Planet Labs 2026 Q3 Earnings Net Loss Widens 194.7% Despite Revenue Surge

Planet Labs reported Q3 2026 earnings with revenue exceeding expectations and raised guidance for both Q4 and FY2026, driven by strong government and defense contract performance.

Revenue

Planet Labs’ total revenue surged 32.6% year-over-year to $81.25 million, with robust growth in defense and intelligence contracts. Defense & Intelligence revenue reached $49.37 million, a 70% year-over-year increase, while Civil Government and Commercial segments contributed $18.83 million and $13.06 million, respectively. This diversification underscores the company’s strategic focus on high-growth sectors.

Earnings/Net Income

The company’s losses deepened significantly, with a net loss of $59.19 million in Q3 2026—194.7% higher than the $20.08 million loss in Q3 2025. Earnings per share (EPS) declined to -$0.19 from -$0.07, reflecting ongoing financial challenges despite revenue growth. The widening losses highlight the need for continued cost management and profitability initiatives.

Post-Earnings Price Action Review

A backtest of the strategy to buy Planet Labs shares 30 days after quarterly reports showed compelling results over three years: a cumulative return (CAGR) of 39.59%, an excess return of 89.17% compared to the benchmark, and a Sharpe ratio of 0.51. The strategy’s maximum drawdown of 0.00% indicates no losses during the backtest period, suggesting strong risk-adjusted performance.

CEO Commentary

CEO Will Marshall emphasized Q3’s 33% revenue growth, driven by defense and intelligence contracts like LUNO B and EOCL, as well as NATO expansion. Strategic priorities include AI-enabled solutions (e.g., the Bedrock acquisition), next-gen satellite launches (OWL, SunCatcher), and scaling satellite services. Marshall expressed confidence in the “robust backlog” and the team’s ability to drive future growth and profitability.

Guidance

For Q4 2026, Planet Labs expects revenue of $76–80 million (27% YoY growth at midpoint) and a non-GAAP gross margin of 50–52%. Full-year 2026 guidance includes revenue of $297–301 million and Adjusted EBITDA profit of $6–8 million. The company remains Free Cash Flow positive for the year, with Q4 CAPEX projected at $22–26 million.

Additional News

1. Berlin Satellite Expansion: Planet Labs announced a new facility in Berlin to double Pelican satellite production capacity, supporting growing demand for high-resolution imaging.

2. Bedrock Acquisition: The company acquired Bedrock Research, an AI-enabled solutions firm, to accelerate national security and environmental monitoring capabilities.

3. NATO Collaboration: Expanded partnerships with NATO and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) underpinned recent contract wins, including the LUNO B program.