Rakuten Group, Inc., Rakuten Mobile, Inc. and Mikitani Hiroshi, a ten percent owner of AST SpaceMobile EXCHANGE:ASTS, sold 3,040,000 shares of Class A Common Stock on April 14 and April 15, 2026, for approximately $270 million. The sale comes after ASTS shares surged 289% over the past year, though InvestingPro Tips highlight that stock price movements remain quite volatile and the company is not expected to be profitable this year.
The sales occurred in two separate transactions. On April 14, 1,690,000 shares were sold at a weighted average price of $91.42, in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $87.50 to $103.96 per share. On April 15,1,350,000 shares were sold at a weighted average price of $86.22, in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $84.04 to $88.71 per share.
Following the transactions, Rakuten Mobile, Inc. still directly owns 27,980,155 shares of AST SpaceMobile. Mikitani Hiroshi, as founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rakuten Group, Inc., may be deemed the beneficial owner of these shares, although he disclaims beneficial ownership except to the extent of any indirect pecuniary interest.
In other recent news, AST SpaceMobile announced the upcoming launch of its BlueBird 7 satellite, scheduled for April 19 from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This launch is part of Blue Origin's New Glenn-3 mission. Deutsche Bank recently lowered its price target for AST SpaceMobile from $139 to $117, maintaining a Buy rating due to competition concerns following Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar. Meanwhile, Barclays raised its price target to $65 from $60 despite maintaining an Underweight rating, citing successful satellite launches and revenue guidance for 2026.
AST SpaceMobile reported fourth-quarter 2025 results that exceeded revenue expectations by 30%, although EBITDA fell short by 9%. The company has provided 2026 revenue guidance of $150 million to $200 million, primarily driven by gateway deliveries and government milestones. Additionally, a recent visit from a Meta executive highlighted AST SpaceMobile's innovative approach to satellite connectivity, which involves deploying large, high-power satellites designed to connect directly to standard smartphones. The company plans to deploy 45 to 60 satellites by 2026.
Finally, AST SpaceMobile shares gained 9% following NASA's launch of its Artemis II mission, marking a significant moment for space-related stocks.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor.