New York, June 14, 2026, 13:13 (EDT)
- AST SpaceMobile was last at $82.41, off 15.5%. Trading volume hit about 55.2 million shares.
- Space stocks dropped after SpaceX’s market debut. Reuters said ASTS slid over 12% in Friday’s sector selloff.
- AST SpaceMobile plans to launch BlueBird satellites 8, 9, and 10 on a Falcon 9 rocket June 17.
AST SpaceMobile shares slid in the most recent session, caught in a sector-wide drop rather than anything specific to the company. The stock, which trades on Nasdaq, was last at $82.41, off 15.5%, putting the market cap near $24.0 billion. U.S. space stocks fell sharply Friday as investors took profits following SpaceX’s market debut, Reuters said, with AST SpaceMobile one of the biggest losers.
ASTS has turned into a high-expectation stock. Its price relies on hitting satellite milestones, but also depends a lot on what investors will pay now for future revenue. Reuters cited Chris Beauchamp, the chief market analyst at IG Group, who said investors may worry “that the hype can’t quite live up to expectations.” That comment fits a loss-making company like ASTS, which is still pouring capital into its rollout. Reuters
Investors are focused on the upcoming launch of BlueBird 8, 9 and 10 satellites, set to go up from Cape Canaveral on a SpaceX Falcon 9 with the launch window starting at 2:39 a.m. EDT on June 17. The new satellites are for AST’s direct-to-device network—built to link satellites straight to regular smartphones, no special satellite phone needed. “Each BlueBird satellite launched expands our ability to support seamless space-based broadband mobile connectivity directly to everyday smartphones,” AST SpaceMobile President Scott Wisniewski said. Investing.com
Bulls point to a successful launch as key for AST’s deployment pace and moving closer to commercial service. In its latest 10-Q, AST said it has deals with AT&T, several Vodafone entities, Verizon, and STC, plus partnerships with close to 60 mobile network operators that cover over 3 billion subscribers worldwide. AST also said it is still planning about 45 BlueBird satellites by the end of 2026, has the capacity to assemble, integrate and test as many as six Block 2 BlueBird satellites per month, and reported about $3.46 billion in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash as of March 31. QuoteMedia
The bear argument points to the stock pricing in perfect results, even as big operational and financial questions hang over AST. First-quarter revenue came in at $14.7 million, and the company posted a net loss of $191.0 million, or 66 cents per share. QuoteMedia SpaceMobile service hasn’t launched yet and hasn’t delivered revenue, AST said. Management flagged the April BlueBird 7 mission, which was put in a lower orbit than planned and is now expected to trigger a satellite asset write-off estimated between $155 million and $160 million. The insurance claim was still unresolved as of the filing.
Valuation is still the main sticking point for ASTS. The latest analyst target snapshot on Investing.com pins the average 12-month price target at $81.47, coming in just under the last quoted share price. That points to limited room for upside, at least by Wall Street’s consensus. Investing.com The stock doesn’t offer much on the P/E front, either—ASTS is losing money and most recent data lists negative earnings per share and a negative P/E.
AST SpaceMobile still looks risky, not just cheap, even after the recent selloff. Shares might bounce if the June 17 mission goes off without problems and management can stick to its planned launch pace, but at this valuation there’s little margin for any delays, satellite issues, funding problems or weaker commercialization than forecast. Investors are watching for simple things: did the launch work, are the satellites up, is BlueBird production on schedule, and has management given any sign that commercial revenue is closer to reality.
