RKLB 50.84 -7.98%ASTS 40.66 -8.55%LUNR 10.78 -6.83%RDW 8.39 -5.84%BKSY 17.32 -6.12%PL 13.56 -6.74%LMT 552.09 +3.65%NOC 519.86 +4.05%UFO 39.28 -1.82%Delayed quotes, Yahoo Finance, as of Oct 17, 2026 11:15 ET
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AST SpaceMobile sinks to a 52-week low as SpaceX moves on direct-to-phone spectrum

ASTS fell 8.6% on Oct. 16 to $40.66 after touching $39.87, as SpaceX's deal for Grain Management's low-band spectrum and an FCC direct-to-cell authorization sharpen the competitive picture.

By Space Cyborg Newsroom · Published · 3 min read

AST SpaceMobile sinks to a 52-week low as SpaceX moves on direct-to-phone spectrum
Image: CLEOsat/Oukaimeden Observatory/IAU CPS/A.E. Kaeouach; BlueWalker 3 pass · CC BY 4.0 · source

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) closed Friday, October 16, at $40.66, down 8.6% on the day, according to delayed Yahoo Finance data. During the week the stock traded as low as $39.87, its lowest level in 52 weeks (MarketBeat). The shares are now down about 44% year to date and roughly 70% below their 52-week high of $133.86.

The selloff looks like an ASTS-specific repricing, not a move against space stocks in general. When the SpaceX spectrum news broke on October 9, the Procure Space ETF (UFO) edged higher while ASTS fell. A 24/7 Wall St piece syndicated on Yahoo Finance read that as selling aimed at direct-to-device (D2D) spectrum exposure.

What changed

SpaceX is buying low-band spectrum AST had pursued. On October 9, Grain Management said SpaceX would acquire its entire nationwide low-band spectrum portfolio. Terms were not disclosed and the deal still needs regulatory approval (Yahoo Finance). Telecom Gazette and other trade press report that the licences are in the 800 MHz band and that the deal is worth about $8 billion. That figure is reported, not confirmed by the companies. Low-band spectrum carries better into buildings, which matters for satellite-to-phone service.

The FCC cleared a larger SpaceX direct-to-cell network. Investing.com reported on Oct. 9 that the FCC authorized SpaceX to build a 15,000-satellite direct-to-cell network. ASTS fell 8.4% that morning.

Analysts have turned more cautious. MarketBeat reports that Piper Sandler cut ASTS to Neutral from Overweight with a $54 target, citing SpaceX competition, and TipRanks reports that B. Riley also moved to Neutral, cutting its target to $65 from $85. Analyst Tim Farrar estimates it could take until 2028 for AST to reach 60 satellites (as reported by MarketBeat).

What AST still has

AST's existing carrier partnerships are unaffected by the Grain deal. Through definitive agreements with Ligado Networks, the company has long-term access to lower mid-band spectrum in the U.S. and Canada, up to 45 MHz according to Investing.com. Its arrangements with AT&T and Verizon remain in place. Recon Analytics' Roger Entner said after the announcement that "Ligado is next," which puts those agreements at the centre of the story (Yahoo Finance).

Dates to watch

  • Oct. 20: SpaceX reports third-quarter results after the close. Any Starlink direct-to-cell detail will be read across to ASTS.
  • Oct. 29: the FCC's agenda includes a proposed 25 MHz auction in bands usable for direct-to-device service (Investing.com).
  • Q3 earnings: Nasdaq estimates around Nov. 9. This is an estimate, not a date the company has confirmed. See the space calendar.

Follow the stock on the ASTS quote page, and see SpaceX (SPCX) for the other side of the trade.

Not financial advice.

Sources

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