News Analysis

Angels, Arianes and English Roses

by Lou Zacharilla

New York City, NY, September 3, 2019--The uncomfortable co-existence among science, technology and religion is a few centuries old.  For a long while the three disciplines tried to stay in their own lane and tried to avoid swerving into the others’ lane.  But a collision was inevitable.  The crash has given us a toxic political and social climate at times, and made us mistrust each of the three disciplines. 

 

The Evolving Broadcast Market

by Elisabeth Tweedie

Los Angeles, Calif., Sept. 3, 2019 — It will come as no surprise to anyone in this industry who is paying attention to what has been happening over the last few years, to hear me say that the industry is in a state of flux.  This is hardly news, but the pace appears to be accelerating and things that have been talked about for the last several years, are either reality or now very close to be becoming so.

 

Media Content Kudelski Group Suffers US$20.4 Mil. Loss in 1H 2019

Cheseaux-sur-Lausanne, Switzerland, Aug. 21, 2019 — The Kudelski Group (SIX: KUD.S), a provider of media content protection and value-added service technology, has reported a net loss of US$20.4 million, which included US$13.7 million of restructuring costs, during the first half of 2019.

Viasat Revenue Rises 22% to US$537 Mil, Posts US$ 11.5-M Loss in Q1 FY20

Carlsbad, Calif., Aug. 8, 2019 -- Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), reported strong first quarter fiscal year 2020 performance with a year-over-year revenue increase of 22%, net loss decrease of 66% and Adjusted EBITDA growth of 115% for the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, 2019.

EchoStar Posts Lower Income in 1Q and 1H of 2019

Englewood, Colo., Aug. 8, 2019 -- Shares of EchoStar Corp. declined 7.3% following the company’s 2Q19 earnings release, reflecting disappointment with the company’s subpar EBITDA performance and one-time charges. Following the decline, shares of EchoStar  are now trading at 4.9x the consensus 2020 EBITDA forecast, which represents a discount to both the stock’s long-term average and its closes peer group competitor Viasat.

Amos-17 Satellite Successfully Launched

Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, August 6, 2019--SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from Space Launch Complex 40 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, the AMOS-17 satellite for Spacecom (Tel Aviv Stock Exchange: SCC). Liftoff occurred at 7:23 p.m. EDT, or 23:23 UTC and the satellite was deployed approximately 31 minutes after liftoff.

CPI To Acquire Satellite Antenna Systems Business Of General Dynamics

Palo Alto, Calif., Aug. 5, 2019 — Communications & Power Industries LLC (CPI) has entered into an agreement to purchase SATCOM Technologies, the antenna systems business of General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc., a business unit of General Dynamics.

Intelsat Posts 2Q Net Loss of US$ 529.7 Million

Luxembourg, August 1, 2019 — Satellite operator Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), reported total revenue of US $ 509.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2019. But it also posted a net loss of US$ 529.7 million because of a US$ 381.6 million asset impairment charge incurred in the second quarter of 2019 for the total loss of Intelsat 29e satellite in April this year.

AMOS-17 Set for Launch on August 3

Cape Canaveral, FL, July 31, 2019 — AMOS satellite fleet operator Spacecom has announced that the AMOS-17 satellite is in the final stages of its prelaunch preparation for its scheduled liftoff on August 3.