Needham & Company LLC Issues Pessimistic Forecast for Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) Stock Price

Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) had its price objective cut by Needham & Company LLC from $53.00 to $40.00 in a research report issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Needham & Company LLC’s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 117.16% from the company’s current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the stock. New Street Research assumed coverage on shares of Planet Labs PBC in a report on Wednesday, May 13th. They issued a “sell” rating and a $28.00 price target on the stock. Wedbush started coverage on Planet Labs PBC in a report on Wednesday, July 1st. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $50.00 price objective for the company. Citigroup restated a “market perform” rating on shares of Planet Labs PBC in a research note on Friday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $36.00 target price on shares of Planet Labs PBC in a report on Monday, June 15th. Finally, Weiss Ratings raised Planet Labs PBC from a “sell (e+)” rating to a “sell (d-)” rating in a report on Monday, June 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have assigned a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $33.56.

Planet Labs PBC Stock Performance

Shares of NYSE PL opened at $18.42 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 2.81, a quick ratio of 2.78 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01. Planet Labs PBC has a 12 month low of $6.26 and a 12 month high of $51.76. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $23.84 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $30.12. The stock has a market cap of $6.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -16.16 and a beta of 2.10.

Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, September 3rd. The company reported $0.02 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.02) by $0.04. Planet Labs PBC had a negative net margin of 111.17% and a negative return on equity of 105.29%. The firm had revenue of $116.05 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $104.53 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned ($0.07) earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 58.2% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, analysts predict that Planet Labs PBC will post -0.92 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Ashley Johnson sold 75,035 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $22.08, for a total value of $1,656,772.80. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 1,132,122 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $24,997,253.76. This trade represents a 6.22% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, insider Robert Schingler sold 64,593 shares of Planet Labs PBC stock in a transaction dated Friday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.92, for a total value of $1,674,250.56. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 825,541 shares in the company, valued at approximately $21,398,022.72. The trade was a 7.26% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 171,122 shares of company stock worth $4,148,906 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 16.42% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Planet Labs PBC

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. American Capital Advisory LLC acquired a new position in Planet Labs PBC in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. Western Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Planet Labs PBC in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust boosted its stake in Planet Labs PBC by 92.5% during the 4th quarter. Parkside Financial Bank & Trust now owns 1,550 shares of the company’s stock worth $31,000 after purchasing an additional 745 shares during the last quarter. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. boosted its stake in Planet Labs PBC by 40.9% during the 1st quarter. Pittenger & Anderson Inc. now owns 1,360 shares of the company’s stock worth $38,000 after purchasing an additional 395 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Larson Financial Group LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Planet Labs PBC during the third quarter worth $39,000. 41.71% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Planet Labs PBC

Here are the key news stories impacting Planet Labs PBC this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong Q2 execution: Planet reported adjusted earnings of $0.02 per share, versus expectations for a $0.02 loss, while revenue rose 58.2% year over year to $116.1 million, exceeding the $104.5 million consensus estimate. The company said this was its fourth consecutive quarter meeting or exceeding the Rule of 40. Planet Reports Financial Results for Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2027
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade: Berenberg Bank upgraded Planet Labs PBC (PL) to “strong buy,” potentially providing support after the recent selloff and signaling confidence in the company’s long-term satellite-imaging and data opportunity.
• Positive Sentiment: Defense demand: Planet signed a seven-figure agreement with a European defense and intelligence customer. The contract adds to investor enthusiasm about government and national-security applications for Planet’s Earth-imaging data, following its broader defense-related momentum. Planet Signs 7-Figure Agreement with European Defense and Intelligence Customer
• Neutral Sentiment: Long-term growth debate: Coverage comparing Planet Labs with Snowflake highlights PL’s approximately 200-satellite constellation and daily Earth-imaging capabilities, but also reflects the stock’s growth-oriented, higher-risk valuation profile.
• Negative Sentiment: Near-term guidance disappointed: Planet forecast fiscal third-quarter revenue of $101 million to $105 million, below the $114.3 million analyst consensus. Full-year fiscal 2027 revenue guidance of $430 million to $441 million was near consensus, but the quarterly shortfall likely outweighed the earnings beat for some investors.
• Negative Sentiment: Recent selling pressure: PL previously declined even after announcing the defense contract, as investors reduced exposure to commercial space stocks. Planet remains unprofitable on a GAAP basis, with a negative net margin and return on equity, adding to valuation sensitivity.

About Planet Labs PBC

Planet Labs PBC is a public benefit corporation that operates one of the largest fleets of Earth-imaging satellites, providing high-frequency, high-resolution imagery and data analytics to a broad range of industries. The company’s multi-spectral satellite constellation captures daily snapshots of the planet, enabling clients to monitor changes in agriculture, forestry, urban development, energy infrastructure and environmental conditions. Planet’s imagery platform is designed to support timely decision-making by transforming raw satellite data into actionable insights for business and government users.

Founded in 2010 by former NASA scientists Will Marshall, Robbie Schingler and Chris Boshuizen, Planet Labs grew from a small startup into a key provider in the satellite imaging sector.