New York, Jan 8, 2026, 08:21 EST — Premarket
AST SpaceMobile shares were up 3.6% at $88.80 in premarket trading on Thursday, a day after the satellite-to-phone company lost about 12% in the regular session.
The move keeps the focus on a stock that has been swinging hard as investors argue over how fast space-based cellular broadband turns into real demand, not just tests.
This matters now because the business model needs heavy spending up front and a steady run of launches before it can offer continuous service. That leaves little room for delays or a slow start, especially with bigger rivals circling the same “connect-anywhere” pitch.
Scotiabank analyst Andres Coello downgraded AST SpaceMobile to Sector Underperform from Sector Perform on Wednesday and set a $45.60 price target, citing what he called “irrational levels” in the company’s valuation at Tuesday’s close. Coello also flagged execution risks, saying AST would need to deploy about 50 satellites to deliver continuous coverage in some markets by late 2026 or early 2027 and that meaningful free cash flow — cash left after operating costs and investment spending — could still be years away. Investing.com
The stock traded between $83.91 and $95.34 on Wednesday before ending at $85.73, according to price data.
But the next leg is still a guess. If investors decide the timeline stretches again, or if funding costs rise, the stock can lose altitude fast — and competition from SpaceX’s Starlink keeps the pressure on pricing and speed.
Traders will be watching whether Thursday’s early rebound holds into the open, or fades once regular-volume selling shows up.
