Shares of AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) are on pace for their worst monthly performance in more than two years, even as major institutional investors quietly increase their exposure.
ASTS stock surged 10% on Thursday, but the gains have not been enough to offset a 34% decline recorded across the full month of July.
Quarter-end holdings data from Quiver Quantitative reveal that Saudi Central Bank more than doubled its ASTS stake, adding 8,348 shares to bring its total position to 16,652 shares.
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust added 95,347 shares to its holdings, a 23% increase that pushed its total position to 513,192 shares.
Pictet Asset Management raised its holding by 9% to 86,920 shares, while Maryland State Retirement increased its stake by 25% during the same period.
ACT Capital Management opened a new 43,500-share position, and ALPS Advisors added 2,574 shares, signaling continued institutional confidence heading into the second half of 2026.
Not all institutions moved in the same direction, as Ethic cut its position by 32% and Hazlett, Burt and Watson reduced its stake by 17%.
AST SpaceMobile confirmed that BlueBird satellites 11, 12, and 13 are scheduled to launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on August 5, with liftoff targeted for 3:42 a.m. ET.
The mission follows the successful June deployment of BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10, with satellites 14, 15, and 16 already being prepared for the following mission and production having advanced through satellite 42.
“The upcoming launch of BlueBirds 11, 12, and 13 showcases our ability to rapidly and consistently build, launch, and deploy the largest phased arrays in low Earth orbit,” said President Scott Wisniewski.
The next-generation satellites are expected to deliver nearly twice the peak download speeds of AST’s initial Block 1 spacecraft, which have demonstrated speeds of 98.9 Mbps directly to standard smartphones.
Vodafone also reaffirmed its commitment to the partnership this week, even after AST pushed its target for having 45 satellites available into early 2027 from late 2026.
“It definitely is worth us working on it,” Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle said when asked whether launch delays had weakened the company’s relationship with AST.
Della Valle was clear that Vodafone’s ambitions extend well beyond basic connectivity, stating, “We want our customers to be able to essentially not realize whether their service is coming from an antenna in the center of London or a satellite.”
She acknowledged that the biggest variable in meeting launch timelines remains outside the company’s control, noting, “Our timelines are very much dependent on rockets.”
AST currently holds agreements with nearly 60 mobile operators representing more than 3 billion subscribers, including AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, and Rakuten.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for ASTS was labeled “bearish” amid “low” message volume as traders weighed near-term turbulence against the upcoming launch catalyst.
One user on the platform wrote, “$ASTS while we were stressing, ASTS kept building. Launch next week, a ways upward to go before we touch max pain, more premarket volume than we’ve had, and seemingly a hard quadruple bottom. That 20%+ day is going to hit soon.”
Despite the difficult month, ASTS stock has still gained approximately 8% over the past year, reflecting longer-term investor conviction in the company’s satellite broadband ambitions.
