Planet Labs PBC (PL) Stock Falls -23% in 30 Days as Earnings Beat Meets Softer Guidance
Key Takeaways
- Planet Labs PBC (PL) has fallen roughly 23% over the past 30 days, declining from a closing price of $22.29 on August 21, 2026, to $17.07 on September 21, 2026.
- The pullback extends a multi-month slide; measured from late June, when shares traded near $28–$29, the stock is down about 40%.
- Fiscal second-quarter results reported September 3 beat estimates—revenue of $116.05 million (up 58% year over year) and adjusted EPS of $0.02—but softer third-quarter guidance and higher capital spending weighed on investor sentiment.
- Defense and intelligence revenue grew more than 90% year over year, and management cited a satellite-services pipeline exceeding $4 billion.
- Non-GAAP gross margin eased to 59% from 61% a year earlier, while fiscal 2027 capital expenditure guidance was raised to $100 million–$115 million.
Planet Labs PBC (PL) Overview and Market Position
Planet Labs PBC designs, builds, and operates the world's largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites, delivering daily global imagery, geospatial data, and analytics to customers across agriculture, forestry, defense and intelligence, civil government, finance, and education. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, the company is a public benefit corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol PL. Its core competitive strengths include a daily scan of the entire planet, a proprietary satellite constellation, a deep historical archive of imagery, and a predominantly recurring subscription-based revenue model. Investors follow the stock closely because of its exposure to high-growth defense, intelligence, and satellite-services demand, as well as its expanding artificial intelligence capabilities. I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how the stock compares to others in the industry.
Planet Labs PBC (PL) Stock Price Performance Over the Last 30 Days and Quarter
Over the last 30 days, PL has declined approximately 23%, moving from a $22.29 close on August 21, 2026, to $17.07 on September 21, 2026. The decline was not a single-day event but a steady erosion that accelerated after the company's September 3 earnings report. Shares had briefly traded near $25 in mid-August before giving back those gains.
The quarterly picture is weaker. From a late-June close of roughly $28.77, the stock has fallen about 40%, extending a downtrend that began in early June, when shares traded near $46. This means the recent 30-day move is part of a broader repricing rather than an isolated short-term swing.
What Drove PL Stock Price in the Last 30 Days
The defining catalyst was the fiscal second-quarter 2027 earnings release on September 3, 2026. Planet posted strong headline results—revenue of $116.05 million, up 58% year over year and above the roughly $104.5 million consensus, alongside adjusted EPS of $0.02 versus expectations for a loss of $0.02. Despite the beat, shares fell about 8% on the report and continued to slide in the following sessions.
The negative reaction stemmed from forward guidance. Management guided third-quarter revenue to $101 million–$105 million, below the consensus estimate of approximately $114 million, and projected an adjusted EBITDA loss of $1 million to $6 million for the quarter. Executives noted that the handover of a Pelican satellite to the Swedish Armed Forces pulled revenue into the second quarter without changing the full-year outlook, but investors focused on the softer near-term setup. Rising capital expenditure guidance and a decline in non-GAAP gross margin from 61% to 59% added to the cautious tone.
What Drove PL Stock Performance Over the Last Quarter
The quarterly decline reflects a broader reset after a powerful rally. Over the prior 12 months, PL had risen roughly 184%, leaving the stock vulnerable to profit-taking and valuation compression. A sharp selloff in early June marked the beginning of the unwind, and the stock has trended lower since, even as fundamentals remained robust.
Beneath the share-price weakness, the underlying business has strengthened. Revenue growth accelerated to 58% year over year, defense and intelligence revenue surged more than 90%, and management highlighted a satellite-services pipeline exceeding $4 billion. The company also ended the quarter with about $865 million in cash and investments. The divergence between improving fundamentals and a falling stock price points to a de-rating driven by valuation, margin pressure, rising capex, and shifting sentiment in the high-growth space and geospatial sector rather than deteriorating operations.
PL Stock Forecast Drivers: What Investors Should Watch Next
Looking ahead, investors will likely monitor whether Planet can convert its satellite-services pipeline into signed contracts and revenue, and whether third-quarter results can exceed the conservative guidance issued in September. The pace of defense and intelligence growth, progress on the Owl and Pelican programs, and the monetization of its AI-powered applications are additional watch items. Margin trajectory and capital expenditure levels will also matter, given the recent focus on gross-margin compression and higher spending. Finally, broader market conditions, interest-rate expectations, and sentiment toward high-growth space and geospatial equities could continue to influence the stock's direction. From what I see, these factors will be key in determining the next move.
Exploring Tickeron AI Tools for Deeper Analysis
In my view, tools like Tickeron’s AI Trend Prediction Engine have helped me cross-check momentum signals on names such as PL alongside traditional fundamentals. I find the platform useful for spotting patterns across sectors without replacing core research. AI Trend Prediction Engine offers one way to layer quantitative views on top of earnings and pipeline data.
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Financial writer and active order flow futures trader with a focus on fundamental analysis, macroeconomic factors, and equity research. I make in-depth blogs on stocks and ETFs, bridging the gap between raw market data and real-world trading decisions.
PL sees its 50-day moving average cross bearishly below its 200-day moving average
The 50-day moving average for PL moved below the 200-day moving average on August 17, 2026. This could be a long-term bearish signal for the stock as the stock shifts to an downward trend.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Momentum Indicator moved below the 0 level on August 20, 2026. You may want to consider selling the stock, shorting the stock, or exploring put options on PL as a result. In 67 of 86 cases where the Momentum Indicator fell below 0, the stock fell further within the subsequent month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 78%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where PL declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 83%.
The Aroon Indicator for PL entered a downward trend on September 21, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Bullish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where PL's RSI Indicator exited the oversold zone, 22 of 26 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 85%.
The Stochastic Oscillator suggests the stock price trend may be in a reversal from a downward trend to an upward trend. 53 of 66 cases where PL's Stochastic Oscillator exited the oversold zone resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 80%.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for PL just turned positive on September 21, 2026. Looking at past instances where PL's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 40 of 48 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 83%.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 39 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (10.582) is normal, around the industry mean (6.438). P/E Ratio (0.000) is within average values for comparable stocks, (59.605). Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (0.000) is also within normal values, averaging (2.578). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.009) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (14.104) is also within normal values, averaging (18.155).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 65 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating steady price growth. PL’s price grows at a higher rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 85 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. PL’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 74, placing this stock worse than average.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 98 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to worse than average earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
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