Planet Labs PBC (PL)
Planet Labs operates a massive fleet of small satellites that take daily photos of the entire Earth to help businesses and governments track changes.
Is Planet Labs PBC a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Unique, proprietary data set that is hard to replicate. Worth weighing: Currently losing money on every pound of revenue. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only; any dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has Planet Labs PBC actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Planet Labs PBC fell as much as −62% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
The company becomes the standard for global environmental monitoring.
Technological obsolescence or failure to scale.
What does Planet Labs PBC do?
Think of Planet Labs as a high-tech photographer for the planet, using hundreds of small satellites to capture images of the Earth every single day. The money comes from selling subscriptions to this data, allowing customers to monitor things like deforestation, crop health, or urban growth. Keep an eye on whether they can turn their rapid revenue growth: How fast the company's sales grew versus a year ago. into actual profit, as they currently spend much more than they bring in.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on growth and momentum, and weakest on income.
- !Pays no dividend - the whole return rides on the share price
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 42% over the year
- Growth screens high (90/100)
- Unique, proprietary data set that is hard to replicate
- Strong year-on-year revenue growth
- High gross margins suggest a scalable business model
- Value screens low (28/100)
- Quality screens low (25/100)
- Momentum screens low (30/100)
- Income screens low (16/100)
- High share price volatility
What do Planet Labs PBC's numbers mean?
How much money does Planet Labs PBC make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does Planet Labs PBC pay a dividend?
No - Planet Labs PBC doesn't currently pay a dividend, so the whole return would rest on the share price. Plenty of growing companies reinvest their profits instead of paying them out - neither approach is better or worse, they're just different.
When does Planet Labs PBC report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Planet Labs PBC is next scheduled to report on about 2026-09-09 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-04 | $-0.04 | $-0.03 | Beat +29% |
| 2025-09-08 | $-0.05 | $-0.03 | Beat +34% |
| 2025-03-20 | $-0.02 | $-0.08 | Missed -244% |
| 2024-12-09 | $-0.04 | $-0.02 | Beat +50% |
| 2024-09-05 | $-0.06 | $-0.06 | Beat +5% |
| 2024-06-06 | $-0.06 | $-0.05 | Beat +23% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, Planet Labs PBC came in ahead of what analysts expected 5 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Planet Labs PBC?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Unique, proprietary data set that is hard to replicate
- Strong year-on-year revenue growth: How fast the company's sales grew versus a year ago.
- High gross margins suggest a scalable business model
- Currently losing money on every pound of revenue
- Very high valuation multiples compared to sales
- No dividend payments for shareholders
- High share price volatility
- Significant cash burn rate
- Technical risks associated with satellite maintenance and launches
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- The company achieves consistent net profitability
- A major competitor launches a cheaper, superior satellite network
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.