Why the bot decided this
SpaceX beat Q3 revenue and earnings estimates, driven by AI and Starlink growth, while space-sector peers Rocket Lab and Firefly posted muted gains.
The article
Space Stocks Coast Through SpaceX Q3 Print: Rocket Lab, Firefly Steady Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) topped estimates on both the top and bottom lines after Tuesday’s close. The rest of the space sector barely stirred. RKLB stock is steady. See the chart and price action here. SpaceX Beats on Revenue and Earnings SpaceX reported third-quarter revenue of $14.58 billion, well ahead of the $12.74 billion analysts expected, according to Benzinga Pro. Earnings came in at 35 cents per share, beating estimates of 12 cents. Revenue jumped 161% year-over-year. The Super Intelligence (SI) segment did most of the heavy lifting. SI revenue reached $7.6 billion, up 830% from a year earlier. Connectivity revenue climbed 69% to $5.2 billion, while the Space segment brought in $1.8 billion, up 6%. Read Also: SpaceX Stock for Every Child Could Kick Off $100B Giving Race, Brad Gerstner Says Launch activity stayed strong. SpaceX completed 12 customer launches during the quarter, including its first revenue-generating Starship mission, and has logged 113 launches so far this year. Starlink finished the period with 13.6 million subscribers. CFO Bret Johnsen pointed to the company’s launch leadership, recurring Starlink revenue and SI infrastructure buildout as drivers of “meaningful operating leverage.” Costs and expenses totaled $367 million for Space, $974 million for Connectivity and $4.6 billion for SI. SpaceX ended the quarter with $53.39 billion in total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash. SPCX shares rose 2.35% to $151.26 in after-hours trading Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro. Read the full earnings rundown. Peers Hold Mostly Steady Elsewhere in the group, extended-session moves stayed modest. Here is how other U.S.-listed space stocks traded after the bell, according to Benzinga Pro market data: Rocket Lab Corp. (NASDAQ:RKLB): up 1.18% at $51.50 Voyager Technologies Inc. (NYSE:VOYG): up 0.16% at $24.30 Intuitive Machines Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR): up 0.62% at $10.61 AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS): up 1.19% at $41.62 Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL): up 0.74% at $13.50 Firefly Aerospace Inc. (NASDAQ:FLY): up 0.55% at $16.40 Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. (NYSE:SPCE): up 1.27% at $2.40 The muted reaction suggests investors had largely priced in a strong quarter from the sector’s biggest name. SpaceX’s call could still shift sentiment. Commentary on Starship launch cadence, Starlink growth and SI spending will be closely watched across the industry. Read Also: United Airlines Stock Sinks After Q3 Results Miss Estimates Photo: UrbanArtr / Shutterstock