tiprankstipranks
Echostar Corp. (SATS)
NASDAQ:SATS

Echostar (SATS) AI Stock Analysis

Compare
454 Followers

Top Page

SAEchostar
(NASDAQ:SATS)
51Neutral
Echostar's overall stock score is influenced by significant financial challenges, despite positive technical indicators and some strategic achievements. High debt levels, negative cash flows, and valuation concerns weigh heavily, though recent improvements in subscriber growth and network expansion offer some optimism.
Positive Factors
Liquidity Position
EchoStar enters with its strongest liquidity position in years.
Spectrum Holdings
The company is sitting on a large pile of unencumbered spectrum, believed to be worth over $10 billion, which is underappreciated in equity value.
Negative Factors
EBITDA Performance
EchoStar posted downside results with EBITDA misses in each segment, leading to a poor start.

Echostar (SATS) vs. S&P 500 (SPY)

Echostar Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionEchoStar Corp. engages in the design, development, and distribution of digital set-top boxes and products for direct-to-home satellite service providers. It operates through the following business segments: Hughes, and EchoStar Satellite Services. The Hughes segment provides broadband satellite technologies and broadband services to home and small office customers and network technologies, managed services, and communication solutions. The ESS segment owns and leases in-orbit satellites and licenses to lease capacity on a full time and occasional use. The company was founded by Charlie William Ergen, Candy Ergen, and James DeFranco in 1980 and is headquartered in Englewood, CO.
How the Company Makes MoneyEchoStar makes money primarily through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services segments. Hughes Network Systems generates revenue by providing broadband satellite internet services to consumers and enterprise customers, selling satellite networking equipment, and offering managed network services. The EchoStar Satellite Services segment earns revenue by leasing satellite capacity to media companies, internet service providers, and government organizations. Key revenue streams include subscription fees from consumers, service contracts with enterprises, and long-term leasing agreements with other communication service providers. Strategic partnerships and technological advancements in satellite communications further contribute to the company's earnings.

Echostar Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Echostar's financial performance is concerning, marked by declining revenue, high leverage, and negative profitability. The income statement shows significant challenges with negative net income, and the cash flow statement reveals issues with cash generation.
Income Statement
35
Negative
Echostar's income statement reveals significant challenges with profitability. The company reported negative net income for multiple years, with a slight improvement in the latest period. The gross profit margin in 2024 was approximately 35.95%, indicating some ability to manage cost of goods sold, but the negative EBIT and EBITDA margins reflect operational inefficiencies. Revenue has declined over the past year, indicating growth challenges.
Balance Sheet
40
Negative
Echostar's balance sheet shows a high debt-to-equity ratio, indicating significant leverage and potential financial risk. The equity ratio is relatively strong at around 33.13%, suggesting a stable asset base. However, the return on equity is negative, reflecting poor profitability. The high level of total debt compared to stockholders' equity is a concern.
Cash Flow
30
Negative
The cash flow statement indicates issues with cash generation and capital management. The company has negative free cash flow, which has worsened recently. Operating cash flow is insufficient to cover net income, leading to a negative free cash flow to net income ratio. The company's ability to generate cash from operations needs improvement.
Breakdown
Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income StatementTotal Revenue
15.83B17.02B2.00B1.99B1.89B
Gross Profit
5.69B5.07B1.14B1.20B1.14B
EBIT
-304.07M-277.91M189.64M217.01M112.47M
EBITDA
1.37B-247.35M4.59B715.19M746.38M
Net Income Common Stockholders
-26.63M-1.70B177.05M72.88M-51.90M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
5.70B2.44B1.68B1.55B2.53B
Total Assets
60.94B57.11B6.20B6.05B7.07B
Total Debt
64.68B25.89B1.65B1.65B2.52B
Net Debt
60.22B24.06B946.02M1.11B1.63B
Total Liabilities
40.69B36.72B2.60B2.63B3.47B
Stockholders Equity
20.19B19.88B3.50B3.35B3.54B
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
-292.18M-668.27M180.61M160.25M86.94M
Operating Cash Flow
1.25B2.43B529.61M632.23M534.39M
Investing Cash Flow
-3.05B-2.81B-275.19M158.93M-1.14B
Financing Cash Flow
4.48B-277.12M-83.11M-1.15B-15.62M

Echostar Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price30.79
Price Trends
50DMA
26.79
Positive
100DMA
25.62
Positive
200DMA
22.80
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
1.05
Negative
RSI
65.07
Neutral
STOCH
64.48
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For SATS, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 30.79 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 29.63, above the 50-day MA of 26.79, and above the 200-day MA of 22.80, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 1.05 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 65.07 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 64.48 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for SATS.

Echostar Risk Analysis

Echostar disclosed 61 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Echostar reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Echostar Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (59)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
72
Outperform
$3.27B31.9119.56%1.78%5.05%632.38%
59
Neutral
$22.39B11.53-18.05%2.31%5.00%-25.89%
51
Neutral
$8.89B-0.60%-6.99%91.98%
49
Neutral
$1.10B-8.28%19.02%76.67%
46
Neutral
$2.73B-17.12%11.86%-140.69%
35
Underperform
$56.01M-160.12%-11.65%-1042.58%
* Technology Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
SATS
Echostar
30.79
16.87
121.19%
CMTL
Comtech Telecommunications
1.84
-4.23
-69.69%
GSAT
Globalstar
23.09
3.59
18.41%
IRDM
Iridium Communications
30.59
2.73
9.80%
VSAT
ViaSat
9.63
-9.62
-49.97%

Echostar Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date: Feb 27, 2025 | % Change Since: 6.14% | Next Earnings Date: May 7, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call presented a mix of positive developments and challenges. Significant achievements include the merger with Dish Network, growth in Boost Mobile subscribers, successful financing, and industry recognition. However, there were notable challenges such as declines in PayTV and Hughes subscribers, reduced OIBDA, and continued negative free cash flow.
Highlights
Merger with Dish Network
EchoStar Corporation successfully merged with Dish Network, combining satellite technology, video services, and a nationwide 5G network, enhancing their competitive edge in the global telecommunications market.
Boost Mobile Growth
Boost Mobile achieved net positive subscriber growth for consecutive quarters since Q1 2024, with a 28% improvement in churn year-over-year and the highest ARPU across the wireless prepaid market.
Successful Financing Transactions
EchoStar raised $5.6 billion in net proceeds from financing transactions, increasing total cash and marketable securities to $5.7 billion, a $3 billion increase from the prior quarter.
Recognition in the Industry
Hughes was recognized for the second year in a row as a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Managed Network Services and named the 2024 Managed Security Service Provider of the Year by Cybersecurity Breakthrough.
Network Expansion Achievements
Boost Mobile met its FCC milestone by extending 5G broadband coverage to over 80% of Americans, totaling over 23,000 sites on air and achieving the best overall mobile network in New York City according to a third-party benchmark.
Lowlights
Decline in PayTV and Hughes Subscribers
Revenue declined by 5% year-over-year in Q4 2024, primarily due to fewer subscribers in the PayTV and Hughes segments.
OIBDA Reduction
For the full year 2024, OIBDA was $1.6 billion, down from $2.1 billion in 2023, driven by lower average subscribers and higher wireless network spend.
Free Cash Flow Challenges
Free cash flow, including debt service, was a negative $1.2 billion in 2024, despite an improvement of approximately $500 million compared to the prior year.
Company Guidance
In the recent call, EchoStar Corporation provided comprehensive guidance with several key metrics. The company reported that its total cash and marketable securities stood at $5.7 billion by the end of the fourth quarter, an impressive increase driven by financing transactions that raised $5.6 billion. The Pay TV segment saw improvements in churn, ARPU, and SAC, with DISH TV ending the year with 5.7 million subscribers and a churn rate of 1.46%, marking a 23 basis point improvement. Boost Mobile achieved consecutive quarter-over-quarter net positive subscriber growth, concluding 2024 with approximately 7 million wireless subscribers and a 28% improvement in churn. The company's full-year revenue was $15.8 billion, down 7% year-over-year, while OIBDA decreased to $1.6 billion from $2.1 billion in 2023. EchoStar also highlighted its progress in network deployment, reaching 80% 5G broadband coverage and achieving recognition for its network performance in New York City. Looking ahead, EchoStar plans to focus on expanding market share and accelerating value creation through its vast portfolio of telecom, media, and space assets.

Echostar Corporate Events

Executive/Board Changes
EchoStar Executive Appointed to DISH DBS Board
Neutral
Dec 30, 2024

James DeFranco has resigned from the board of directors of DISH DBS Corporation, while continuing his role at EchoStar Corporation. Following his resignation, Jeffrey H. Blum, an Executive Vice President at EchoStar, has been appointed as a director of DISH DBS, signaling a continuation of strategic alignment between the two entities.

Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.