Why Viasat Stock Soared Almost 19% Higher Today

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By Eric Volkman – Apr 2, 2026 at 7:37PM ESTKey PointsIf consummated, such a deal would surely command a premium price.This led to a wide and strong rally in satellite stocks.Thursday was a banner day for investors bullish on satellite stocks. A prominent company in the sector is apparently the focus of a concentrated acquisition effort, and this sparked a hot rally in such stocks Thursday. Viasat (VSAT +18.57%) was among the beneficiaries, closing the day almost 19% higher. Hot like a rocket That peer is Globalstar, and the company apparently interested in owning it is ubiquitous online retailer Amazon. That's according to an article published early Thursday morning in the widely read business newspaper, the Financial Times. Image source: Getty Images. The FT, citing unidentified "people familiar with the matter," said that Globalstar and Amazon have been in discussions for quite some time about an acquisition, which would provide significant lift for the latter's Leo satellite internet operation. No mention was made of how much Globalstar might be paid to become an asset of the monster retailer. This is hardly the first time speculation has been rife that Globalstar is potentially for sale. Media reports late last year stated that it and Elon Musk's venture SpaceX -- which has considerable satellite assets -- were also in talks about an acquisition. Other companies were similarly rumored to have shown interest, although few were identified by name. Neither Globalstar nor Amazon (nor SpaceX, for that matter) has yet commented on the FT's article. ExpandNASDAQ: VSATViasatToday's Change(18.57%) $8.40Current Price$53.63Key Data PointsMarket Cap$6.1BDay's Range$43.33 - $53.9852wk Range$7.36 - $53.98Volume128KAvg Vol1.8MGross Margin27.66% Caution warranted Viasat wasn't mentioned in the report, but that hardly mattered to investors suddenly developing an interest in the stock. After all, the market's logic is that if Amazon is apparently courting Globalstar so aggressively, any satellite company, no matter its size, has significant value waiting to be unlocked. The FT is a reliable and trustworthy newspaper, but even if the story is 100% accurate, large-scale deals can be delicate and difficult to consummate (especially this one, as Apple has a chunky stake in Globalstar). After the monster rally in satellite titles on Thursday, I'd be wary of the sector for now, and that includes Viasat's stock.Read NextMar 14, 2026 •By Robert IzquierdoViasat's Chief Accounting Officer Sold Over 1,000 Shares. Is the Stock a Buy or Sell?Apr 2, 2026 •By Keithen DruryNvidia's Blackwell and Rubin Chips Will Have $1 Trillion in Lifetime Sales.
What Does That Mean for Nvidia's Stock?Apr 2, 2026 •By Keithen DruryGot $1,000? 3 Unstoppable Tech Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever.Apr 2, 2026 •By Johnny RiceWhere Will CoreWeave Stock Be in 1 Year?Apr 2, 2026 •By Joe TenebrusoWhy Globalstar Stock Popped TodayAbout the AuthorEric Volkman is a contributing Motley Fool finance and stock market analyst. Previously, Eric was an equities analyst at European investment bank Raiffeisen Capital and Investment. He’s also been a freelance finance writer since 1995. He studied at Susquehanna University.TMFVolkmanStocks MentionedViasatNASDAQ: VSAT$53.63(+18.57%)+$8.40AppleNASDAQ: AAPL$255.92(+0.11%)+$0.29AmazonNASDAQ: AMZN$209.77(-0.38%)-$0.80GlobalstarNASDAQ: GSAT$77.73(+13.43%)+$9.20*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.
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