Earning Preview: AST SpaceMobile, Inc. this quarter’s revenue is expected to increase by 114.09%, and institutional views are leaning bearish

Earnings Agent02-23 11:06

Abstract

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. will report quarterly results on March 02, 2026 Post Market; this preview consolidates its latest financial trajectory, segment mix, and current analyst stance to frame expectations on revenue growth, margins, earnings, and operational drivers that investors are watching.

Market Forecast

Based on the company’s latest guidance and consolidated estimates, AST SpaceMobile, Inc. is projected to deliver revenue of 41.11 million in the current quarter, implying 114.09% year-over-year growth, with an estimated adjusted EPS of -0.16 reflecting a 5.88% year-over-year improvement; EBIT is forecast at a loss of 63.12 million, an improvement of 3.42% year-over-year. Margin forecasts for gross and net are not disclosed at this time; however, the combination of expanded deployment plans and anticipated service ramp supports a narrative of top-line acceleration alongside continued investment needs.

The main business remains dominated by contracted sales activities, with last quarter’s mix led by sales of small satellites and components; this segment underpins near-term revenue recognition and supports customer readiness. The most promising operational vector is the emerging space-based cellular broadband service aligned to the BlueBird deployment schedule, where a multi-launcher cadence this year is designed to compress time-to-service and progressively broaden revenue capture once service tiers begin commercial scaling.

Last Quarter Review

AST SpaceMobile, Inc. delivered revenue of 14.74 million last quarter, a gross profit margin of 62.61%, GAAP net loss attributable to the parent of 123.00 million, a derived net profit margin of -834.86%, and adjusted EPS of -0.45 with a 59.09% year-over-year improvement; the quarter-on-quarter change in net profit was -23.62%.

One notable development was the revenue shortfall versus prior estimates, with the actual 14.74 million undershooting by 5.19 million, while EBIT posted a loss of 79.68 million and showed a year-over-year improvement of 21.56% from deeper losses a year ago. Main business highlights were anchored by sales of small satellites and components at 12.49 million, representing 90.35% of last quarter’s total, and satellite hardware and subsystems at 1.33 million, reflecting 9.65%, against a backdrop of total revenue growing 1,239.91% year-over-year from a low base.

Current Quarter Outlook (with major analytical insights)

Main Business Trajectory

The revenue mix in the prior quarter was dominated by sales of small satellites and components at 12.49 million and satellite hardware and subsystems at 1.33 million, and this concentration is likely to persist in the current period given backlog conversion and milestone-based recognition typical of contracted space hardware. The estimated 41.11 million top line for the current quarter implies a substantial step-up from last quarter’s 14.74 million, consistent with expanded hardware deliveries, pre-service integration work, and potential milestone payments linked to launch readiness activities. The 62.61% gross margin last quarter demonstrates pricing power and disciplined cost control on the hardware side, which can continue supporting blended margins, although the overall margin profile will still be sensitive to the mix of early-stage service ramp versus hardware sales. In practice, as the company transitions from primarily hardware-linked revenue to introducing service revenue elements tied to space-based cellular broadband, the margin profile will depend on incremental operating costs, ground infrastructure scaling, and the timing at which service ARPUs begin to reflect commercial density. For now, the main business’s primary contribution centers on hardware deliveries that enable customer readiness and future service access, a dynamic that aligns with a near-term pattern of high gross margins offset by operating expenses required to scale technology, launch, and support capabilities.

Largest Growth Potential Business

Management has telegraphed a multi-launcher campaign in 2026, targeting one orbital launch approximately every one to two months and aiming to have 45 to 60 satellites in orbit by year-end. The scheduled BlueBird 7 mission in late February is the second satellite in the next-generation campaign for space-based cellular broadband connectivity, a pivotal step that ultimately tees up the company’s ability to deliver service continuity and commercial coverage. The largest growth potential sits in monetizing direct-to-cell connectivity and related service tiers as satellite density increases, improving geographic coverage and consistency in signal availability. The magnitude of the current quarter’s revenue estimate suggests hardware deliveries and preparatory work remain key contributors, while the service component’s contribution will likely be modest until cumulative launches unlock broader coverage—yet it is reasonable to expect that each successful launch brings the commercialization milestone closer. A core question for investors this quarter is how quickly this service ramp can translate to measurable revenue, subscriber agreements, and ARPU trends, given capital expenditure intensity and the operational complexity of orchestrated multi-launch schedules; still, even with these constraints, the projected 114.09% year-over-year revenue growth indicates progress toward the company’s service deployment roadmap and reflects the economic impact of scaled hardware and launch preparation activities. Over the medium term, the BlueBird constellation’s expansion is expected to be the primary lever for sustainable revenue growth, and this quarter’s operational updates will be read as signals of timing confidence, contract pipeline conversion, and early service metrics that can support a path to improved cash generation.

Key Stock Price Drivers This Quarter

The first driver is execution on launch timelines and mission readiness; with BlueBird 7 targeted for late February, investors will scrutinize whether the launch proceeds as scheduled and whether subsequent launches maintain the communicated cadence of one every one to two months throughout the year. Consistency here matters because service continuity depends on constellation size, and the market has been attuned to the idea that around 50 satellites may be necessary to deliver widespread continuous service—any deviation from this trajectory could influence sentiment and valuation multiples. The second driver is revenue mix and margin visibility; a jump from 14.74 million last quarter to an estimated 41.11 million this quarter gives a strong growth narrative, but investors will look beyond the headline to reconcile gross margin developments with operating expense levels, as stable or rising gross margins could be offset by opex complexities inherent to scaling a satellite service platform. The third driver is earnings leverage; the forecast EPS of -0.16 suggests ongoing losses, but an improvement of 5.88% year-over-year and an EBIT loss improvement of 3.42% year-over-year point to incremental efficiency gains; sustainable earnings leverage will hinge on service revenue capture and the degree to which capital intensity and operating costs scale sublinearly to revenue. The fourth driver is commercial pipeline and ARPU potential; investors are focused on tangible evidence of retail or enterprise uptake, as prior commentary highlighting low ARPUs and the lack of retail customers underscores the need to demonstrate pricing power and market adoption. Lastly, the competitive context around timing and service quality—particularly in light of progress by rival offerings—will continue to shape expectations; this quarter’s communications about service readiness targets and early customer traction will either reinforce or challenge prevailing narratives on execution consistency and commercialization timing.

Analyst Opinions

Bearish opinions occupy the majority among the collected views for the January 01, 2026 to February 23, 2026 period. Scotiabank downgraded AST SpaceMobile, Inc. to “sector underperform,” emphasizing long execution timelines, the speed at which a rival service is scaling, the absence of retail customers, and the need for approximately 50 satellites to achieve continuous service—a milestone they suggested could be late 2026 or 2027. The brokerage also pointed to slow uptake in key geographies, low ARPUs, and high capex, arguing that meaningful excess free cash flow may not be visible until 2028–2029, and added a critique that timing guidance has often proven optimistic relative to outcomes. This perspective frames a cautious view into the current quarter’s results: while the forecasted 114.09% year-over-year revenue growth and EPS improvement of 5.88% indicate top-line momentum and incremental efficiency, the central bearish thesis is that execution on launches and service commercialization must closely track communicated schedules to validate the growth ramp embedded in projections.

From the bearish standpoint, the near-term earnings profile is still burdened by operating and capital requirements, suggesting that headline revenue beats would need to be accompanied by measurable signals on service-tier monetization to sway the narrative. The company’s stated plan for a multi-launcher campaign—one orbital launch every one to two months on average and a 45–60 satellite target by year-end—is ambitious and, if delivered in sequence, could address the continuity and coverage requirements central to service scaling; however, the bearish camp remains unconvinced until there is direct evidence of retail user growth and clearer ARPU trajectories. The argument is that hardware-heavy quarters may deliver high gross margins like the 62.61% seen last quarter, but the earnings profile will stay loss-making without a concurrent inflection in service revenue and an opex footprint that demonstrates scalability. In this context, the forecast EBIT loss narrowing by 3.42% year-over-year is viewed as positive but insufficient to alter the broader skepticism, which demands milestones such as confirmed commercial service activation timelines, early customer metrics, and a track record of hitting launch schedules with minimal slippage.

This stance also incorporates valuation discipline and risk-adjusted timing. Bears highlight that the stock’s performance has been sensitive to news flow around launch plans, yet consistency in execution is the critical factor for converting investor enthusiasm into sustained fundamental support. Their lens on this quarter is pragmatic: a revenue ramp to 41.11 million and an EPS improvement to -0.16 are constructive, but the quarterly update must offer clarity on the degree to which proposed launches translate into near-term monetization, including whether the company can begin reporting discernible service revenue components and early usage indicators. They argue that without concrete signs of retail adoption and stronger ARPU visibility, valuation premia anchored in narrative will be vulnerable to operational noise, especially if any launch slips threaten the pacing required to reach service continuity thresholds. As such, the bearish majority expects the market to reward tangible execution and penalize ambiguity; the earnings release and accompanying commentary on March 02, 2026 will be assessed through that lens, with confirmation of launch timing, service activation checkpoints, and customer traction likely to determine whether consensus moves beyond “hold” into a more constructive or more defensive posture.

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