Iridium, AST SpaceMobile, and Redwire: The Biggest Space Stock Movers in February

"The month told two very different stories depending on which side of that line your portfolio sat. On one side: defense giants riding a wave of geopolitical demand, record backlogs, and earnings beats. On the other: pure-play space names getting punished by dilution fears, execution questions, and a broader rotation away from high-risk growth."

"Defense names have been on a tear. Lockheed Martin is up +38.78% YTD, Northrop Grumman +33.55%, and L3Harris +25.35%, all powered by the Iranian conflict, rising NATO commitments, and a ~$1 trillion national security budget. Meanwhile, pure-play space names have absorbed real pain."

"Iridium was the month's most surprising winner, gaining over 20% in February. The company reported revenue of $212.94M on February 12, roughly flat year over year, with EPS of $0.24 against a $0.2365 estimate. But in a month when speculative satellite names were getting crushed, Iridium's stability looked like a virtue."

February 2026 created a stark divide in the space and aerospace sector. Defense giants including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris posted significant gains, driven by Iranian conflict tensions, NATO commitments, and a ~$1 trillion national security budget. Conversely, pure-play space companies faced substantial headwinds from dilution concerns, execution questions, and rotation away from high-risk growth stocks. Year-to-date, defense names demonstrated strong performance while companies like Virgin Galactic and Trimble declined. Iridium emerged as February's standout performer, gaining over 20% despite modest quarterly results, as its stable L-band satellite network provided investor confidence amid broader sector volatility. AST SpaceMobile, initially punished in February, rebounded sharply in March.

Read at 24/7 Wall St.