AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS) Upgraded to Sector Perform at Scotiabank

Key Points

• Scotiabank upgraded AST SpaceMobile to “sector perform” from “sector underperform” and set a $50.80 price target, implying roughly 10% downside from the prior close. Analysts overall rate the stock “Hold,” with a consensus target of $87.60.
• ASTS traded down 3% to open at $56.55, while the company reported a quarterly loss of $0.66 per share and revenue of $14.73 million—both worse than analyst expectations. The stock remains highly volatile, with a negative net margin and an expected full-year loss.
• Upcoming BlueBird satellite launches and a potential Vodafone beta test in 2027 offer operational catalysts, but AST SpaceMobile faces competition from Amazon and SpaceX, continued cash-flow concerns, insider selling and an investor lawsuit investigation.

AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS - Get Free Report) was upgraded by Scotiabank from a "sector underperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has a $50.80 price objective on the stock. Scotiabank's target price suggests a potential downside of 10.17% from the stock's previous close.

ASTS has been the topic of several other reports. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of AST SpaceMobile in a report on Wednesday, June 24th. Piper Sandler assumed coverage on shares of AST SpaceMobile in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $100.00 target price on the stock. Roth Capital restated a "buy" rating and issued a $108.00 target price on shares of AST SpaceMobile in a research note on Tuesday, May 12th. Wall Street Zen downgraded AST SpaceMobile from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, UBS Group dropped their price target on AST SpaceMobile from $85.00 to $80.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, May 12th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $87.60.

AST SpaceMobile Trading Down 3.0%

ASTS opened at $56.55 on Wednesday. AST SpaceMobile has a fifty-two week low of $36.08 and a fifty-two week high of $133.86. The firm has a market capitalization of $21.95 billion, a PE ratio of -31.77 and a beta of 2.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11, a current ratio of 18.47 and a quick ratio of 18.37. The company's 50-day moving average is $83.58 and its 200 day moving average is $88.08.

AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 11th. The company reported ($0.66) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.23) by ($0.43). The company had revenue of $14.73 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $39.01 million. AST SpaceMobile had a negative net margin of 573.67% and a negative return on equity of 24.87%. AST SpaceMobile's revenue for the quarter was up 1952.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted ($0.20) EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that AST SpaceMobile will post -1.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CTO Huiwen Yao sold 40,000 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $96.37, for a total value of $3,854,800.00. Following the transaction, the chief technology officer owned 34,750 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,348,857.50. This represents a 53.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Julio A. Torres sold 15,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $76.34, for a total value of $1,145,100.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 43,239 shares in the company, valued at $3,300,865.26. This represents a 25.76% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 105,809 shares of company stock valued at $9,748,492. 20.89% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Crewe Advisors LLC bought a new position in AST SpaceMobile in the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of AST SpaceMobile in the fourth quarter worth $25,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC boosted its stake in AST SpaceMobile by 16,350.0% during the first quarter. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC now owns 329 shares of the company's stock valued at $27,000 after buying an additional 327 shares during the period. Grove Bank & Trust purchased a new position in AST SpaceMobile during the second quarter worth about $27,000. Finally, Acumen Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of AST SpaceMobile in the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 60.95% of the company's stock.

Key Headlines Impacting AST SpaceMobile

Here are the key news stories impacting AST SpaceMobile this week:

• Positive Sentiment: AST SpaceMobile scheduled the launch of BlueBird satellites 11, 12 and 13 for August 5 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Successful deployment would expand the company’s space-based cellular broadband network and represents a near-term operational catalyst. AST SpaceMobile Announces Launch Date for BlueBird Satellites 11, 12, and 13
• Positive Sentiment: Vodafone described its partnership with AST SpaceMobile as valuable and said the United Kingdom could begin beta testing in early 2027, although approximately 45 satellites are reportedly needed before testing starts. The update supports the company’s commercial rollout narrative. ASTS Stock Breaks 3-Day Slide: Vodafone Partnership
• Neutral Sentiment: Management will provide second-quarter 2026 financial and business updates on August 10. Investors will likely focus on satellite deployment progress, cash usage, funding needs, commercial agreements and the timing of revenue growth. AST SpaceMobile to Host Second Quarter 2026 Business Update Call
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerages collectively assigned AST SpaceMobile an average “Hold” recommendation, suggesting analysts see meaningful upside potential but also substantial execution and valuation risks. AST SpaceMobile Given Average Recommendation of Hold
• Negative Sentiment: ASTS declined even as the broader market improved, reflecting continued investor caution toward space stocks. The sector has experienced a sharp correction, with concerns about elevated valuations, negative earnings and limited near-term cash flow weighing on sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Amazon’s proposed expansion of its Amazon Leo satellite network increases competitive pressure on AST SpaceMobile. The company also faces competition from SpaceX’s Starlink direct-to-device service, while relying on SpaceX for launches—creating both strategic dependence and potential margin pressure.
• Negative Sentiment: Pomerantz LLP announced an investigation into potential claims on behalf of AST SpaceMobile investors. The announcement does not establish wrongdoing, but it adds legal and headline risk to an already volatile stock. Pomerantz Investor Alert

AST SpaceMobile Company Profile

AST SpaceMobile is a U.S.-based aerospace company developing a space-based cellular broadband network designed to connect standard mobile phones and other devices directly to satellites. The company's core proposition is “space-to-cell” service: operating a constellation of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites equipped with large, high-power phased-array antennas to provide wide-area mobile broadband without requiring users to buy specialized terminals or handset modifications.

AST SpaceMobile designs, builds and operates satellite payloads and supporting ground infrastructure.

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