Viasat (NASDAQ:VSAT) SVP Benjamin Edward Palmer Sells 2,400 Shares of Stock

Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ:VSAT) SVP Benjamin Edward Palmer sold 2,400 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.46, for a total value of $181,104.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 21,159 shares in the company, valued at $1,596,658.14. This trade represents a 10.19% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

Viasat Stock Down 6.0%

Viasat stock opened at $81.03 on Thursday. The stock has a market cap of $11.16 billion, a PE ratio of -337.62 and a beta of 1.72. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 2.41 and a quick ratio of 2.19. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $72.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $60.32. Viasat Inc. has a 1-year low of $21.28 and a 1-year high of $93.03.

Viasat (NASDAQ:VSAT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 28th. The communications equipment provider reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.32 by ($0.34). Viasat had a positive return on equity of 1.45% and a negative net margin of 0.64%.The business had revenue of $1.17 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.20 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted ($0.02) earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that Viasat Inc. will post -0.28 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Key Viasat News

Here are the key news stories impacting Viasat this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Viasat reported fiscal Q1 adjusted earnings of $0.17 per share, above the roughly $0.10 consensus estimate and significantly better than the year-ago result. Lower interest expense helped narrow losses and supported the earnings beat. Viasat Q1 Earnings Surpass Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: Management expects approximately $180 million of fiscal 2027 free cash flow while maintaining its $950 million-$1 billion capital-expenditure plan. Executives also highlighted record Direct-to-Air (DAT) awards and continued growth opportunities in government, aviation and maritime connectivity. Viasat Free Cash Flow and Capital Expenditure Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Two ViaSat-3 satellites are nearing service, potentially expanding capacity and supporting the company’s next phase of growth. Needham raised its price target to $105 and reiterated a Buy rating, citing the improving outlook. Needham Raises Viasat Price Target
• Neutral Sentiment: VSAT has already rallied substantially over the past three months, leaving investors focused on whether ViaSat-3 commercialization and new contracts can justify the higher valuation. Competitive pressures and execution remain important risks. Viasat Rally and Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Quarterly revenue of approximately $1.16 billion missed the $1.20 billion analyst estimate and declined year over year. The revenue shortfall is likely outweighing the adjusted earnings beat because it raises questions about near-term demand and the pace of growth.
• Negative Sentiment: Commentary following the report characterized the stock as expensive after its recent advance, while the large capital-spending program leaves limited room for execution missteps. Two insiders also sold shares, including a director and a senior vice president, adding a modest negative signal.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities analysts have commented on VSAT shares. Needham & Company LLC increased their price target on shares of Viasat from $90.00 to $105.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Viasat from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Viasat in a research report on Friday, July 17th. B. Riley Financial lifted their price target on shares of Viasat from $94.00 to $106.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Finally, New Street Research began coverage on shares of Viasat in a research note on Wednesday, May 13th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $100.00 price objective for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $85.78.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Viasat

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Valued Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Viasat in the 1st quarter valued at $25,000. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC boosted its stake in Viasat by 935.3% during the 2nd quarter. Elevation Wealth Partners LLC now owns 352 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 318 shares during the period. Pilgrim Partners Asia Pte Ltd acquired a new stake in Viasat during the 4th quarter worth $36,000. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Viasat during the 4th quarter worth $38,000. Finally, EFG International AG purchased a new position in Viasat during the 4th quarter worth $41,000. 86.05% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Viasat

Viasat, Inc (NASDAQ: VSAT) provides high‐capacity satellite broadband and wireless communications services to consumer, commercial and government customers worldwide. The company designs and operates satellite systems and network infrastructure to deliver secure, high-speed connectivity across remote and underserved regions, as well as managed networking solutions for enterprises and public sector agencies.

Viasat’s product offerings include residential and enterprise satellite internet services, in-flight connectivity for commercial airlines and business jets, and secure networking platforms tailored to defense and intelligence users.