Rakuten Mobile Sells Over $423M in AST SpaceMobile Shares Following Satellite Failure

summarizeSummary

Rakuten Mobile, a major institutional investor, sold over $423 million worth of AST SpaceMobile shares, reducing its stake to 7.2% following the recent satellite failure.

check_boxKey Events

• Significant Share Sales by Rakuten Mobile

  Rakuten Mobile, Inc., along with Hiroshi Mikitani and Rakuten Group, Inc., reported selling 5,060,000 shares of Class A Common Stock between April 17 and April 24, 2026.

• Over $423 Million in Proceeds

  The aggregate value of these sales amounted to approximately $423.03 million, with average prices ranging from $77.40 to $87.93 per share.

• Stake Reduced to 7.2%

  Following these transactions, Rakuten Mobile's beneficial ownership in AST SpaceMobile, Inc. has decreased to 21,020,155 shares, representing 7.2% of the outstanding Class A Common Stock.

• Sales Follow Satellite Failure News

  A substantial portion of the sales occurred after AST SpaceMobile announced on April 20, 2026, that its BlueBird 7 satellite failed to reach its planned operational orbit.

auto_awesomeAnalysis

Rakuten Mobile, a significant institutional investor and affiliate, executed substantial sales of AST SpaceMobile Class A Common Stock totaling over $423 million. These sales, representing 1.45% of the company's market capitalization and nearly 20% of Rakuten's prior holdings, occurred between April 17 and April 24, 2026. While these sales were part of a previously disclosed trading plan, a significant portion of the transactions took place after the April 20 announcement of the BlueBird 7 satellite's failure to reach orbit, signaling a reduction in exposure by a key investor amidst recent operational setbacks. Investors should monitor further sales from Rakuten Mobile as they continue to reduce their stake.