ASTS, RKLB, PL Stocks In Focus As Berenberg Sees $1 Trillion Space Economy — Here’s How It Picks The Winners
The firm set a price target of $83 for Rocket Lab, implying 36% upside potential.
Berenberg initiated coverage of AST SpaceMobile with a $92 price target, representing a 65% upside.
Berenberg highlighted data as Planet Labs’ competitive advantage.
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS), Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Planet Labs (PL) were in focus on Wednesday after Berenberg launched coverage of the space sector, saying that falling launch costs are creating a rapidly growing investable universe.
Initiating the three U.S.-listed stocks with a ‘Buy’ rating, analyst Michael Filatov said lower launch costs helped push the space economy past $500 billion in 2025, and the market is now on track to exceed $1 trillion by 2030, according to The Fly.
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As the industry expands, Berenberg favors those with “vertically integrated launch” capabilities, which essentially means companies that control more of their own launch supply chain. The brokerage also prefers companies with satellite networks, technologies and capabilities that cannot be easily replicated.
All three stocks were trading lower in pre-market. ASTS stock edged 0.9% lower, PL shares were down 0.8%, while RKLB stock was down nearly 3%.
Berenberg Says RKLB Is An ‘End-To-End Public Pure-Play In Space’
Rocket Lab received an $83 price target, with Filatov calling it the “only end-to-end public pure-play in space,” according to Investing.com. The target represents a 36% upside potential from current levels
The company, which operates its Electron small-orbital launch vehicle, not only launches satellites for the U.S. government and global firms but also maintains its own on-orbit assets and satellite operations.
In June, Rocket Lab built its own Pioneer spacecraft, launched it aboard Electron for the U.S. Space Force and subsequently operated the satellite in orbit.
ASTS’ Telecom Partnerships An Advantage
Berenberg initiated coverage of AST SpaceMobile with a $92 price target, representing a 65% upside. Berenberg highlighted its ability to provide cellular broadband directly to ordinary smartphones and its partnerships with more than 60 mobile network operators covering roughly 3 billion subscribers.
ASTS has also been rapidly building out its constellation. The company launched BlueBirds 8 through 10 in June and another three satellites, BlueBirds 11, 12 and 13, aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 in August.