News Analysis

July 30, 2013, Germantown, Md.--Hughes Network Systems announced today that it has achieved carrier data rates exceeding 1 Gbps on its JUPITER System. Hughes believes this achievement to be a technology first for High Throughput Satellite (HTS) systems, resulting in more subscribers per satellite and greater capacity per subscriber.

Annapolis, MD., July 26, 2013--TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS)  reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013. Revenue was US$ 92.8 million, down 19% due mainly to lower government pass-through sales. Gross profit was up 4% to US$ 35.9 million.

Luxembourg, July 26, 2013 — SES S.A. reported slightly higher revenues of €910.5 million (US$1.207 billion) for the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year, and a flat operating profit of €408.6 million (US$541.85 million) during the first half of the year compared to €411.5 million (US$545.78 million) during the same period last year.

Chicago, Ill., July 25, 2013--Boeing Co. reported  second-quarter profit increased 13 percent to US$ 2.0 billion from the same period last year driven by strong performance across the company's businesses, particularly sales of sales of commercial airplanes and exports of military equipment.

Falls Church, Va., July 25, 2013--Northrop Grumman reported earnings and revenues that surpassed analysts' expectations, posting a 1.7 percent rise in second-quarter earnings as the defense company posted modestly stronger revenues. Northrop reported a profit of US$ 488 million, or US$ 2.05 a share, up from US$ 480 million, or US$ 1.88 a share, a year earlier.  Revenue increased to US$ 6.29 billion from US$ 6.27 billion a year ago.

Bethesda, MD., July 24, 2013 — Lockheed Martin Corp. reported on Tuesday profits rose by 10 percent to $859 million during the second quarter, prompting the company to raise its profit guidance for the year.

Fornebu, Norway, July 24, 2013 — Telenor has reported a return to revenue growth after strong performances in India, Thailand and Sweden. In the second quarter of 2013 Telenor Group reported revenues of US$4.37 billion (NOK 25.7 billion), representing an organic revenue growth of 2 percent. The company saw zero organic revenue growth in the first quarter.

Mexico City, Mexico, July 19, 2013- Mexican satellite opeartor  Satélites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. (Satmex) is reported up for sale, according to various media reports quoting surces familiar with the matter.Satmex has reportedly hired Credit Suisse Group AG and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to represent them in the sale.

According to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal, the company is currently in its second round of bidding, with around five bidders including private-equity firms and “strategic” corporate bidders.

by Peter Galace

Moscow, Russia, July 19, 2013--Russian officials have suspended all launches of Proton rockets following the July 2 launch failure of a Proton M rocket carrying three GLONASS navigational satellites into space.  The Russian Federal Space Agency, commonly called Roscosmos, announced last week that a Russian State Commission has been established and has started investigating the potential causes of the failure.

Dulles, Va., July 18, 2013--Orbital Sciences Corp. reported lower second quarter revenue by 10 percent, but better profit margins improved its bottom line. Second quarter revenue dropped to US$ 333.1 million, down 10 percent from the second quarter of 2012. Net income rose to US$16.3 million, or 27 cents per share, compared to US$ 14.6 million, or 25 cents per share, as the company benefited from lower interest expenses after refinancing debt last year.