The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights C3.ai, BigBear.ai, Exxon Mobil, Dow and Baker Hughes

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – June 26, 2025 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: C3.ai, Inc. AI, BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. BBAI, Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM, Dow Inc. DOW and Baker Hughes Co. BKR.

Here are highlights from Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

BigBear.ai vs. C3.ai: Which Is the Better Stock and a Buy?

Two small companies, C3.ai, Inc. and BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc., are providing advanced artificial intelligence (AI) software, setting them up for significant growth soon. However, let’s examine which AI investment is better for your portfolio.

Reasons to Be Bullish on C3.ai

C3.ai provides AI-driven solutions to the Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Army. It has delivered custom AI solutions to the National Science Foundation and the Marine Corps.

C3.ai secured a contract modification with the U.S. Air Force, raising the ceiling to $450 million from $100 million.Their technology will now help identify maintenance needs for weapon systems, terrestrial equipment, and aircraft.

Overall, federal government contracts made up about a third of C3.ai’s bookings in fiscal year (FY) 2025, which ended on April 30. The company also boasts a sizable non-governmental client base, including Exxon Mobil Corp. and Dow Inc.

In FY 2025, C3.ai experienced a significant rise in bookings from the oil and gas industry, mainly due to its strengthened partnership with Baker Hughes Co., which also boosted sales. In FY 2025, C3.ai’s revenues hit $389.1 million, up 25% year over year. Sales for FY 2026 are projected to range between $447.5 million and $484.5 million.

Reasons to Be Bullish on BigBear.ai

BigBear.ai’s AI-powered shipbuilding software is aiding the U.S. Navy in constructing submarines, while its face recognition technology is used in airports for security checks. The company reported revenues of $34.8 million in the first quarter, a 5% increase from a year earlier. Additionally, in 2024, exercising warrants generated $64.7 million.

BigBear.ai saw leadership changes in 2025, with Kevin McAleenan taking over as CEO in January and the CFO leaving in June.Formerly serving as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary under the first Trump administration, McAleenan’s experience could help BigBear.ai secure government contracts.

BigBear.ai or C3.ai: Which Is the Superior Stock and a Buy?

Despite revenue growth, both C3.ai and BigBear.ai remain unprofitable. BigBear.ai reported a net loss of $62 million in the first quarter, while C3.ai posted a net loss of $288.7 million for FY 2025. However, BigBear.ai has substantial debt and only modest sales growth, which limits its stock potential. BigBear.ai held total liabilities of $198.5 million in the first quarter, including $100.6 million in long-term debt. Revenues increased from $145 million in 2021 to $158 million in 2024.

C3.ai, on the other hand, has a strong balance sheet, with $1 billion in assets and $187.6 million in liabilities for the fiscal fourth quarter. Its cash and cash equivalents of $164.4 million at the end of April surpass BigBear.ai’s $107.6 million as of March, making C3.ai more stable and capable of meeting its financial obligations.

Although revenues have increased for both companies, potential budget cuts being considered by the Trump administration could affect them differently. BigBear.ai relies heavily on federal government contracts for its revenue, making it particularly vulnerable to these cuts. In contrast, C3.ai’s federal government bookings accounted for only 26% in FY 2025, indicating a lower potential impact on its business.

From a valuation perspective, C3.ai stock is relatively cheaper than BigBear.ai as its forward price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is 6.87, whereas BigBear.ai’s is 9.13.

Thus, C3.ai stands out over Bigbear.ai with its strong sales growth, robust balance sheet, good cash position, lower susceptibility to government policies and attractive valuations, making it a compelling buy at the moment. C3.ai has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), whereas BigBear.ai has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

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