Planet Labs Blackout: A Bullish Government Signal for PL & BKSY

Recent news reported that Planet Labs PBC complied with a U.S. government request to stop its satellite data feed over a conflict zone. On the surface, this looks like a negative event where an outside entity is dictating commercial operations, which could be seen as a risk to revenue and growth.

However, this action is not a surprise or a penalty. It is an exercise of a long-standing U.S. policy known as 'shutter control,' which allows the government to limit commercial imagery for security reasons. This authority is a known condition of the operating licenses granted to companies like Planet Labs.

The compliance directly addresses a key investor question: is the company losing money from this? The answer is no, because compensation for this level of government control is already embedded in their massive, multi-year contracts with agencies like the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

This dynamic is mirrored by peer BlackSky Technology, which recently secured a $99 million, multi-year, sole-source contract from the U.S. government. A sole-source award means the agency did not seek competing bids, deeming BlackSky's partnership uniquely essential.

This event matters because it pulls back the curtain on an almost unbreakable competitive moat. For Planet Labs and BlackSky, their core value is being trusted, indispensable partners in national security, not just commercial data vendors.

This relationship provides a stable, long-term revenue base that insulates them from the volatility of purely commercial markets and the threat of new competitors. A new company cannot simply launch satellites and win these contracts; it requires years of building trust and proving reliability.

The stock market is beginning to reward this powerful business model. Planet Labs' stock has soared nearly 1,000% in the last 12 months, supported by a 41% year-over-year revenue increase. BlackSky shares have climbed over 350% in the same period.

Wall Street analysts are echoing this bullish sentiment. Wedbush recently set a $40 price target for Planet Labs, signaling confidence in its expanding constellation and contract backlog. BlackSky maintains a Moderate Buy consensus rating, validating its strategy.