SpaceX Climbs 1.5% as AI Investment Push Expands Cash-Flow Deficit to $5 Billion

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. shares rose 1.55% on Monday to $143.69. The close valued SpaceX at roughly $1.89 trillion. The stock eased to $143.53 at 17:47:35 EDT after hours.

STARBASE, Texas, August 31, 2026, 18:02 EDT

  • SpaceX closed at $143.69, up 1.55%, on 62.9 million shares.
  • First-half capital spending exceeded operating cash flow by $25.01 billion.
  • Connectivity earned $1.66 billion in the second quarter, offsetting losses elsewhere.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. shares rose 1.55% on Monday to $143.69. The close valued SpaceX at roughly $1.89 trillion. The stock eased to $143.53 at 17:47:35 EDT after hours Yahoo Finance.

That market value equals 75.7 times annualized first-half revenue. It sits beside a calculated $25.01 billion first-half free-cash-flow deficit. Capital spending rose fourfold from a year earlier SEC filing.

The investor question is narrow. Can Starlink’s cash engine fund SpaceX’s AI buildout without eroding returns?

SpaceX shares: six-session climb

Regular-session closes, plus the latest after-hours trade; U.S. dollars

SpaceX share prices from August 24 through August 31 The stock rose from 135 dollars on August 24 to a 143 dollar and 69 cent close on August 31, then traded at 143 dollars and 53 cents after hours. $145$139.5$134 Aug 24Aug 25Aug 26Aug 27Aug 28Aug 31After 135.00143.69143.53

· Source: Yahoo Finance

The shares have gained 6.44% across six sessions. They remain 36.3% below their 52-week high of $225.64.

Monday’s 62.9 million-share volume trailed both recent averages. The three-month average was 113.6 million. The 10-day average was 76.1 million.

Second-quarter revenue rose 92% to $7.81 billion. The net loss narrowed to $541 million from $1.01 billion. Adjusted EBITDA reached $3.54 billion company results.

Second-quarter segment economics

Revenue and GAAP operating income, billions of dollars

SegmentRevenueOperating income
Space$0.96bn−$0.54bn
Connectivity$4.29bn+$1.66bn
AI$2.56bn−$1.26bn

Quarter ended June 30, 2026 · Source: SpaceX earnings release filed with the SEC

Connectivity supplied the only segment operating profit. Its $1.66 billion gain offset losses in Space and AI. The segment’s operating margin was 38.6%.

Starlink had 12 million subscribers at quarter-end, twice last year’s count. Average monthly revenue per user was $66. Connectivity revenue grew 66%.

AI revenue jumped 247% to $2.56 billion. Yet the segment recorded a $1.26 billion operating loss. Its second-quarter capital spending reached $15.83 billion.

First-half investment consumed operating cash

Capital spending totaled $28.48 billion

AI 82.7%9.5%7.8%
AI $23.55bnConnectivity $2.70bnSpace $2.23bn
Operating cash flow+$3.47bn
Capital spending−$28.48bn
Calculated free cash flow−$25.01bn

Six months ended June 30, 2026 · Source: SpaceX Form 10-Q

AI absorbed 82.7% of first-half capital spending. Operating cash flow covered only 12.2% of the total. A year earlier, the calculated cash-flow deficit was $6.61 billion.

SpaceX has room to spend. Cash and marketable securities totaled $100.01 billion at June 30. Debt and finance leases stood at $39.51 billion.

Balance-sheet cushion after debt

Cash plus marketable securities against debt and finance leases

Net liquidity $60.50bnDebt $39.51bn
Cash and securities$100.01bn
Debt and leases$39.51bn
Calculated net liquidity$60.50bn

As of June 30, 2026 · Source: SpaceX Form 10-Q

The company closed its Cursor acquisition on August 14. The deal carried an implied equity value of $60 billion. SpaceX issued 389.3 million Class A shares to complete it SEC filing.

Valuation and recommendation snapshot

Market value$1.89tn
Forward P/E89.7×
Price/book14.9×
1.7 Buy
1 · Strong Buy3 · Hold5 · Sell

Vendor aggregate and valuation fields as of August 31, 2026, 17:47:35 EDT · Source: Yahoo Finance

The valuation leaves little margin for slower growth. Yahoo’s vendor aggregate rates the shares 1.7, or Buy. Its quoted forward price-earnings ratio is 89.7.

The next filings will test the funding model. Investors need subscriber gains and AI sales to outpace the expanding asset base. Launch cadence alone cannot close that gap.

Risks: launch failures, spectrum rules and AI customer concentration could slow growth. Persistent spending may also require more debt or dilution.

Marcin Frąckiewicz

Marcin Frąckiewicz is the founder and CEO of TS2 Space, a satellite communications company working with customers worldwide. His experience spans satellite communications, telecommunications and technology ventures. He graduated from the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH) and writes about space technology, artificial intelligence, stocks and the technology companies and industries he follows. Follow Marcin Frąckiewicz on Google News, Facebook or LinkedIn.

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