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Viasat Inc.: Q1 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 4 August 2026: letter to shareholders, letter to shareholders. Guidance figures: 4 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue down 1% on defense decline: Revenue was $1.2 billion, down 1% YoY. Defense and Advanced Technologies fell 4% while Communication Services was flat. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA down 7%: Adjusted EBITDA was $381 million, down 7% YoY. Defense and Advanced Technologies declined 20% and Communication Services declined 3%. Source
  • Defense segment EBITDA down 20%: Defense and Advanced Technologies Adjusted EBITDA was $70 million, down 20%. Tactical networking performance partly offset lower IP licensing and royalty revenue and a decline in information security and cyber defense. Source
  • Awards rose 10% to $1.3 billion: New contract awards reached $1.3 billion, up 10% YoY. Source
  • Net leverage down to 3.2x: Net debt was $4.8 billion, flat sequentially. Net leverage fell 0.4x YoY to 3.2x, helped by Ligado proceeds and the Navarino sale. Source
  • Convergence of defense and space technology: Management described growing convergence of defense technology in communications, cyber, networking and data with dual-use space infrastructure as a central theme. Source

“We enter the remainder of fiscal year 2027 with confidence in our strategy, momentum across key growth initiatives, and a clear focus on creating long-term shareholder value.”

Mark Dankberg

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue SourceFY2027mid-single-digit YoY growthKept
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFY2027flat to up slightly YoYKept
Communication Services segment revenue SourceFY2027low single-digits YoY growth
Capital expenditures SourceFY2027$950 million to $1.0 billion, including approximately $250 to $300 million for Inmarsat
Operating cash flow SourceFY2027flat YoYKept
Free cash flow SourceFY2027approximately $180 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New: From Q1 FY2027, non-GAAP net income and Adjusted EBITDA exclude unrealized foreign currency loss or gain; prior periods were not revised. Source
  • New: Viasat secured the next phase of the PTS-G program, a Defense and Advanced Technologies award this quarter. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue down 1% on defense decline: Revenue was $1.2 billion, down 1% YoY. Defense and Advanced Technologies fell 4% while Communication Services was flat. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA down 7%: Adjusted EBITDA was $381 million, down 7% YoY. Defense and Advanced Technologies declined 20% and Communication Services declined 3%. Source
  • Growth areas offset by declines: Aviation, government satcom and tactical networking grew. Declines in fixed services and other, IP licensing and royalty revenue, higher R&D and the Navarino sale offset that growth. Source
  • Net loss narrowed on lower interest: Net loss attributable to Viasat was $52 million, against $56 million a year earlier. Management attributed the improvement to lower interest expense, partly offset by a higher tax provision. Source
  • Diluted loss per share narrowed: Diluted loss per share was $0.38, against $0.43 a year earlier. Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.17 in both periods. Source

Segments and regions

  • Communication Services revenue flat: Communication Services revenue was $825 million, flat YoY. Aviation and government satcom grew while FS&O declined. Source
  • Communication Services EBITDA down 3%: Communication Services Adjusted EBITDA was $311 million, down 3%. Aviation and government satcom performance was offset by FS&O, the Navarino sale and multi-orbit R&D. Source
  • Defense segment revenue down 4%: Defense and Advanced Technologies revenue was $331 million, down 4%. Product revenue fell 8% and service revenue rose 21%. Source
  • Defense segment EBITDA down 20%: Defense and Advanced Technologies Adjusted EBITDA was $70 million, down 20%. Tactical networking performance partly offset lower IP licensing and royalty revenue and a decline in information security and cyber defense. Source
  • Tactical networking product revenue up: Tactical networking product revenue grew 36% YoY, driven by tactical communications and TrellisWare product sales to international customers. Source

“We believe we can be a healthy competitor, leveraging new VS-3 technologies and the learning curves they enable, along with multi-band, multi-orbit integration.”

Mark Dankberg

Products and customers

  • Commercial aviation fleet grew: Commercial aviation had about 4,530 aircraft in service at quarter end, up 10% YoY. Business aviation was about 2,080 aircraft, up 1%. Source
  • Fixed services and other fell 27%: FS&O service revenue fell 27% YoY. Aviation and government satcom service revenue rose 11% and 10% respectively. Source
  • Maritime vessel count fell: The maritime vessel count decreased to about 12,900 during the quarter. Source
  • Lockheed Martin selects Viasat for C-130J: Lockheed Martin selected Viasat to support NOAA's next-generation aircraft with a hybrid satcom platform, with prime contract options for more aircraft. Source
  • MOJO terminal awards exceed 100 units: Quarterly MOJO terminal awards exceeded 100 units, the largest quarterly total reported, from USAF, USMC, SOCOM and international agencies. Source
  • Hapag-Lloyd NexusWave agreement: After quarter end, Viasat agreed to deploy NexusWave across the Hapag-Lloyd fleet following onboard trials. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • R&D rose on multi-orbit work: Higher segment research and development expense supported multi-orbit initiatives and added to Communication Services costs. Source
  • Navarino sale weighed on results: Management cited the effect of the Navarino equity investment sale, which occurred in a prior period, on Adjusted EBITDA. Source
  • Prior-period Adjusted EBITDA on new basis: On the revised definition, the year-earlier quarter's Adjusted EBITDA would have been $418.1 million rather than the reported figure. Source

“The VS-3 deployments along with a number of other important space and ground technology accomplishments and competitive wins is building momentum in new markets and critical applications.”

Mark Dankberg

Demand and the order book

  • Awards rose 10% to $1.3 billion: New contract awards reached $1.3 billion, up 10% YoY. Source
  • Backlog up 19% to $4.2 billion: Company backlog rose 19% YoY to $4.2 billion, reflecting the award growth and contract changes. Source
  • Defense awards rose to $524 million: Defense and Advanced Technologies awards rose 22% to $524 million, the highest segment total cited in the letter. Source
  • Defense backlog reached $1.4 billion: Defense and Advanced Technologies backlog reached $1.4 billion, up 32% YoY and 16% sequentially, with a book-to-bill ratio of 1.6x. Source
  • Space and mission awards grew 248%: Space and mission systems awards grew 248% YoY and tactical networking awards grew 70%, while information security and cyber defense awards declined. Source
  • PTS-G prime contract awarded: Viasat won a prime contract to build, launch and deliver a small, maneuverable GEO satellite under the PTS-G program. Source
  • Communication Services awards rose 3%: Communication Services awards reached $774 million, up 3%, led by aviation and maritime growth of 13% and 5%. Source
  • Communication Services backlog up 13%: Communication Services backlog reached $2.8 billion, up 13% YoY. Source

Cash, capital expenditure and leverage

  • Operating cash flow of $291 million: Operating cash flow was $291 million excluding cash taxes on the Navarino gain, up $32 million YoY on lower cash tax and interest payments. Source
  • Free cash flow up 19%: Free cash flow was $72 million excluding cash taxes on the Navarino gain, up 19% YoY. The non-GAAP reconciliation shows free cash flow of $41.6 million. Source
  • Capex rose on payment timing: Capital expenditure rose on higher satellite spending tied to the timing of space, ground and other capital payments. Source
  • Net leverage down to 3.2x: Net debt was $4.8 billion, flat sequentially. Net leverage fell 0.4x YoY to 3.2x, helped by Ligado proceeds and the Navarino sale. Source
  • Liquidity of $2.9 billion: Available liquidity was $2.9 billion: $1.74 billion of cash plus $1.15 billion undrawn across two revolving credit facilities. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Convergence of defense and space technology: Management described growing convergence of defense technology in communications, cyber, networking and data with dual-use space infrastructure as a central theme. Source
  • Lower capital intensity through AI/ML: Management said operational and business model changes, including AI/ML network optimisation, continue to reduce capital intensity. Source
  • Investing in emerging areas: Management said it invests prudently in direct-to-device, mobility services, network orchestration, cyber and advanced space architectures. Source
  • Multi-orbit terminals to cut bandwidth costs: Management said multi-orbit integration and next-generation terminals are designed to reduce airtime bandwidth costs and increase network flexibility. Source

Coming up, as management said on 4 August 2026

  • VS-3 F2 service entry: Viasat anticipates service entry on VS-3 F2 by September 2026. Source
  • VS-3 F3 service entry over APAC: Service entry over the APAC region is expected in late August or early September 2026, after the F3 IOT phase. Source
  • Stronger second-half growth expected: Management expects growth to be stronger in the second half of FY2027, supported by backlog, new orders and pipeline. Source
  • Trends to clarify through fiscal year: Management expects DAT awards and government services trends to become clearer through the rest of the fiscal year. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
U.S. fixed broadband subscribers Sourceapproximately 115,000
Average revenue per user (U.S. fixed broadband) Source$111
Capital expenditures Source$219 million

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said some market segments will be more competitive than in the past, and growth in other areas will partly offset this. Source
  • Operational: Space and mission systems product revenue declined YoY due to a supplier delay and lower development revenue. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management said all VS-3 F2 deployments and the satellite bus IOT phase were completed in the quarter. Source
  • Ahead: After quarter end, VS-3 F3 entered the IOT phase ahead of expected service entry over APAC. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.