AST SpaceMobile Inc (NASDAQ: ASTS) stock was last seen down 10.6% to trade at $76.75, after its BlueBird 7 satellite was placed into a lower orbit than planned after a launch over the weekend. The company noted it expects an insurance policy to help it recover costs, and still expects to conduct orbital launches frequently in 2026.
Though ASTS is on track for its fourth loss in five sessions and carries a 35.5% three-month deficit, it still sports a 221.9% year-over-year lead. The equity has struggled with a ceiling at the $100 level since early February, following a pullback from its Jan.30, all-time high of $129.89.
Shorts sellers are in control, with short interest up 10.5% in the last two reporting periods. The 46.23 million shares sold short make up 18.3% of AST's total available float. Pessimism is also prevalent among analysts, with eight of the 12 in coverage sporting a "hold" or worse rating.
Options traders have been much more bullish than usual, however. This is per the stock's 10-day call/put volume ratio of 2.84 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) that sits higher than 96% of annual readings.
So far today, 100,000 calls have already crossed the tape -- five times the amount typically seen at this point -- compared to just 38,000 puts. The most active contract is the weekly 4/24 80-strike call, where new positions are currently being bought to open.
