AST SpaceMobile Shares Touch 52-Week Low After Analyst Downgrade and Satellite Delay Forecasts
Shares of AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (ASTS) fell 8.54% to $47.06, touching a new 52-week low. The decline followed an analyst downgrade from Piper Sandler to Neutral, along with a price target reduction to $54. The firm lowered its revenue expectations for 2026 and 2027 due to satellite deployment delays and increasing competition from SpaceX. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock to Buy with a $93 price target, arguing that the recent sell-off overlooks key progress and leaves shares trading significantly below their May peak.
The shift in analyst sentiment highlights growing concerns over the timeline for building out the company's space-based cellular network. Satellite deployment forecasts for 2026 and 2027 were scaled back to 18 and 60 units, respectively, down from previous projections of 45 and 68 units. Although AST SpaceMobile successfully launched its BlueBird 13 satellite, with BlueBirds 14 through 16 currently awaiting Falcon 9 launches at Cape Canaveral, slower rollouts threaten to delay future revenue generation.
Investors will be watching for confirmed launch dates for upcoming satellites as the company works toward a major constellation rollout in 2026. Regulatory developments are also in focus, as AST SpaceMobile has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission to permit satellite-to-standard mobile connections across specific frequency bands while proposing operational limits to address interference concerns.
Key points
- AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) stock dropped 8.54% to $47.06, hitting a fresh 52-week low.
- Piper Sandler downgraded ASTS to Neutral with a $54 price target, citing deployment delays and SpaceX competition.
- Satellite rollout projections for 2026 and 2027 were lowered from 45 and 68 units down to 18 and 60 units.
- Deutsche Bank upgraded ASTS to Buy with a $93 price target, stating that recent progress has been overlooked.
- The company launched BlueBird 13 and submitted an FCC request to operate satellite-to-mobile links in specific frequency bands.
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Why did AST SpaceMobile stock fall to a 52-week low?
AST SpaceMobile stock dropped after Piper Sandler downgraded the shares to Neutral and cut its price target to $54. The firm cited satellite deployment delays, lower revenue forecasts for 2026 and 2027, and growing competition from SpaceX.
How many satellites does AST SpaceMobile plan to deploy in 2026 and 2027?
Reduced deployment forecasts call for 18 satellite units in 2026 and 60 units in 2027. These figures were lowered from previous expectations of 45 and 68 units, respectively.
What is Deutsche Bank's price target for AST SpaceMobile?
Deutsche Bank upgraded AST SpaceMobile to Buy with a $93 price target, stating that recent progress has been overlooked and that the stock trades well below its May high.