Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. Has $6.50 Million Stake in AST SpaceMobile, Inc. $ASTS

Key Points

• Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its AST SpaceMobile stake by 2,493.4% in the fourth quarter, ending with 89,471 shares worth about $6.5 million.
• AST SpaceMobile reported a Q1 earnings miss, posting a loss of $0.66 per share versus expectations for a $0.23 loss, and revenue of $14.74 million versus the $39.01 million forecast.
• The stock has seen mixed sentiment: several analysts remain cautious with an average “Reduce” rating, while recent bullish headlines include the launch of a 2x long ETF and optimism around satellite-to-phone demand.

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its stake in shares of AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS - Free Report) by 2,493.4% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 89,471 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 86,021 shares during the period. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.'s holdings in AST SpaceMobile were worth $6,498,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. REAP Financial Group LLC bought a new position in shares of AST SpaceMobile during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Crewe Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of AST SpaceMobile during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Laurel Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of AST SpaceMobile during the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Byrne Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of AST SpaceMobile during the 4th quarter worth approximately $29,000. Finally, Harvest Fund Management Co. Ltd bought a new position in shares of AST SpaceMobile during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $29,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 60.95% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about AST SpaceMobile

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

• Positive Sentiment: Defiance launched ASTY, a 2X long ETF on AST SpaceMobile, signaling strong trader demand for bullish exposure to ASTS. Defiance Launches ASTY: The 2X Long ETF for AST SpaceMobile, Inc.
• Positive Sentiment: ASTS is benefiting from broader enthusiasm for space infrastructure names ahead of the SpaceX IPO, which has lifted sentiment across satellite and launch stocks. SpaceX IPO Filing Is Moving Rocket Lab, CoreWeave, and Other Stocks
• Positive Sentiment: Commentary has also pointed to AST SpaceMobile’s FCC approval and its role as a likely beneficiary of rising satellite-to-phone demand, supporting the company’s long-term growth narrative. Forget SpaceX. These 2 Space Stocks Could Be the Real Winners Of the Coming IPO Frenzy
• Neutral Sentiment: Several articles focused on ASTS’s huge multi-year run and asked whether the stock is getting expensive, suggesting some investors are weighing valuation against future growth. Is It Too Late To Consider AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) After Its Recent 17x Three Year Surge?
• Negative Sentiment: ASTS CFO Andrew Martin Johnson sold 5,000 shares, a small insider sale that may prompt some caution, though his remaining stake is still substantial. SEC insider filing

AST SpaceMobile Trading Up 10.0%

NASDAQ:ASTS opened at $105.86 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 18.47, a quick ratio of 18.37 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.11. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.09 billion, a PE ratio of -59.47 and a beta of 2.60. The firm's 50 day moving average is $85.01 and its 200 day moving average is $83.47. AST SpaceMobile, Inc. has a 12 month low of $22.47 and a 12 month high of $129.89.

AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ:ASTS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 11th. The company reported ($0.66) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.23) by ($0.43). The company had revenue of $14.74 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.01 million. AST SpaceMobile had a negative return on equity of 24.87% and a negative net margin of 573.67%.The company's revenue for the quarter was up 1952.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted ($0.20) EPS. Sell-side analysts expect that AST SpaceMobile, Inc. will post -1.47 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Activity at AST SpaceMobile

In related news, Director Julio A. Torres sold 15,000 shares of AST SpaceMobile stock in a transaction that occurred on 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 sale, the director owned 43,239 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $3,300,865.26. The trade was a 25.76% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CTO Huiwen Yao sold 40,000 shares of AST SpaceMobile stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $88.88, for a total transaction of $3,555,200.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief technology officer directly owned 4,750 shares in the company, valued at $422,180. This trade represents a 89.39% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 3,100,000 shares of company stock worth $276,048,350. Company insiders own 20.89% of the company's stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

ASTS has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. UBS Group dropped their target price on shares of AST SpaceMobile from $85.00 to $80.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Roth Mkm reissued a "buy" rating and set a $108.00 target price on shares of AST SpaceMobile in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft set a $117.00 target price on shares of AST SpaceMobile in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Wall Street Zen cut shares of AST SpaceMobile from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 15th. Finally, B. Riley Financial lifted their target price on shares of AST SpaceMobile from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of "Reduce" and an average target price of $79.45.

AST SpaceMobile 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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