Viasat Stock Rises After Analyst Upgrade Despite Market Weakness
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 18 2026
0mins
Source: Fool
Viasat Inc's stock rose by 6.38% as it crossed above the 5-day SMA, indicating a positive shift in investor sentiment. The increase comes amid a recent analyst upgrade from Needham, which raised Viasat's price target to $90, suggesting a potential 25% upside over the next year. This upgrade highlights the growth potential of Viasat's spectrum assets and defense business, despite the company facing challenges with six consecutive years of losses.
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Analyst Views on VSAT
Wall Street analysts forecast VSAT stock price to fall
6 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 64.550
Low
36.00
Averages
43.80
High
52.00
Current: 64.550
Low
36.00
Averages
43.80
High
52.00
About VSAT
Viasat, Inc. is a global communications company. Its segments include communication services and defense and advanced technologies. The communication services segment provides a wide range of broadband and narrowband communications solutions across government and commercial mobility markets, as well as for residential and enterprise fixed broadband customers. In addition, this segment includes the development and sale of a wide array of advanced satellite and wireless products and terminals that support or enable the provision of fixed and mobile broadband and narrowband services. The defense and advanced technologies segment develop and offers a diverse array of resilient, vertically integrated solutions to government and commercial customers, leveraging its core technical competencies in encryption, cybersecurity, tactical gateways, modems and waveforms.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Innovation in Technology: Viasat is set to develop small, maneuverable geosynchronous satellites, marking a technological advancement that enhances its competitive position in the defense market.
- Long-term Revenue Outlook: The contract includes a five-year satellite operation service, expected to contribute about 1% annual revenue growth for Viasat, providing stable cash flow and opportunities for business expansion.
See More
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See More
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- Short-Term Bearish Trends: According to S3's analysis, ASTS and SPCE are identified as the clearest bearish bets in the space sector, with ASTS's short position reaching 54 million shares, a 41% increase year-to-date, while SPCE's surged 86% to 28 million shares, indicating strong market skepticism towards these stocks.
- Investor Behavior Shift: Despite LUNR being heavily shorted, passive ownership has surged 101% year-to-date, reflecting growing confidence among long-term investors, with active and hedge fund long positions increasing by 52% and 97% respectively, outpacing the stock's 34% short interest growth.
- Short Covering Phenomenon: Short positions in RKLB and VSAT have decreased by 22% and 26% year-to-date, respectively, indicating investor recognition of improved fundamentals in these cash-generating companies, suggesting a more optimistic outlook for their future performance.
- Market Sentiment Analysis: On Stocktwits, retail sentiment towards SPCX is deemed 'bullish', while ASTS, SPCE, and RKLB also show 'bullish' sentiment, indicating an overall increase in market confidence in space stocks, despite VSAT and PL leaning towards 'bearish' sentiment.
See More
SpaceX IPO Sparks Wall Street Attention
- Market Volatility Risk: SpaceX's IPO, valued at approximately $1.75 trillion, has generated high expectations; however, historical trends indicate that stocks can experience significant volatility post-IPO, necessitating cautious risk assessment by investors.
- Infrastructure Development Opportunity: The SpaceX listing represents not just a public offering but an infrastructure event that propels the growth of the space economy, involving Starlink's satellite network expansion and new ground station construction, which is expected to attract more customers and partners.
- Intuitive Machines Opportunity: Intuitive Machines secured a $180.4 million NASA contract, with projected revenues of $900 million to $1 billion in 2026, and its collaboration with SpaceX is set to enhance its market position and drive lunar economic development.
- AST SpaceMobile Outlook: AST SpaceMobile aims to deploy around 45 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026; despite execution challenges, its partnership with SpaceX is likely to bolster its competitiveness in the global mobile broadband market, drawing increased investor interest.
See More
SpaceX Expansion Fuels Growth in Space Economy
- Surge in Market Demand: SpaceX's expansion of Starlink and launch capabilities is driving demand across the broader space economy, with direct beneficiaries like Intuitive Machines and AST SpaceMobile relying on SpaceX launches and poised to benefit from increased investments in lunar missions and satellite connectivity.
- Opportunity for Intuitive Machines: The company secured a $180.4 million contract from NASA to deliver seven science and technology payloads to the lunar South Pole in March 2026, and its backlog reached $1.055 billion in Q1 2026, nearly tripling year-over-year, indicating strong growth potential in the commercial space sector.
- Strategic Shift for AST SpaceMobile: This company is building a satellite-based mobile broadband network and has secured multi-year commercial agreements with AT&T and Vodafone, targeting approximately 45 satellites in orbit by year-end 2026; despite market volatility, its long-term opportunities remain significant.
- Viasat's Defense Advantage: While Viasat faces competition from Starlink in the consumer broadband market, its government and defense communications business is growing, and the successful launch of the ViaSat-3 F3 satellite on April 29 will further strengthen its position in the defense sector.
See More
Viasat Stock Soars After U.S. Space Force Contract Win
- Significant Contract Value: Viasat has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Space Force valued at $437.7 million, with Viasat expected to receive approximately $219 million, which represents about 4.7% of the company's trailing twelve-month sales of $4.6 billion, significantly enhancing its financial outlook.
- Satellite System Innovation: The contract involves the development of a mini-GEO dual X/Ka-band satellite system, marking Viasat's first breakthrough in the small maneuverable satellite sector, which is expected to strengthen its competitive position in the military communications market.
- Long-term Revenue Potential: Should Viasat secure 50% of future awards in this series, the single contract could be worth nearly half a year's revenue for the company, highlighting the strategic importance of this project for future growth.
- Revenue Growth Expectations: Although the contract revenue will be paid over five years, it is anticipated to boost Viasat's annual revenue growth rate by about 1%, further solidifying its market position in the satellite communications industry.
See More
U.S. Space Force Awards Viasat $219M Contract for Mini-GEO Satellite
- Significant Contract Value: The U.S. Space Force awarded Viasat a $219 million contract for a 'mini-GEO' satellite system, resulting in an 18.2% surge in Viasat's stock price, reflecting strong market confidence in its growth prospects.
- Market Share Potential: This contract represents approximately 4.7% of Viasat's trailing twelve-month sales of $4.6 billion, and if follow-on orders materialize, the total potential value of the PTS-G program could reach $4 billion, significantly boosting the company's revenue.
- Innovation in Technology: Viasat is set to develop small, maneuverable geosynchronous satellites, marking a technological advancement that enhances its competitive position in the defense market.
- Long-term Revenue Outlook: The contract includes a five-year satellite operation service, expected to contribute about 1% annual revenue growth for Viasat, providing stable cash flow and opportunities for business expansion.
See More
Viasat Shares Surge After U.S. Space Force Contract Win
- Viasat Contract Approval: Viasat's shares surged over 8% following the U.S. Space Force's award of a multi-year contract for a dual-band satellite system, which is expected to enhance the company's market position in military communications.
- EchoStar Stock Rise: EchoStar's shares gained more than 8% ahead of SpaceX's IPO on Friday, reflecting market optimism regarding its stake in SpaceX shares and potential future gains.
- General Dynamics Upgrade: General Dynamics saw its shares increase nearly 5% after Jefferies upgraded its rating to buy, citing significant returns on investments and continued strength in near-term results, with a new price target of $400 implying a 17% upside.
- Adobe Stock Decline: Adobe's shares fell nearly 5%, hitting a new 52-week low, despite analysts expecting its earnings report to align with prior guidance, indicating ongoing market concerns about its future performance.
See More
