Planet Labs PBC designs, builds, and launches satellite constellations to provide high-cadence geospatial data to customers via an online platform in the United States and internationally. Its SuperDove satellites aim to image Earth daily at up to 3.5-meter ground sampling distance (GSD), while SkySat and Pelican satellites capture specific locations multiple times per day at up to 50-centimeter GSD after processing, supported by an API. The company also offers Tanager, a hyperspectral imaging satellite covering visible and shortwave infrared regions, and an Earth Observation platform for customers and partners to access, analyze, and act on its data catalog. Additional services include satellite design and manufacturing, mission systems engineering, launch procurement, ground station infrastructure, satellite operations, maintenance, and dedicated image tasking. It serves agriculture, mapping, energy, forestry, finance, and insurance companies, as well as government agencies. Founded in 2010, Planet Labs PBC is headquartered in San Francisco, California.
Insider sales, a big share sale, and Wall Street's cool reception weigh on Planet
▼
CEO and co-founder sold millions in stock Planet's CEO sold 200,000 shares for about $5.2 million and its co-founder sold 89,593 shares for about $2.3 million, both under pre-arranged plans. Insider selling can spook investors, since it can look like the people who know the company best are cashing out.
Two separate insider sales are the period's clearest negative signals for the stock.
A $1.5 billion share sale dilutes investors Planet announced a $1.5 billion at-the-market equity offering, meaning it can steadily sell new shares into the market. That raises cash for growth but spreads future profits over more shares, and the extra supply of stock pressured the price.
A large equity raise is a direct, structural drag on the share price.
Analysts prefer profitable tech names over Planet Comparisons with NVIDIA and Dell highlighted Planet's roughly $247 million annual loss, heavy stock-based pay, and very expensive valuation, while those rivals are profitable and cheaper. When investors can buy proven winners, money tends to rotate away from loss-making growth stories like Planet.
These head-to-head pieces explain why investor money is favoring other tech stocks.
Strong backlog and revenue growth, but the stock keeps sliding Planet's backlog hit $906.1 million and revenue grew 42%, yet the shares fell 13.7% over six months and are down about 50% since SpaceX's IPO, with Barclays starting coverage at a neutral Equal Weight. The business is improving faster than the stock, which shows sentiment, not demand, is the problem.
This captures the core tension of the period: solid fundamentals versus a weak share price.
Barclays Initiates SpaceX at Overweight With $254 Price Target
Barclays initiated coverage of SpaceX with an Overweight rating and a $254 price target, part of a broad rollout of coverage across the aerospace and defense group in which the firm said the U.S. is in the "early innings of a modern day industrial revolution." In the same sweep, Barclays started RTX, Palantir, Kratos Defense, Karman, DPC Holdings, CAE, Beta Technologies and Rocket Lab at Overweight, Planet Labs, FireFly Aerospace, AeroVironment, York Space Systems and Lockheed Martin at Equal Weight, and Northrop Grumman at Underweight. Among other calls, Baird upgraded Humana to Outperform from Neutral with a price target of $596, up from $390, citing greater confidence in the company's $35-plus of 2028 adjusted earnings per share power, while Morgan Stanley double upgraded Cboe Global Markets to Overweight from Underweight with a price target of $358, up from $258. On the downgrade side, JPMorgan cut DuPont to Neutral from Overweight with a price target of $145, down from $172, and removed the stock from its Analyst Focus List, and also downgraded Illinois Tool Works to Neutral from Overweight with a price target of $270, down from $350, both on concerns around decelerating short cycle industrial demand into 2027. Citi downgraded Pershing Square Inc. to Sell from Neutral with an unchanged price target of $45 on valuation, and RBC Capital downgraded Knife River to Sector Perform from Outperform with a price target of $58, down from $103. Other initiations included Truist starting IBM at Hold with a $240 price target, Citi starting Fortune Brands at Buy with a $48 price target, Freedom Broker starting Ultra Clean at Buy with a $127 price target, and JPMorgan resuming Trane at Overweight with a $550 price target.
Planet Labs Launches 20 Satellites on SpaceX Transporter-18 Mission
Planet Labs PBC has successfully launched 20 satellites aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marking its 40th successful launch and bringing the total number of satellites it has built and delivered to orbit to 718. The payload comprised the company's second Tanager satellite, 18 SuperDoves and the first demonstration mission associated with Google's Project Suncatcher. Planet Labs established initial contact with Tanager-2, the Suncatcher prototype and two SuperDove satellites after deployment, while the remaining 16 SuperDoves are expected to be deployed through D-Orbit's ION satellite carrier as planned. The Suncatcher demonstration is designed to test the feasibility of using Google Tensor Processing Units in space for machine-learning workloads, and Tanager-2, developed with Carbon Mapper, carries hyperspectral imaging capable of identifying methane emissions and supporting rare-earth element identification, water-quality monitoring and agricultural intelligence, capturing imagery across 426 contiguous spectral bands at roughly 5-nanometer spectral and 30-meter spatial resolution. The 18 SuperDoves are part of Planet Labs' Flock 4J mission and are expected to add capacity to its PlanetScope constellation, which provides near-daily global monitoring, and the company expects to launch at least three additional Tanager satellites.
Anthropic IPO Could Reveal AI Sector Financials, Panel Says
Anthropic is moving forward with plans to IPO in November, a listing that market observers say could shed light on the financials of the broader AI ecosystem. On a Market Hang panel, former NYSE trader Lauren Simmons said going public will let investors see "the heart of the company" and what is really happening at other AI firms, while Futurum chief market strategist Shay Boloor said Anthropic differs from SpaceX because it only does the model components rather than the whole stack. Reports cited on the panel put Anthropic's potential market cap at $2 trillion, and Boloor said buyers at that level are betting the company will conquer super intelligence, adding that he is more curious about retention metrics than revenue. Sherwood News head of markets Luke Kawa noted that hyperscaler issuance in US investment-grade markets has run about 150 billion year to date, versus a little over 90 billion for the two biggest AI IPOs, Cerebras and SpaceX, meaning the market has had far more debt than equity to digest. Panelists also pointed to SpaceX's IPO as a case study, noting space proxy names such as Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile and Planet Labs are all down 50% since that listing, and that the single biggest day of net stock purchases on Robinhood came on the SpaceX IPO. OpenAI has said it will wait until 2027 to go public.
Artificial Intelligence › Foundation Models & Research Labs Capital
Artificial Intelligence › Closed / Frontier Labs Capital
Anthropic · Capital · Neutral Anthropic is the subject, planning a November IPO with a reported $2T potential market cap, but no clear positive or negative financial development is stated.
ASTS · Capital · Negative Named as a space proxy that is down 50% since SpaceX's IPO, cited as a cautionary case study.
PL · Capital · Negative Named as a space proxy that is down 50% since SpaceX's IPO, cited as a cautionary case study.
RKLB · Capital · Negative Named as a space proxy that is down 50% since SpaceX's IPO, cited as a cautionary case study.
Broadcom Preps $60B AI Debt Package as Nike Shares Plunge on Sales Miss
Broadcom is reportedly assembling a $60B debt package to fund AI infrastructure buildouts for companies like Anthropic, consisting of a $42B senior-secured tranche syndicated by banks and an $18B junior tranche led by Blackstone. Google has partnered with Planet Labs to successfully launch its Project Suncatcher prototype satellite into orbit aboard a SpaceX rocket, testing how well Google's Tensor Processing Units handle the extreme radiation and thermal conditions of space. Crude oil futures fell sharply following reports that the European Union and the International Energy Agency are discussing the release of 100M combined barrels of diesel and crude reserves to ease global supply shortages, a move urged by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Nike's overall sales dropped 4% in its fiscal first quarter, dragged down by a 22% decline in Greater China and soft e-commerce, and its disappointing full-year revenue forecast sent shares tumbling around 10% in premarket trading while prompting acceleration of a new $2.5B cost-saving initiative called Pace. Eurozone annual inflation jumped to 3.8% in September, surpassing estimates of 3.6% and up from 3.2% the previous month, while core inflation rose slightly to 2.5% in line with expectations.
Artificial Intelligence › Custom Silicon / ASIC Capital
NKE · Demand · Negative Nike's overall sales dropped 4% with a 22% decline in Greater China and soft e-commerce, and its weak full-year revenue forecast sent shares tumbling.
AVGO · Capital · Positive Broadcom is assembling a $60B debt package to fund AI infrastructure buildouts, a major financing event for the company.
PL · Technology · Positive Google partnered with Planet Labs to successfully launch its Project Suncatcher prototype satellite into orbit, testing TPUs in space.
Google and Planet Labs launch Project Suncatcher AI satellite on SpaceX rocket
Google said Thursday that its prototype satellite for Project Suncatcher, built in partnership with Planet Labs, launched into orbit aboard the Transporter-18 rideshare mission with SpaceX. The tech giant said its team has confirmed contact with the satellite, and it is operating as expected. Travis Beals, senior director of Project Suncatcher, wrote in a blog post following the launch that this is the first step in a long-term research moonshot exploring whether space could one day host scalable machine learning infrastructure, and that over the coming weeks the team will gather in-orbit data on how its TPUs handle the physical stress of spaceflight and the radiation and thermal extremes of space. Alphabet holds a stake worth more than $82B in SpaceX, which went public in June in a record IPO. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has also announced that it plans to build and launch its orbital data centers.
Space Economy › Earth Observation & Geospatial Data Technology
Artificial Intelligence › Foundation Models & Research Labs ▲Technology
Space Economy › Launch Services & Propulsion ▲Technology
GOOG · Technology · Positive Google's Project Suncatcher prototype satellite launched and is operating as expected, advancing its space-based ML infrastructure research.
PL · Technology · Positive Planet Labs built the Project Suncatcher prototype satellite in partnership with Google, which launched successfully and is operating as expected.
SPCX · Demand · Positive SpaceX's Transporter-18 rideshare mission carried the Project Suncatcher satellite to orbit, adding a launch customer mission.
Alphabet Fast-Tracks AI Satellite Launch Under Project Suncatcher
Alphabet is fast-tracking an experimental AI satellite launch under Project Suncatcher, embedding custom AI chips into a Planet Labs satellite preparing for an upcoming orbital deployment. Management is using the project to test AI-powered orbital data centers as a new approach to remote computing capacity, treating the satellite as another node for AI workloads alongside Google Cloud, Gemini and TPU investments. The clearest next marker for investors is whether Alphabet reports concrete usage metrics or customer pilots linked to the Suncatcher satellite after the planned 1 October deployment, with references on future earnings calls to AI workload performance, energy efficiency or integration into Google Cloud services showing whether the trial is scaling beyond a one-off experiment. The article also notes two warning signs, both major, for Alphabet, and cites a fair value estimate of $429.
Space Economy › Satellite & Spacecraft Manufacturing Technology
GOOG · Technology · Positive Alphabet is fast-tracking its experimental AI satellite launch under Project Suncatcher, embedding custom AI chips to test AI-powered orbital data centers.
PL · Demand · Positive Alphabet is embedding its custom AI chips into a Planet Labs satellite for the upcoming orbital deployment, giving Planet a concrete customer integration.
Planet Labs Opens Berlin Plant, Sends Pelican-12 Satellite to Cape Canaveral
Planet Labs PBC advanced its Pelican program, with the upgraded Gen 2 Pelican-12 high-resolution satellite arriving at Cape Canaveral for launch and the company opening a Berlin facility capable of producing up to 60 Pelican satellites annually. The Berlin plant scales Pelican-class satellite manufacturing to as many as 60 units per year from a single site, supporting Planet's push toward higher-resolution imaging, faster data delivery and scaled production for environmental and commercial applications. Planet Labs also took part in the Amazon.ia biodiversity initiative and holds about US$865 million in cash. The company's investment narrative still hinges on converting a US$815 million backlog and a US$4 billion pipeline into profitable, repeatable contracts, while rising capex and launch costs pressure already negative earnings. Planet Labs' narrative projects $791.4 million in revenue and $54.3 million in earnings by 2029, with a $34.00 fair value estimate implying 95% upside to its current price.
Google to Launch First Project Suncatcher AI Satellite on Oct. 1
Alphabet will launch an experimental AI satellite as the first hardware of Project Suncatcher on Oct. 1, months ahead of schedule, according to a New York Times report. The satellite, named MVP, will fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California carrying four Google tensor processing units with roughly the computing power of one data-center server, powered by solar panels delivering about one kilowatt. Google had first said its Suncatcher prototypes with Planet Labs would launch in early 2027, and to accelerate the timeline it installed its chips in a ready-made Planet Labs satellite, accepting added risk; Google, an investor in Planet Labs, still plans to launch a pair of satellites next year and has designs for fleets of more than 80 satellites flying in close formation. The chips can run for about 15 minutes before shutting down to cool, and the satellite is designed to operate for about a year. Google estimates orbital data centers could become cost-competitive with ground facilities by the mid-2030s, though senior vice president for research James Manyika said, "We don't expect, to be perfectly frank, that we'll have anything usefully operational in the next few years."
Cloud & Digital Infrastructure › Mega-cap Hyperscalers Technology
Space Economy › Launch Services & Propulsion Demand
Space Economy › Satellite & Spacecraft Manufacturing Demand
GOOG · Technology · Positive Alphabet is launching its first Project Suncatcher AI satellite (MVP) on Oct. 1, months ahead of schedule, advancing its orbital data-center R&D.
PL · Demand · Positive Google installed its TPU chips in a ready-made Planet Labs satellite for the accelerated Suncatcher launch, and Planet Labs is Google's partner/investee for the prototype satellites.
SPCX · Demand · Positive The Suncatcher MVP satellite will fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg, giving SpaceX the launch contract for this mission.
Musk's Tesla Moment, Mortgage Rates Hit 7.45%, and Google's Space Data Center Bet
Elon Musk may be poised for a Zuckerberg-style comeback moment as Tesla prepares to debut its Roadster on October 1st in Waco, Texas, and ramps up production at its Tesla Semi factory targeting 50,000 units a year. Meanwhile, the average interest rate on a 30-year mortgage has climbed to 7.45%, its highest level in three years, pushing the monthly payment on a $500,000 mortgage to $3,479 — up from $2,995 just seven months ago, an additional $5,813 a year in mortgage interest expense for homebuyers. On the tech front, Alphabet is launching data centers in space in partnership with Planet Labs for the first time on October 1st, carrying its TPUs aboard a SpaceX booster, a move that could strengthen its position against competitors in both AI chips and driverless cars through Waymo. Bradley Tusk, a longtime tech investor and political strategist, said on the show that OpenAI has about 1 trillion4 in Capex commitments, roughly $1 trillion more than Anthropic's approximately $400 billion, and argued OpenAI and Anthropic are wildly overvalued. Tusk also praised Meta's open-source AI inference strategy as brilliant, though he said he is not a Mark Zuckerberg fan due to the harm he believes Instagram has caused to children.
GOOG · Technology · Positive Alphabet is launching data centers in space with Planet Labs, carrying its TPUs aboard a SpaceX booster, advancing its AI chip position.
TSLA · Technology · Positive Tesla prepares to debut its Roadster on October 1st and ramps Tesla Semi production toward 50,000 units a year.
PL · Demand · Positive Planet Labs is Alphabet's partner for the first space data center launch, a concrete new deployment of its services.
EXL Posts $594.8 Million Q2 Revenue, Tops Data Services Peers
EXL reported second quarter revenues of $594.8 million, up 15.6% year on year and 3.5% above analysts' expectations, the strongest showing among the 10 data and business process services stocks tracked in the quarter. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Rohit Kapoor said the company delivered second quarter revenue growth of 16% year on year and adjusted diluted EPS growth of 22% year on year, crediting continued execution of its data and AI strategy. EXL posted the highest full-year guidance raise in the group, and its stock is up 15.5% since reporting, trading at $35.28. Across the 10 stocks tracked, group revenues beat consensus estimates by 1.9% while next quarter's revenue guidance came in 3.1% below, and share prices have fallen 3.4% on average since the latest results. CoStar delivered the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers, with revenues of $925 million, up 18.4% year on year and in line with expectations, while Planet Labs posted the biggest analyst estimate beat and fastest revenue growth at $116.1 million, up 58.1% year on year, but the weakest guidance update of the group.
Planet Labs Secures Seven-Figure European Defense Deal
Planet Labs PBC has signed a new seven-figure, one-year agreement with a European defense and intelligence customer, expanding its commercial footprint in the region beyond previously disclosed contracts. The deal adds to Planet Labs' existing government relationships, including the NGA, Swedish Armed Forces, and the Defense Innovation Unit, and highlights the growing use of its data and services among major government clients. The contract, though short in duration, supports the company's narrative of focusing on higher-value solutions and larger customers, such as Planet Mosaics and Professional Services. Investors should watch for future quarterly updates to see if the company secures more multi-year or expanded contracts with large government partners, as the mix of solution-led contracts will be a key indicator of success.
Planet Labs Q2 Revenue Surges 58% on Defense, But Guidance Misses
Planet Labs reported fiscal second-quarter revenue of $116.1 million, up 58.1% year over year and beating analyst estimates of $105.1 million, driven by strong growth in its defense and intelligence sector, which grew over 90% year over year. However, the company's guidance for the next quarter of $103 million fell 10.5% short of expectations, and its full-year EBITDA guidance of $6.5 million at the midpoint also missed analyst estimates of $9.79 million. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.02, significantly above the consensus loss of $0.02. Management highlighted rapid satellite deliveries, including a handover to the Swedish Armed Forces, and a $4 billion pipeline in satellite services, with over $1 billion qualified as near-term opportunities. The company slightly raised its full-year revenue guidance to $435.5 million at the midpoint from $433 million.
AMC, USA Rare Earth, Lululemon Lead Premarket Movers
In premarket trading, AMC Entertainment gained 5.5% after its CEO criticized Robinhood for offering stock tokens, calling the practice contemptible, while rare earth stocks rose following reports that some Chinese firms halted U.S. shipments. Smith & Wesson jumped 11.7% on an earnings beat, but Lululemon tumbled 20% on weak guidance, and Adobe slipped nearly 3% after naming Anil Chakravarthy as its next CEO. Planet Labs advanced 13% on strong results, while Guidewire Software fell 14.5% on disappointing revenue guidance, and Oxford Industries sank 17% after cutting its full-year outlook.
Planet Labs Q2 Earnings Preview: Revenue Expected to Rise 42%
Planet Labs is scheduled to announce its fiscal second-quarter 2027 earnings on Thursday, September 3rd, after market close. Analysts expect a loss of $0.02 per share, a 33.3% improvement year over year, on revenue of $104.22 million, a 42.0% increase. Historically, the company has beaten EPS estimates 88% of the time and revenue estimates 63% of the time over the past two years. In the last three months, EPS estimates have seen five upward revisions and one downward, while revenue estimates have seen seven upward and one downward revision.
Dell Technologies vs. Planet Labs PBC: Which Technology Stock Is a Better Buy in 2026?
Dell Technologies and Planet Labs PBC present contrasting investment cases for 2026, with Dell leveraging AI-driven infrastructure growth and Planet Labs expanding its satellite imagery business. Dell reported fiscal 2026 revenue of approximately $113.5 billion, up nearly 19% year-over-year, and net income of more than $5.9 billion, while Planet Labs posted revenue of $307.7 million, a 26% increase, but a net loss of nearly $246.9 million. Dell trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 23.8 and a price-to-sales ratio of 2.2, compared to Planet Labs' price-to-sales ratio of 19.5 and no forward earnings multiple due to expected losses. Wall Street forecasts Dell's fiscal 2027 sales to jump 50% to about $171 billion with over $11 billion in net income, while Planet Labs is expected to widen its net loss to about $306 million on sales of $436 million. The analysis concludes that Dell's exposure to the AI data center wave makes it a more compelling buy in 2026, given its lower valuation multiples and strong cash generation.
Nvidia and Planet Labs both post consistent quarterly revenue growth, but Nvidia's sales dwarf Planet Labs'
Nvidia and Planet Labs each reported quarter-over-quarter revenue growth over the last eight periods, though Nvidia's revenue remains vastly larger. Nvidia's revenue reached $81.6 billion in its fiscal first quarter ended April 26, 2026, an 85% year-over-year increase, while Planet Labs posted $94.2 million in its quarter ended April 30, 2026, up 42% year-over-year. Nvidia expects revenue to accelerate to $91 billion next quarter, nearly double the $46.7 billion from the prior year, and Planet Labs forecasted revenue between $102 million and $107 million, a significant jump from $73.4 million a year earlier. Planet Labs' backlog rose 72% year-over-year to over $900 million, signaling continued sales growth. Both companies' consistent top-line expansion reflects strong customer demand in their respective markets.
Planet Labs shares fall 13.7% over six months but backlog surges to $906.1 million
Planet Labs shares have dropped 13.7% over the last six months to $22.32, underperforming the S&P 500's 7.9% gain. The company's backlog reached $906.1 million in the latest quarter, with year-on-year growth averaging 143% over the past two years, signaling strong future revenue. Earnings per share improved by 50.5% annually over the last four years, though the company remains unprofitable. Free cash flow margin expanded by 59.8 percentage points over five years to 13.9% on a trailing 12-month basis. The stock trades at 368.3 times forward EV-to-EBITDA.
NVIDIA Outshines Planet Labs as the Better High-Growth Tech Buy for 2026
NVIDIA is the superior high-growth tech stock to own in 2026 over Planet Labs, according to a comparative analysis. NVIDIA reported fiscal 2026 revenue of $215.9 billion, a 65.5% increase, and net income of $120.1 billion, yielding a 55.6% net margin, while Planet Labs posted revenue of $307.7 million, up 25.9%, but a net loss of $246.9 million. NVIDIA's forward P/E of 23.0x and P/S ratio of 23.3x compare favorably to Planet Labs' 202.2x forward P/E and 25.0x P/S ratio. The analysis highlights NVIDIA's industry leadership in AI chips under CEO Jensen Huang and its strong financials, contrasting with Planet Labs' ongoing losses and high stock-based compensation. Planet Labs' stock surged to a 52-week high of $51.76 in May amid space-economy excitement but has since retreated.
Space Economy › Earth Observation & Geospatial Data Competition
NVDA · Capital · Positive NVIDIA is highlighted as the superior high-growth tech buy with strong financials (revenue $215.9B, net income $120.1B, 55.6% net margin) and favorable valuation (forward P/E 23.0x, P/S 23.3x).
PL · Capital · Negative Planet Labs is portrayed as inferior with ongoing losses ($246.9M net loss), high stock-based compensation, and expensive valuation (forward P/E 202.2x, P/S 25.0x).
Broadridge and Data Services Peers Post Strong Q1 Revenue Beats
Broadridge Financial Solutions and other data and business process services stocks reported strong first-quarter results, with the group's revenues beating analysts' consensus estimates by 2.7% and next-quarter revenue guidance coming in 0.8% above expectations. Broadridge posted revenues of $1.95 billion, up 7.8% year on year and exceeding estimates by 2.7%, while Planet Labs led the group with a 42.1% revenue surge to $94.15 million and the highest guidance raise. TransUnion, the weakest performer, saw revenues rise 13.7% to $1.25 billion but missed EPS guidance for the next quarter. Equifax grew revenues 14.3% to $1.65 billion, and Fair Isaac Corporation jumped 38.7% to $691.7 million, delivering the biggest analyst estimate beat but the weakest full-year guidance update. Despite the beats, share prices were relatively unchanged on average, with Broadridge down 4.9%, Planet Labs plunging 49.6%, TransUnion up 13.7%, Equifax down 9.5%, and Fair Isaac up 21%.
Planet Labs Co-Founder Sells 89,593 Shares for $2.3 Million
Planet Labs Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Robert H. Schingler sold 89,593 shares of the company for approximately $2.3 million at a weighted average price of $25.92 per share on July 10, 2026. The sale, which reduced his total equity holdings by 8%, was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on July 14, 2025. Of the shares sold, 64,593 were directly held and 25,000 were indirectly held through the Ulysses Trust 02021.1, which retains 225,171 shares post-transaction. Following the sale, Schingler continues to hold roughly 1.1 million shares across direct and indirect accounts, representing a 0.3200% ownership stake in the company.
Planet Labs CEO Will Marshall sells 200,000 shares for $5.2 million under pre-arranged trading plan
Planet Labs co-founder, CEO, and Chairperson William Spencer Marshall sold 200,000 shares on July 10, 2026, for approximately $5.2 million. The transaction was executed under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on July 12, 2025, which allows insiders to trade at predetermined times and is not considered discretionary. Following the sale, Marshall retains about 2.7 million directly held shares worth roughly $70.42 million, representing a 7% reduction in his direct equity position. The sale occurred after the stock had declined from a 52-week high of $51.76 on May 28, and amid broader sector momentum tied to the anticipated SpaceX IPO. Planet Labs recently reported record quarterly revenue of $94.2 million, a 42% year-over-year increase, but also announced a $1.5 billion at-the-market equity offering that pressured shares.
PL · Capital · Negative CEO sold 200k shares, reducing his stake by 7%, and the company announced a $1.5B at-the-market equity offering that pressured shares.
Planet Labs PBC Shareholders Back Directors, KPMG and Pay Plan at Annual Meeting
Planet Labs PBC shareholders approved all three management proposals at the 2026 annual meeting held virtually on July 9. The re-election of Class II directors Vijaya Gadde, General John W. Raymond and Scott Reese Jr. was approved, with the directors set to serve until the 2029 annual meeting. Shareholders also ratified the appointment of KPMG LLP as the company's independent auditor for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2027, and approved the non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation. Final vote totals will be filed in a Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission within four days.
Planet Labs and BlackSky emerge as AI-powered space stocks to watch
Planet Labs and BlackSky Technology are gaining attention as artificial-intelligence-driven space stocks with established track records, offering alternatives to the highly valued SpaceX. Planet Labs operates about 200 Earth-imaging satellites and reported fiscal 2027 first-quarter revenue of $94 million, up 42% year-over-year, with an adjusted EBITDA loss of $1 million and a backlog that grew 72% to more than $906 million. The company has integrated Anthropic’s Claude AI into its platform to help non-expert users query satellite data. BlackSky uses its Spectra platform to automatically detect and classify vessels, vehicles, and aircraft in under 90 minutes, and recently won a series of U.S. government contracts for AI-enabled battle damage analytics, adding to a $160 million contract haul in the first quarter and a total potential contract value of up to $2.7 billion. Both stocks have risen more than 40% this year.
Space Economy › Earth Observation & Geospatial Data ▲Demand
Artificial Intelligence › AI Applications & Copilots Technology
BKSY · Demand · Positive Won U.S. government contracts for AI-enabled battle damage analytics, adding to $160M contract haul and $2.7B potential value.
PL · Demand · Positive Revenue up 42% YoY to $94M, backlog grew 72% to $906M, and integrated Anthropic's Claude AI to enhance product.
Anthropic · Demand · Positive Its Claude AI is integrated into Planet Labs' platform, indicating adoption and partnership.
Data & Business Process Services Stocks Q1 Teardown: TransUnion Vs The Rest
Data and business process services stocks reported a strong first quarter, with revenues beating analysts' consensus estimates by 2.7% and next quarter's revenue guidance coming in 0.8% above expectations. TransUnion posted revenues of $1.25 billion, up 13.7% year on year and exceeding estimates by 2.7%, though it missed EPS guidance for the next quarter. Planet Labs delivered the highest guidance raise and fastest revenue growth among its peers, with revenues of $94.15 million, up 42.1% year on year and beating estimates by 4.3%, yet its stock fell 29.8% since reporting. Verisk reported revenues of $782.6 million, up 3.9% year on year and beating estimates by 1.3%, while EXL posted revenues of $570.4 million, up 13.8% year on year and surpassing estimates by 2%. Fair Isaac Corporation achieved the biggest analyst estimate beat with revenues of $691.7 million, up 38.7% year on year and topping estimates by 9.1%, but had the weakest full-year guidance update among its peers.
Planet Labs announced the successful launch of Pelican-11, the tech demonstration satellite for the second generation of its high-resolution Pelican fleet. The spacecraft was launched to orbit aboard the Transporter-17 rideshare mission with SpaceX from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Planet has successfully made initial contact with the satellite and has begun the commissioning process. The stock was down 1.1% premarket.
Goldman Sachs raised its price target on Planet Labs from $20 to $22 while maintaining a Neutral rating, citing strong first-quarter revenue and EBITDA that beat consensus estimates driven by defense and intelligence growth. The firm noted the company also lifted its fiscal 2027 revenue and gross margin forecasts, though mid-term profitability remains uncertain. Separately, Planet Labs joined the Atmospheric Impact of Reentered Spacecraft initiative as a founding participant, contributing data to study how spacecraft reentry affects Earth's environment.
Seeking Alpha analysts Daniel Jones and Petri Dish Reports shared their views on the best space stock plays. Daniel Jones favors Iridium Communications among satellite prospects, but picks Amazon as his top space-oriented company, citing its acquisition of Globalstar at $90 per share and plans for a next-generation direct-to-device satellite system starting in 2028 that could tap a $1.61 trillion broadband and mobile services opportunity. Petri Dish Reports recommends diversifying across space niches, highlighting Earth observation and space surveillance with Planet Labs and BlackSky, launch and satellite services with Rocket Lab, defense-adjacent hypersonics and propulsion with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, and space infrastructure with Intuitive Machines.
Space Economy › Satellite Broadband, MSS & Ground Equipment ▲Competition
Space Economy › Earth Observation & Geospatial Data ▲Competition
Space Economy › Lunar & Cislunar Logistics ▲Competition
Space Economy › Launch Services & Propulsion ▲Competition
Space Economy › Direct-to-Device (satellite-to-cell) Competition
AMZN · Demand · Positive Cited as top space pick; Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar and plans for direct-to-device satellite system tap $1.61T opportunity.
GSAT · Capital · Positive Acquired by Amazon at $90 per share, a financial event that values the company.
BKSY · Demand · Positive Recommended for Earth observation and space surveillance, implying demand for its services.
IRDM · Demand · Positive Favored among satellite prospects by analyst Daniel Jones.
KTOS · Demand · Positive Recommended for defense-adjacent hypersonics and propulsion, implying demand for its products.
LUNR · Demand · Positive Mentioned as a space infrastructure pick by Petri Dish Reports, implying potential demand for its services.
SA Asks: What's the best satellite stock right now?
Seeking Alpha analysts Dhierin Bechai and Daniel Jones shared their picks for the best satellite stock following Rocket Lab's planned $8 billion acquisition of Iridium Communications. Bechai noted that many space companies with satellite exposure have already seen significant price increases, and highlighted emerging Earth observation firms Planet Labs, Satellogic, and Spire Global as more interesting satellite stocks at this moment. Jones said Iridium is undeniably the best satellite prospect right now due to its fundamental health, and that its tie to Rocket Lab through the half-stock buyout should limit volatility, making it suitable for defensive investors.
Space Economy › Satellite Connectivity & Direct-to-Device ▲Competition
Space Economy › Earth Observation & Geospatial Data Capital
IRDM · Capital · Positive Iridium is highlighted as the best satellite prospect due to its fundamental health and the half-stock buyout by Rocket Lab limiting volatility.
RKLB · Capital · Positive Rocket Lab's planned $8 billion acquisition of Iridium is the central event, positioning it as a key player.
PL · · Neutral Planet Labs is mentioned as an emerging Earth observation firm that is more interesting, but no specific impact is discussed.
SATL · · Neutral Satellogic is mentioned as an emerging Earth observation firm that is more interesting, but no specific impact is discussed.
SPIR · · Neutral Spire Global is mentioned as an emerging Earth observation firm that is more interesting, but no specific impact is discussed.
Planet Labs Stock Drops 37% in a Month After $1.5 Billion Equity Offering
Planet Labs stock has fallen 37% from its all-time high over the past month, driven by a $1.5 billion at-the-market equity offering and a lowered margin forecast. The satellite Earth-imaging company announced the offering during its first-quarter earnings call, planning to sell up to $1.5 billion of Class A common stock over time to expand manufacturing and infrastructure. Planet Labs also guided its full-year margin down to between 52% and 54% from 56% in the first quarter, with capital expenditures projected at $80 million to $95 million. The stock had surged 432% over the past year on strong revenue growth and contract wins with agencies like the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, but the recent developments have pressured shares.
Planet Labs Posts Record Revenue and $906M Backlog as SpaceX Hype Fades
Planet Labs reported record first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue of $94.15 million, up 42% year-over-year, with a GAAP gross margin of 54% and a non-GAAP gross margin of 56%. The company’s backlog exceeded $906 million, a 72% increase, and remaining performance obligations reached $816.01 million, up 81%, driven by contracts including a €240 million German government deal and Sweden’s first sovereign reconnaissance satellite. Planet Labs delivered its first full year of profitability in fiscal 2026 with $52.87 million in free cash flow and $15.49 million in adjusted EBITDA, and it guided for fiscal 2027 revenue between $425 million and $441 million with continued adjusted EBITDA profit. In contrast, competitor BlackSky posted a 29.7% revenue decline to $20.77 million and negative operating cash flow of $2.36 million in its first quarter of 2026.
Planet Labs Rallies on Renewed Optimism in Space Stocks Following the Rocket Lab-Iridium Partnership
Planet Labs shares surged 15.55% in a single session, joining a broader space-sector rally sparked by Rocket Lab's $8 billion cash-and-stock deal to acquire Iridium Communications. The transaction, announced on June 29, valued Iridium at a 24% premium and sent Rocket Lab up 15.93% and Iridium up 25.44%, reversing a recent 30–45% slump in space stocks after SpaceX's IPO. Planet Labs, which operates a large Earth-observation satellite fleet, reported April-quarter revenue of $94.15 million, up 42% year-over-year, and holds a backlog of roughly $906 million, up about 72% year-over-year. The company also secured a one-year $22 million option under the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's Luno B framework for maritime domain awareness and is preparing to launch its Pelican 11 tech-demo satellite on a SpaceX mission. Analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus rating on Planet Labs with an average price target of $41.00, implying roughly 23.76% upside, and the company guided second-quarter revenue between $102 million and $107 million, suggesting around 42% year-over-year growth.
StockStory picks Planet Labs and QuinStreet as cash-rich buys, flags Old Dominion as a sell
StockStory highlights two cash-heavy stocks with exciting potential and one to avoid. Planet Labs, with a net cash position of $242.8 million, is backed for its 143% average backlog growth over two years and 48.9% annual earnings per share growth. QuinStreet, holding $93.63 million in net cash, posted 47.2% annual revenue growth and 628% annual earnings per share growth over the same period. In contrast, Old Dominion Freight Line, despite a $248.1 million net cash position, faces declining unit sales, falling earnings per share, and waning returns on capital, leading StockStory to urge caution.
Planet Labs Stock Soars on $8 Billion Space Mega-Deal Frenzy
Planet Labs shares jumped as much as 12% on Monday, potentially driven by a major acquisition elsewhere in the space sector rather than company-specific news. The catalyst appears to be Rocket Lab's announcement that it will acquire Iridium Communications in an $8 billion cash-and-stock transaction. Rocket Lab shares rose about 10%, while Iridium surged more than 20% following the news. The acquisition gives Rocket Lab control of Iridium's global satellite communications network, wireless spectrum licenses and government customer relationships, accelerating Rocket Lab's transformation from a launch provider into a vertically integrated space company similar to the model pioneered by SpaceX. Although Planet Labs was not involved in the transaction, investors may be extrapolating a broader message that space assets are becoming increasingly valuable strategic infrastructure, raising questions about what a unique Earth-observation constellation might be worth to a larger aerospace, defense or data company.
Planet Labs reports record revenue, raised guidance as Earth-observation data layer gains post-SpaceX IPO attention
Planet Labs reported record quarterly revenue of about US$94 million, up 42% year-over-year, for the quarter ended April 30, 2026, with backlog above US$906 million. The company ended the period with cash and short-term investments up 223% year-over-year to roughly US$731 million and raised full-year revenue guidance to approximately US$425–441 million. Planet Labs operates a large fleet of imaging satellites, selling daily Earth imagery and AI-enabled analytics by subscription to government, defense, agriculture, energy, and other customers. The Earth-observation data layer is a distinct, subscription-driven market that benefits from cheaper launch costs, and other listed names in the field include Satellogic and BlackSky.
Space Stock Boom Shifts Investor Focus to Infrastructure and Recurring Revenue
SpaceX, Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile, and Planet Labs are riding the booming space economy, but investors are shifting attention to infrastructure, satellite connectivity, and recurring space-based data revenue amid a costly and risky launch market.
Planet Labs Stock Falls 40% From High as Investors Rotate to SpaceX IPO
Planet Labs shares have dropped over 40% in the past month from an all-time high of about $51 in May to around $28, driven largely by space-focused investors rotating capital into SpaceX at its initial public offering. The company reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 revenue up 42% year over year to $94.2 million and a backlog of $906 million, up 72%, but posted a net loss of $138.9 million, including a $106.5 million one-time noncash accounting adjustment tied to warrant liabilities. Planet Labs ended the quarter with $730.8 million in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, and its Defense and Intelligence segment revenue grew more than 65% year over year, supported by a $21.9 million maritime surveillance contract extension with the U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The stock trades at a price-to-sales ratio of 26.9, compared to competitor BlackSky Technology at 10.3, and the company is several years away from consistent profitability.
Planet Labs Secures Two NGA Milestones and Reports 42% Revenue Growth
Planet Labs secured two National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency milestones, including a one-year, $22 million extension under the Luno B IDIQ contract for AI-enabled Maritime Domain Awareness and a new Global Monitoring Service award with NGA and the Defense Innovation Unit. The company also reported fiscal first-quarter 2027 revenue of $94.2 million, up 42% year over year, while backlog rose 72% to more than $906 million and remaining performance obligations increased 81% to $816 million. The awards demonstrate government demand moving beyond satellite imagery into recurring analytics, change detection, and crisis-response monitoring, allowing Planet to sell higher-value services from its existing constellation and data archive. The revenue growth is supported by contract visibility, not only future satellite ambition.
PL · Demand · Positive Secured two NGA milestones including a $22M extension and a new Global Monitoring Service award, demonstrating strong government demand for analytics and monitoring services.
PL · Capital · Positive Reported 42% revenue growth, 72% backlog increase, and 81% rise in remaining performance obligations, indicating strong financial performance and contract visibility.
Four Public Space Stocks Offer Opportunity Beyond the SpaceX IPO Frenzy
While SpaceX dominates headlines after its blockbuster IPO, four smaller public space companies are doing measurable work that merits attention. Rocket Lab is becoming a full-stack space systems builder after acquiring Motiv Space Systems and announcing solar arrays for space-based data centers, though it remains unprofitable with its Neutron rocket still in development. Planet Labs partnered with Anthropic to feed its satellite imagery into the Claude AI model, aiming to become an intelligence platform, and reached non-GAAP profitability for the first time in fiscal 2026. Intuitive Machines won a $180.4 million NASA contract for lunar south pole payloads and became prime contractor for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, while a proposed 124% increase in the Space Force budget for fiscal 2027 could change its risk profile. Redwire, a pick-and-shovel play making components like solar arrays and sensors, landed a classified national security solar array deal with Moog and an Air Force Research Laboratory contract, though it missed first-quarter 2026 EPS estimates and is betting on long-term scale.
LUNR · Demand · Positive Won $180.4M NASA contract for lunar payloads and became prime contractor for LROC camera.
PL · Technology · Positive Partnered with Anthropic to feed satellite imagery into Claude AI, aiming to become an intelligence platform.
RDW · Demand · Positive Landed classified national security solar array deal with Moog and an Air Force Research Laboratory contract.
RDW · Capital · Negative Missed first-quarter 2026 EPS estimates.
RKLB · Technology · Neutral Acquired Motiv Space Systems and announced solar arrays for space-based data centers, but Neutron rocket still in development and remains unprofitable.
SpaceX IPO splits space trade, lifting incumbents while newer space stocks slide
Since SpaceX began trading, its shares have risen more than 30%, but the debut has split the space trade rather than sparking a broad rally. Old-line aerospace and defense names have broadly caught a bid, with GE Aerospace, Howmet Aerospace, Honeywell, Parker-Hannifin, Eaton, and TransDigm all up roughly 5% to 9%, while Boeing, RTX, Airbus, Wabtec, and Curtiss-Wright are also higher. In contrast, smaller public space stocks have fallen sharply: Rocket Lab is down about 5%, AST SpaceMobile, EchoStar, Viasat, Redwire, Planet Labs, and Satellogic are down roughly 10% to 16%, and Virgin Galactic, Sidus Space, and Intuitive Machines have dropped more than 20%. Before the IPO, these newer names were among the few ways to trade the space theme, but SpaceX’s debut has turned into a sorting machine, forcing them to prove they can win attention on their own.
Jim Cramer says Planet Labs is not a stock to chase blindly at these levels
Jim Cramer advised caution on Planet Labs, saying it is not a stock to chase blindly at current levels. He noted the company operates a fleet of Earth observation satellites and has seen its stock rally more than 470% over the past 12 months, driven by AI-enhanced analytics and strong demand from government and commercial customers. Planet's latest results showed revenue up 42% year over year, with defense and intelligence growing more than 65%, and its backlog increasing by 72%. However, Cramer pointed out that the stock trades at around 26 times sales, which he considers not cheap, and while it belongs in the conversation, the growth is not as strong as some peers like Rocket Lab.
USA
