NEW YORK, Jan 9, 2026, 17:03 (EST) — After-hours
- ASTS closed up 7.9% at $97.67; flat after hours
- BofA lifted its price target to $100 from $85, kept a Neutral rating
- Scotiabank warned on valuation with a $45.60 target after a downgrade this week
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) shares rose 7.9% on Friday and were flat after the bell, after Bank of America lifted its price target to $100 from $85 while keeping a Neutral rating. The stock hit $101.68 before closing at $97.67.
The move puts the spotlight back on a stock that traders have been treating as a fast, high-risk way to play “direct-to-device” service — satellites connecting straight to standard smartphones, no special handsets. AST says it is building its BlueBird satellite constellation and is targeting service beginning in 2026 through agreements with mobile operators. AST SpaceMobile
Wall Street is split on how much of that future is already in the price. On Wednesday, AST shares slid 12% to $85.73 after a Scotiabank downgrade, a reminder that broker notes can still swing the stock hard day to day.
TipRanks data showed Bank of America Securities analyst Michael Funk reiterated a Hold stance alongside the target hike on Thursday. The new target sits close to where the shares finished on Friday.
Scotiabank analyst Andres Coello took the other side of the trade, cutting the stock to underperform and setting a $45.60 target. He called the valuation at Tuesday’s close “irrational levels,” even as he described AST’s technology as “highly disruptive,” and he pointed to the lack of retail customers and the need for about 50 satellites to offer continuous coverage. Coello also flagged competition from SpaceX’s Starlink, which he said has moved faster on deployment. Investing.com
The stock is now well above the sell-side midpoint. MarketScreener, citing FactSet, puts the average analyst target price at $73.39 — below Friday’s close — a gap that has kept the debate on execution risk and funding front and center.
But the setup cuts both ways. Any slip in launch timing, tougher regulatory hurdles, or another capital raise that dilutes shareholders could drag the stock back toward the lower end of the Street’s targets.
Next up, investors will be looking for updates on launch cadence and network testing, and for the next quarterly report. MarketBeat estimates AST’s next earnings date at March 2, 2026, though the company has not confirmed it.
