Why Intuitive Machines Stock Is Soaring Today

By Scott Levine – Feb 18, 2026 at 12:24PM ESTKey PointsAn analyst has a more bullish view on Intuitive Machines stock.Investors would be wise to place greater weight on the company's financial results than the analyst's price target.These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›NASDAQ: LUNRIntuitive MachinesMarket Cap$2.0BToday's Changeangle-down(9.69%) $1.61Current Price$18.23Price as of February 18, 2026 at 1:36 PM ETThis space stock is flying higher during the shortened trading week.After closing 3% higher than when it had finished last Friday's trading session, shares of Intuitive Machines (LUNR +9.69%) are climbing even higher today. While the company didn't report any positive news, investors are bidding shares higher after an analyst shared a bullish view on the stock yesterday. As of 12:22 p.m. ET, shares of Intuitive Machines are up 7.5%, pulling back slightly from an earlier rise of 10.7%. Image source: Getty Images. Intuitive Machines will benefit from the booming space industry Maintaining a buy rating, B. Riley raised its price target on Intuitive Machines to $25 from $20 yesterday morning. Based on shares closing at $16.13 on Friday, the price target implies upside of 55%. ExpandNASDAQ: LUNRIntuitive MachinesToday's Change(9.69%) $1.61Current Price$18.23Key Data PointsMarket Cap$2.0BDay's Range$16.50 - $18.4052wk Range$6.13 - $23.32Volume5.5MAvg Vol10MGross Margin-70.43% According to Thefly.com, B. Riley predicated its higher price target on the belief that Intuitive will prosper as the space industry -- specifically, lunar-related business -- grows. With the increased focus that SpaceX and Blue Origin are placing on lunar business, Intuitive has an opportunity to profit from its Near Space Network Services satellite constellation, which provides communications as well as navigation services to both government and commercial lunar customers, in B. Riley's estimation. Forget the price target and focus on this instead B. Riley's increasingly favorable opinion of Intuitive's stock is noteworthy, but investors seeking a compelling space stock would be wise to consider Intuitive Machines solely on its merits. Rather than emphasizing the analyst's price target, investors would be better suited to dig into the company's fourth-quarter 2025 financial results when they're released in the coming weeks.Read NextJan 24, 2026 •By James HiresThis Speculative Industrial Stock Could Be Worth $4 Billion by Mid-2026Dec 23, 2025 •By Eric VolkmanWhy Intuitive Machines Stock Slipped on TuesdayNov 15, 2025 •By Rich SmithIntuitive Machines Is (Almost) a Billion-Dollar Space BusinessNov 15, 2025 •By Leo SunCould Buying Intuitive Machines Stock Today Set You Up for Life?Oct 8, 2025 •By Rich SmithWhy Intuitive Machines Stock Just PoppedAug 14, 2025 •By Rich SmithWhy Intuitive Machines Stock Just Blew a GasketAbout the AuthorScott Levine is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, industrials, technology, and materials. He is also a high school English teacher and a small business owner. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from Binghamton University, a master’s degree in secondary education from Adelphi University, and an advanced certificate in school building leadership from CUNY Queens College. A crossword puzzle enthusiast, he has solved more than 3,100 New York Times puzzles with a 97% solve rate.TMFProudMonkeyX@TMFProudMonkeyStocks MentionedIntuitive MachinesNASDAQ: LUNR$18.23 (+9.69%) $+1.61*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.