Planet Labs Launches Next-Gen Satellite Pelican-11
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3 days ago
0mins
Source: Newsfilter
- Pelican-11 Launch Prep: Planet Labs announced that its second-generation high-resolution satellite, Pelican-11, has been shipped to Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, set to launch aboard SpaceX's Transporter-17 mission, highlighting the company's ongoing innovation in satellite technology.
- Technology Testbed: Pelican-11 will serve as a testbed for new technologies, and while it is not expected to produce commercially available data, the information it gathers will inform future Pelican designs, thereby advancing the company's capabilities in high-resolution imaging.
- Market Demand Response: Planet plans to launch additional Pelican satellites in 2026 and 2027 to meet the rising global demand for sovereign satellite ownership and high-resolution data products, demonstrating the company's keen responsiveness to market dynamics.
- Company Background: As a leading provider of global satellite imagery and geospatial solutions, Planet Labs has been committed to imaging the world daily since its founding in 2010, serving various sectors including agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education, and finance, showcasing its leadership in the commercial Earth observation space.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Stop guessing "Should I Buy PL?" and start using high-conviction signals backed by rigorous historical data.
Sign up today to access powerful investing tools and make smarter, data-driven decisions.
Analyst Views on PL
Wall Street analysts forecast PL stock price to fall
11 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
3 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 43.530
Low
12.30
Averages
18.93
High
22.00
Current: 43.530
Low
12.30
Averages
18.93
High
22.00
About PL
Planet Labs PBC is a provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. It designs, builds, and operates the earth observation fleet of imaging satellites. It provides mission-critical data, advanced insights, and software solutions comprising agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education and finance companies and government agencies, enabling users to derive value from satellite imagery. Its satellite data and analytics reveal actionable insights regarding phenomena, such as deforestation, agriculture, climate change, biodiversity, and supply chains worldwide. Its daily stream of proprietary data and machine learning analytics, delivered over its cloud-native platform, helps companies, governments and civil society use satellite imagery to discover insights as change happens. Its digital technology platform includes Agile Aerospace, Proprietary Big Data, and Platform and Analytics. Its products include Planet Monitoring, Planet Tasking, and others.
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.
Planet Labs Stock Plummets After Quarterly Report Despite Strong Earnings
- Quarterly Performance Exceeds Expectations: Planet Labs reported $94 million in sales for Q1 of fiscal 2027, reflecting a year-over-year growth of approximately 42%, surpassing Wall Street's forecast by $3.9 million, indicating strong market performance.
- Adjusted Loss Per Share Improves: The company posted a non-GAAP loss of $0.03 per share, which was $0.01 better than the average analyst estimate; however, the stock still experienced a significant decline due to bearish market sentiment.
- Full-Year Sales Target Raised: Planet Labs increased its full-year sales guidance from $415-$440 million to $425-$441 million, while also raising its adjusted gross margin forecast from 50%-52% to 52%-54%, reflecting confidence in future growth.
- Increased Macroeconomic Pressure: The U.S. added 172,000 nonfarm jobs in May, significantly above economists' expectations, raising concerns among investors about potential Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, which could pressure valuations for growth-dependent stocks like Planet Labs.
See More
Planet Labs Reports 42% Revenue Growth but Stock Declines
- Significant Revenue Growth: Planet Labs reported a 42% year-over-year revenue increase in Q1, reaching $94.2 million, surpassing analyst expectations of $90.13 million, indicating strong performance in the satellite imaging market, although the stock declined post-earnings due to investor concerns over margin outlook.
- Surge in Defense Revenue: Revenue from defense and intelligence grew over 65%, driving remaining performance obligations up 81% to $816 million, reflecting robust demand for satellite services and enhancing the company's competitive position in the defense sector.
- Contract Wins and Extensions: The company secured an eight-figure, one-year contract with an undisclosed international defense customer and a $21.9 million contract extension from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, further solidifying its position in government contracts and expected to support future revenue growth.
- Market Reaction: Despite raising its fiscal 2027 revenue outlook to $425 million-$441 million, shares fell over 3.8% in after-hours trading, reflecting investor concerns about overall market sentiment, particularly in light of the impact from SpaceX's IPO.
See More
Planet Labs Shares Drop 35% Following Q1 Earnings and Equity Offering
- Strong Sales Growth: Planet Labs reported a 42% year-over-year increase in sales for Q1, indicating robust market demand and business expansion potential, despite the significant drop in stock price.
- Backlog Surge: The company's backlog grew by 72% to over $900 million, reflecting sustainable future revenue and increased customer confidence, even as the stock faces short-term pressure.
- Equity Financing Announcement: Management announced a $1.5 billion equity offering, which could dilute shareholder value by 9%, but this strategic move allows the company to capitalize on its high stock price to fund future growth.
- Profitability Challenges: While maintaining a net dollar retention rate of 114% and raising full-year revenue guidance to a 41% growth, the stock trades at a high 32 times sales, suggesting ongoing volatility as the company works to improve profitability.
See More
Planet Labs Stock Volatility and Equity Offering
- Stock Volatility: Planet Labs' stock surged eightfold over the past year but plummeted 35% this week due to first-quarter results falling short of market expectations, highlighting the gap between high investor expectations and actual performance.
- Equity Offering Impact: The company announced a $1.5 billion equity offering, which is expected to dilute shareholder value by approximately 9%; while this move pressures the stock in the short term, management views it as a strategic way to capitalize on the soaring share price.
- Performance Analysis: Although the first-quarter earnings exceeded average expectations, the market's lofty expectations led to a decline in stock price, reflecting investor concerns about the company's future profitability.
- Investment Strategy Advice: Given Planet Labs' current price-to-sales ratio of 32, analysts recommend that investors buy in small batches rather than going all-in, to mitigate potential stock price volatility in the future.
See More
Planet Labs Shares Plunge 22% Amid New Offering
- Equity Offering Plan: Planet Labs has established a new at-the-market (ATM) equity offering program that allows the company to raise up to $1.5 billion by selling Class A common stock, which led to a sharp 22% drop in shares, marking the steepest decline in 21 months and reflecting investor concerns about future financing.
- Analyst Rating Upgrade: Craig-Hallum raised the price target for Planet Labs from $36 to $49 while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, indicating a potential upside of 38%, which reflects analysts' confidence in the company's strategic execution despite short-term volatility.
- Financial Performance Exceeds Expectations: Planet Labs reported quarterly revenue of $94.2 million, surpassing Wall Street's estimate of $90.13 million, with an adjusted loss per share of $0.03, better than the expected $0.04 loss, showcasing strong revenue growth.
- Market Sentiment Analysis: Despite the significant stock drop, retail sentiment on Stocktwits remained in the 'extremely bullish' zone, with message volumes surging by around 420%, indicating confidence in the company's long-term growth potential and viewing the offering as a 'necessary evil' for future expansion.
See More
Starfighters Space to Join Russell 3000 Index
- Index Inclusion Impact: Starfighters Space, Inc. (NYSE American: FJET) announced its addition to the Russell 3000 Index effective June 29, 2026, which will enhance its visibility among institutional investors and potentially attract more index-related investments.
- Unique Aerospace Asset: The company operates a fleet of seven F-104 supersonic jets at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, capable of supporting various research and testing missions, showcasing its unique positioning in the aerospace sector.
- Increased Market Awareness: While index inclusion does not alter the company's fundamentals, it may enhance market awareness of Starfighters, particularly among investors in the public space sector, facilitating deeper due diligence.
- Commercial Conversion Challenge: The future key lies in whether Starfighters can translate its unique aerospace platform into sustained commercial activity; although the index event may broaden visibility, the core issue remains its ability to achieve long-term market recognition.
See More
Planet Labs Stock Plummets After Quarterly Report Despite Strong Earnings
- Quarterly Performance Exceeds Expectations: Planet Labs reported $94 million in sales for Q1 of fiscal 2027, reflecting a year-over-year growth of approximately 42%, surpassing Wall Street's forecast by $3.9 million, indicating strong market performance.
- Adjusted Loss Per Share Improves: The company posted a non-GAAP loss of $0.03 per share, which was $0.01 better than the average analyst estimate; however, the stock still experienced a significant decline due to bearish market sentiment.
- Full-Year Sales Target Raised: Planet Labs increased its full-year sales guidance from $415-$440 million to $425-$441 million, while also raising its adjusted gross margin forecast from 50%-52% to 52%-54%, reflecting confidence in future growth.
- Increased Macroeconomic Pressure: The U.S. added 172,000 nonfarm jobs in May, significantly above economists' expectations, raising concerns among investors about potential Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, which could pressure valuations for growth-dependent stocks like Planet Labs.
See More
Planet Labs Reports 42% Revenue Growth but Stock Declines
- Significant Revenue Growth: Planet Labs reported a 42% year-over-year revenue increase in Q1, reaching $94.2 million, surpassing analyst expectations of $90.13 million, indicating strong performance in the satellite imaging market, although the stock declined post-earnings due to investor concerns over margin outlook.
- Surge in Defense Revenue: Revenue from defense and intelligence grew over 65%, driving remaining performance obligations up 81% to $816 million, reflecting robust demand for satellite services and enhancing the company's competitive position in the defense sector.
- Contract Wins and Extensions: The company secured an eight-figure, one-year contract with an undisclosed international defense customer and a $21.9 million contract extension from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, further solidifying its position in government contracts and expected to support future revenue growth.
- Market Reaction: Despite raising its fiscal 2027 revenue outlook to $425 million-$441 million, shares fell over 3.8% in after-hours trading, reflecting investor concerns about overall market sentiment, particularly in light of the impact from SpaceX's IPO.
See More
Planet Labs Shares Drop 35% Following Q1 Earnings and Equity Offering
- Strong Sales Growth: Planet Labs reported a 42% year-over-year increase in sales for Q1, indicating robust market demand and business expansion potential, despite the significant drop in stock price.
- Backlog Surge: The company's backlog grew by 72% to over $900 million, reflecting sustainable future revenue and increased customer confidence, even as the stock faces short-term pressure.
- Equity Financing Announcement: Management announced a $1.5 billion equity offering, which could dilute shareholder value by 9%, but this strategic move allows the company to capitalize on its high stock price to fund future growth.
- Profitability Challenges: While maintaining a net dollar retention rate of 114% and raising full-year revenue guidance to a 41% growth, the stock trades at a high 32 times sales, suggesting ongoing volatility as the company works to improve profitability.
See More
Planet Labs Stock Volatility and Equity Offering
- Stock Volatility: Planet Labs' stock surged eightfold over the past year but plummeted 35% this week due to first-quarter results falling short of market expectations, highlighting the gap between high investor expectations and actual performance.
- Equity Offering Impact: The company announced a $1.5 billion equity offering, which is expected to dilute shareholder value by approximately 9%; while this move pressures the stock in the short term, management views it as a strategic way to capitalize on the soaring share price.
- Performance Analysis: Although the first-quarter earnings exceeded average expectations, the market's lofty expectations led to a decline in stock price, reflecting investor concerns about the company's future profitability.
- Investment Strategy Advice: Given Planet Labs' current price-to-sales ratio of 32, analysts recommend that investors buy in small batches rather than going all-in, to mitigate potential stock price volatility in the future.
See More
Planet Labs Shares Plunge 22% Amid New Offering
- Equity Offering Plan: Planet Labs has established a new at-the-market (ATM) equity offering program that allows the company to raise up to $1.5 billion by selling Class A common stock, which led to a sharp 22% drop in shares, marking the steepest decline in 21 months and reflecting investor concerns about future financing.
- Analyst Rating Upgrade: Craig-Hallum raised the price target for Planet Labs from $36 to $49 while maintaining a 'Buy' rating, indicating a potential upside of 38%, which reflects analysts' confidence in the company's strategic execution despite short-term volatility.
- Financial Performance Exceeds Expectations: Planet Labs reported quarterly revenue of $94.2 million, surpassing Wall Street's estimate of $90.13 million, with an adjusted loss per share of $0.03, better than the expected $0.04 loss, showcasing strong revenue growth.
- Market Sentiment Analysis: Despite the significant stock drop, retail sentiment on Stocktwits remained in the 'extremely bullish' zone, with message volumes surging by around 420%, indicating confidence in the company's long-term growth potential and viewing the offering as a 'necessary evil' for future expansion.
See More
Starfighters Space to Join Russell 3000 Index
- Index Inclusion Impact: Starfighters Space, Inc. (NYSE American: FJET) announced its addition to the Russell 3000 Index effective June 29, 2026, which will enhance its visibility among institutional investors and potentially attract more index-related investments.
- Unique Aerospace Asset: The company operates a fleet of seven F-104 supersonic jets at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, capable of supporting various research and testing missions, showcasing its unique positioning in the aerospace sector.
- Increased Market Awareness: While index inclusion does not alter the company's fundamentals, it may enhance market awareness of Starfighters, particularly among investors in the public space sector, facilitating deeper due diligence.
- Commercial Conversion Challenge: The future key lies in whether Starfighters can translate its unique aerospace platform into sustained commercial activity; although the index event may broaden visibility, the core issue remains its ability to achieve long-term market recognition.
See More
