JACKSONVILLE, May 11, 2026, 13:04 EDT
- Redwire shares jumped roughly 10% early Monday afternoon, trading on volume topping 30 million shares.
- MarketBeat data showed a jump in Redwire call option activity, with 46,592 contracts traded—41% above the usual call volume.
- Redwire’s latest action comes after its first-quarter results revealed a record contracted backlog, with the company sticking to its 2026 revenue outlook.
Redwire Corporation shares jumped Monday, with investors moving back into the space-and-defense tech supplier after last week’s earnings pointed to a record-high backlog, improved margins, and a wave of new military contracts.
Shares climbed roughly 10.1% to $12.19 in the early afternoon, after reaching as high as $12.50. That puts the Jacksonville-based company’s market cap close to $2.36 billion.
Redwire’s surge hinges on convincing the market that appetite for its spacecraft systems, solar arrays, and military drones can trump its sizable losses—and the threat of dilution tied to a fresh equity plan. Classic small-cap defense: book the orders now, let profits catch up down the line.
Options activity fueled the momentum. According to MarketBeat, investors picked up 46,592 call options on Redwire Monday—about 41% higher than the usual 33,150. Call options give buyers the chance to benefit if the stock climbs.
First-quarter revenue at Redwire came in at $97.0 million, a 57.9% jump from last year. Gross margin landed at 26.6%. The company’s net loss deepened, reaching $76.5 million—over $44 million of that from non-recurring items. Adjusted EBITDA, which excludes interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and select other costs, was negative $9.2 million.
Redwire CEO Peter Cannito called out “very strong demand,” highlighting a book-to-bill ratio of 1.92—so orders taken came in at close to double the quarterly revenue. Backlog totaled $498.1 million. Redwire Corporation
Chief Financial Officer Chris Edmunds pointed to stronger margins and $175.2 million in liquidity as reasons behind management sticking with its 2026 revenue outlook of $450 million to $500 million.
The order book showed a $1.8 billion Andromeda IDIQ contract for advanced spacecraft—an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity setup that allows for future government orders—plus a $12.8 million ELSA solar-array wing order from Moog. Also in the mix: purchase orders topping $20 million for Stalker small unmanned aircraft, linked to Navy and Marine Corps programs.
During the earnings call, Cannito noted that Redwire made the cut as one of just 14 vendors chosen out of 32 applicants for the Space Systems Command’s decade-long Andromeda contract. He pushed back on any notion that the military’s Stalker purchases were “a demonstration” or “an experiment,” emphasizing they’re about ramping up deployment of “a field-proven capability.” Investing.com
Redwire is also shoring up its balance sheet. In a prospectus supplement dated May 6, the company disclosed it could offer as much as $350 million in common stock through an at-the-market setup—allowing shares to be sold incrementally. According to the filing, funds may go toward working capital, capex, debt repayment or refinancing, acquisitions, or other corporate needs.
But there’s a wrinkle. In its latest quarterly filing, Redwire flagged that backlog isn’t set in stone—contracts can be terminated, changed, or canceled, and a chunk of multi-year deals hinge on getting renewed funding each year. The same filing also notes Redwire relies in part on selling equity and tapping credit lines to keep operations running. The company’s prospectus points out that fresh share offerings could dilute current shareholders.
The surge tracked gains seen across the space sector. Rocket Lab climbed roughly 12.1%, while Intuitive Machines advanced 11.4%. Redwire’s rally, then, looked less like an isolated push and more like a piece of a broader appetite for growth plays tied to space and defense.
Analyst views are split. According to MarketBeat, Redwire has one strong-buy call, seven buy ratings, two holds, and two analysts suggesting sell, with the average price target sitting at $14.22. On Monday, the focus snapped back to orders over losses.
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