losses due to the government shutdown impacting contract signings [33][34] Question: What is the contribution mix of government contracts expected to be by the end of 2026? - Management confirmed that government contracts will continue to be a significant portion of growth, particularly with the delayed Earth observation contract and ongoing relationships with NOAA [45][46]