Key Takeaways:
AST SpaceMobile reports second-quarter 2026 earnings Aug. 10 after market close, with consensus at $34.13 million revenue and a 28-cent per-share loss.
"ASTS currently has an Earnings ESP of negative 1.56 percent with a Zacks Rank #3, which does not conclusively predict an earnings beat," Aritra Chatterjee of Zacks Investment Research said.
The company delivered a negative four-quarter earnings surprise of 124.3 percent on average, including a 186.96 percent miss in the last reported quarter. Over the past 60 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for fiscal 2026 has increased 1.43 percent. During Q2, ASTS launched BlueBird satellites 8, 9 and 10 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with 2,400-square-foot communications arrays expected to nearly double peak data speeds. The company also secured FCC approval to commercially offer SpaceMobile service across the United States, authorizing a constellation of up to 248 satellites in partnership with AT&T and Verizon.
ASTS shares have gained 20.8 percent over the past year, trailing the industry's 28.2 percent rise. The stock trades at 51.12 times forward sales versus 4.71 for the industry. BlueBirds 11, 12 and 13 are targeted for launch in the first half of August, with roughly 45 satellites expected in orbit by the end of 2026.
The company's vertically integrated manufacturing model supports production control and supply chain management. ASTS has agreements with nearly 60 mobile network operators representing more than three billion subscribers, including AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Rakuten, Bell Canada and TELUS. The company also secured additional U.S. government awards during the first quarter, with management expecting both government programs and operator agreements to drive revenue growth through 2026.
Competition in direct-to-device satellite connectivity is intensifying. SpaceX's Starlink, which recently completed its IPO, is expanding its network in collaboration with T-Mobile. SpaceX reports its first public quarterly earnings today, with analysts expecting a net loss of around $1.9 billion on revenue near $6.9 billion. Globalstar, which has surged 237.1 percent over the past year, stands to benefit from Amazon's planned acquisition. SpaceX has declined 15.1 percent since its IPO.
Building a global direct-to-device satellite network requires substantial capital investment across manufacturing, launches, gateway infrastructure and spectrum integration. The issue during the BlueBird 7 launch highlights operational risks. While ASTS has demonstrated technology success, large-scale consumer adoption, pricing models, carrier monetization and long-term economics remain unproven.
The Q2 report will test whether gateway hardware sales and U.S. government contracts can offset rising competition. Investors will watch for updated guidance on satellite deployment and commercial service revenue as the company targets 45 satellites in orbit by year-end.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
