ASTS vs. LUMN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASTS and LUMN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ASTS’s market capitalization of 15.96 billion USD is substantially larger than LUMN’s 4.72 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
With betas of 2.02 for ASTS and 1.36 for LUMN, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ASTS | LUMN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AST SpaceMobile, Inc. | Lumen Technologies, Inc. |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Technology | Communication Services |
| Industry | Communication Equipment | Telecommunications Services |
| CEO | Abel Avellan | Kathleen E. Johnson |
| Price | 45.6 USD | 4.6 USD |
| Market Cap | 15.96 billion USD | 4.72 billion USD |
| Beta | 2.02 | 1.36 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | November 1, 2019 | March 17, 1980 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASTS and LUMN by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ASTS
-76.72%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 30.07%
- Q3
- 8.07%
- Median
- 1.84%
- Q1
- -11.93%
- Min
- -31.65%
ASTS has a negative Return on Equity of -76.72%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
LUMN
-80.20%
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 36.08%
- Q3
- 16.39%
- Median
- 6.66%
- Q1
- -5.80%
- Min
- -26.90%
LUMN has a negative Return on Equity of -80.20%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Return on Invested Capital
ASTS
-19.41%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 11.59%
- Q3
- 6.61%
- Median
- 2.97%
- Q1
- -2.58%
- Min
- -13.18%
ASTS has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -19.41%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
LUMN
0.92%
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 13.02%
- Q3
- 6.76%
- Median
- 4.03%
- Q1
- 0.50%
- Min
- -4.79%
LUMN’s Return on Invested Capital of 0.92% is in line with the norm for the Telecommunications Services industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
ASTS
-7,033.20%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 23.65%
- Q3
- 9.21%
- Median
- 2.46%
- Q1
- -8.56%
- Min
- -29.87%
ASTS has a negative Net Profit Margin of -7,033.20%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
LUMN
-2.41%
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 20.59%
- Q3
- 10.07%
- Median
- 3.00%
- Q1
- -4.53%
- Min
- -18.76%
LUMN has a negative Net Profit Margin of -2.41%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
Operating Profit Margin
ASTS
-5,397.45%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 30.72%
- Q3
- 11.64%
- Median
- 5.79%
- Q1
- -2.28%
- Min
- -18.20%
ASTS has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5,397.45%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
LUMN
3.98%
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 37.46%
- Q3
- 22.75%
- Median
- 10.32%
- Q1
- 0.62%
- Min
- -16.66%
LUMN’s Operating Profit Margin of 3.98% is around the midpoint for the Telecommunications Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | LUMN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -76.72% | -80.20% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -23.81% | -0.93% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -19.41% | 0.92% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -7033.20% | -2.41% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -5397.45% | 3.98% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -486.80% | 42.45% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ASTS
10.62
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.40
- Q3
- 2.59
- Median
- 1.62
- Q1
- 1.32
- Min
- 0.86
ASTS’s Current Ratio of 10.62 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Communication Equipment industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
LUMN
1.21
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 2.27
- Q3
- 1.38
- Median
- 0.96
- Q1
- 0.66
- Min
- 0.36
LUMN’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Telecommunications Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ASTS
0.02
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.82
- Q3
- 1.00
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.20
- Min
- 0.02
Falling into the lower quartile for the Communication Equipment industry, ASTS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.02 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
LUMN
62.03
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 4.64
- Q3
- 2.32
- Median
- 1.35
- Q1
- 0.63
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 62.03, LUMN operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Telecommunications Services industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ASTS
-52.83
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 16.12
- Q3
- 9.22
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- -0.75
- Min
- -12.07
ASTS has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -52.83. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
LUMN
0.48
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 8.83
- Q3
- 4.35
- Median
- 2.26
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- -1.74
LUMN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 0.48 is a critical concern. A value below 1.0 means operating earnings are insufficient to cover interest expenses, indicating severe financial strain and high default risk.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | LUMN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 10.62 | 1.21 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 10.62 | 1.21 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.02 | 62.03 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.53 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.82 | 4.25 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -52.83 | 0.48 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASTS and LUMN. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ASTS
0.00%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 4.72%
- Q3
- 0.38%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASTS currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
LUMN
0.00%
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 128.28%
- Q3
- 6.07%
- Median
- 1.86%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
LUMN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ASTS
0.00%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 91.96%
- Q3
- 26.44%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASTS has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
LUMN
-2.24%
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 146.49%
- Q3
- 63.59%
- Median
- 29.65%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
LUMN has a negative Dividend Payout Ratio of -2.24%. This typically means the company paid a dividend despite reporting a net loss, a situation that may signal financial instability.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | LUMN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | -2.24% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ASTS
-31.32
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 44.37
- Q3
- 41.98
- Median
- 30.61
- Q1
- 23.44
- Min
- 2.14
ASTS has a negative P/E Ratio of -31.32. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
LUMN
-14.57
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 27.65
- Q3
- 20.70
- Median
- 15.25
- Q1
- 10.05
- Min
- 5.86
LUMN has a negative P/E Ratio of -14.57. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ASTS
15.35
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 15.97
- Q3
- 6.99
- Median
- 2.78
- Q1
- 0.66
- Min
- 0.05
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Communication Equipment industry.
LUMN
1.29
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 3.27
- Q3
- 2.93
- Median
- 1.35
- Q1
- 0.64
- Min
- 0.01
LUMN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 1.29 is within the middle range of its peers in the Telecommunications Services industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ASTS
5,043.28
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.38
- Q3
- 3.88
- Median
- 2.17
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.37
With a P/S Ratio of 5,043.28, ASTS trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Communication Equipment industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
LUMN
0.36
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 3.23
- Q3
- 1.83
- Median
- 1.32
- Q1
- 0.83
- Min
- 0.11
In the lower quartile for the Telecommunications Services industry, LUMN’s P/S Ratio of 0.36 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ASTS
13.32
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 14.42
- Q3
- 7.01
- Median
- 3.09
- Q1
- 1.38
- Min
- 0.41
ASTS’s P/B Ratio of 13.32 is in the upper tier for the Communication Equipment industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
LUMN
15.78
Telecommunications Services Industry
- Max
- 4.39
- Q3
- 2.65
- Median
- 1.82
- Q1
- 1.09
- Min
- 0.29
At 15.78, LUMN’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Telecommunications Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | LUMN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -31.32 | -14.57 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 15.35 | 1.29 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 5043.28 | 0.36 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 13.32 | 15.78 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -64.66 | 4.64 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -47.80 | 5.50 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 4858.60 | 1.60 |