logo
Planet Labs Lands €240M German Contract, Expands Global Defense Footprint

Planet Labs Lands €240M German Contract, Expands Global Defense Footprint

Yahooa day ago
Planet Labs (NYSE:PL) is one of the best space stocks to buy according to hedge funds. On July 1st, the company announced a €240 million multi-year satellite services contract with the German government, one of the largest in its history.
The deal includes direct downlink from its next-generation Pelican satellites, high-resolution SkySat imagery, and AI-enhanced surveillance tools, specifically designed for security, infrastructure monitoring, and maritime awareness. The services are set to begin in January 2026. Around the same time, Planet revealed four additional wins in the defense and intelligence sector, including an expanded partnership with the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit for Indo-Pacific threat detection, a seven-figure contract with the U.S. Navy for maritime operations, and a NATO surveillance contract focused on early warning systems.
Copyright: lexaarts / 123RF Stock Photo
All four were disclosed in a July 1st press release. While analyst updates following the announcement are still pending, firms like Needham, Wedbush, and Cantor Fitzgerald have recently reaffirmed bullish stances, citing strong momentum in Planet's government and AI verticals.
Planet Labs PBC, founded by ex-NASA engineers in 2010, operates the world's largest fleet of Earth observation satellites. It provides daily imagery and AI-driven analytics to customers in defense, agriculture, climate monitoring, and urban planning.
While we acknowledge the potential of PL as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock.
READ NEXT: and .
Disclosure: None.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Grok's AI companions drove downloads, but its latest model is the one making money
Grok's AI companions drove downloads, but its latest model is the one making money

Yahoo

time9 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Grok's AI companions drove downloads, but its latest model is the one making money

Grok's raunchy, unfiltered AI companions may be making headlines for their unhinged and often NSFW responses, but it's Grok 4, xAI's latest model, that's been driving the app's revenue of late. Elon Musk's xAI launched Grok 4 late on July 9, and by Friday, July 11, Grok's gross revenue on iOS had jumped a whopping 325% to $419,000, up from $99,000 the day before the Grok 4 launch, according to app intelligence firm Appfigures. Grok continued to pull in higher-than-usual revenue in the days following the launch of the new model, with gross revenue in the high $367,000s for a couple of days before dipping down to $310,000 on July 14. In addition, daily downloads of the Grok iOS app had increased 279% to 197,000 by July 11, up from 52,000 before Grok 4 launched. But following the addition of Grok's AI companions the next week, on July 14, the jump in downloads and revenue was less pronounced. While curiosity about the companions likely drove more installs, the feature isn't yet poised to be a significant money-maker for the company, despite being only available to 'Super Grok' subscribers paying $30 per month. Grok's iOS downloads globally were up 40% the day after the companions launched, reaching 171,000 daily installs, but revenue increased just 9%, hitting $337,000. So while it's clear that there was an impact from the launch, it's decidedly smaller than the launch of the new AI model. Given Grok's expensive new subscription offering, timed alongside the Grok 4 launch, it's not surprising to see that even a smaller increase in the number of paying subscribers could drive Grok's iOS revenue significantly higher. The company announced that, in addition to Grok 4 and Grok 4 Heavy, it would also offer a $300-per-month subscription called SuperGrok Heavy, its priciest plan to date. The plan offers subscribers early access to Grok 4 Heavy and other new features, xAI said, but it's more expensive than comparable plans from other major AI providers, including OpenAI, Google and Anthropic. It's interesting to see this demand for Grok's subscription plans, even though the AI was initially consulting Elon Musk's X posts for answers. xAI has since addressed this issue. Interest in the new model also drove up Grok's ranking on the U.S. App Store shortly after its launch, making Grok the No. 3 top app overall, and No. 2 in the Productivity category by July 12. That interest has declined somewhat over the past week — the app is now No. 17 overall — though it's still No. 2 in Productivity, Appfigures data shows. Appfigures notes that it focused on iOS data for this analysis, as that data set is currently more comprehensive than data from Android devices. The latter is only available through July 14 for the time being, as Appfigures' model needs more time to process Google Play data. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data

Check Out the Active Spoiler on the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Wagon Prototype
Check Out the Active Spoiler on the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Wagon Prototype

The Drive

time10 minutes ago

  • The Drive

Check Out the Active Spoiler on the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Wagon Prototype

The latest car news, reviews, and features. The 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA has taken MB's computer-mouse body design language and kid's-toy interior aesthetic to another level. But a wagon with an active-aero spoiler is still pretty darn cool. Take a look at some photos our contact in Germany got of this longroof AMG CLA 45 prototype with a little deployable wing. In the US, the next CLA is being pitched with both gasoline and electric powertrains. An AMG version of the new-for-'26 body style is yet to be unveiled, though it's certainly in the works. The photographer who sent us these images called the car a 'shooting brake,' but really, it's more like a four-door hatchback. Or, at least, a small station wagon. Typically, a shooting brake only has two side doors. Then again, Mercedes calls some of its sedans 'coupes,' so who really knows what words mean anymore. There are two variants of the current/outgoing (2025) AMG CLA on the US market: A 302 horsepower CLA 35 (about $56,000) and a 416 hp CLA 45 S (about $67,000). Both run a two-liter turbocharged engine (speaking of things losing their meaning … AMG used to stand for something unique). The wagon in the photos, based on the flat grille, lack of exhaust, and 'High Voltage' decal on the rear window, I'm going to go ahead and guess that it's electric. It'd make sense to make the performance flagship of Mercedes' entry-level line an EV; it will be easier to squeeze impressive acceleration numbers with electric motor. Scroll through these images to see the car from pretty much every angle. You can fill in the blanks of what it'll look like under the camo by checking out these images of the already-released 2026 CLA 350. I don't hate soap-bar body and actually love the new CLA's front and rear lights. But can we get away from this trend of making every car cockpit look like something you'd plop a three-year-old in to shut them up? Mercedes-Benz We haven't heard about this miniature wagon coming stateside, but I'm not so quick to dismiss it as I would have been in the past. Between the BMW M5 Touring being touted as a sales success and the Mercedes E53 wagon already slated for the American market, I feel like there's a decent chance MB could decide to give us this little thing. That is, unless tariffs completely torpedo its viability. Got a tip? Send us a note at tips@

Udemy is powering enterprise AI transformation through skills
Udemy is powering enterprise AI transformation through skills

CBS News

time11 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Udemy is powering enterprise AI transformation through skills

This content was provided by Acumen Media for Udemy. This advertiser content was paid for and created by Acumen. Neither CBS News nor CBS News Brand Studio, the brand marketing arm of CBS News, were involved in the creation of this content. Executives across industries are urgently working to build AI fluency in their organizations as digital transformation becomes a business imperative. From finance to manufacturing, companies have doubled down on training employees in artificial intelligence (AI) and other tech skills, making workforce upskilling a necessity across the board. Udemy, a global AI-powered skills development platform known for its real-world expert instructors and unique marketplace model, is at the forefront of this skills revolution. "AI is the big demand, and every one of our clients is asking, 'Help me reskill the workforce,'" said Udemy CEO Hugo Sarrazin, underscoring the unprecedented pressure companies face to upskill their people. Udemy, used by over 17,000 businesses worldwide, is helping companies answer that call by developing AI fluency across their ranks. Udemy is leveraging AI to tailor the learning experience for each employee. Traditional online courses have been one-size-fits-all, following a fixed curriculum regardless of a learner's prior knowledge or style. Now, AI-driven features can assess each learner's skills, curate a personalized learning path, and feature role play experiences to maximize engagement. "What we're doing right now with our AI platform is fundamentally changing the learner experience," Sarrazin explained. More personalized training yields a much better return on investment (ROI) for companies. Employees can even upskill in the flow of work, as AI guides practice and reinforces learning without pulling them away from day-to-day roles. Organizations care about outcomes, not just course completion. Employers want employees to gain specific new skills they can apply to strategic initiatives and to retain talent by supporting their growth. To that end, Udemy is enabling organizations to customize learning content to align with their goals. Enterprises now have access to the same AI-powered content creation tools used by Udemy's instructors, allowing them to quickly develop bespoke courses and training pathways. By tailoring learning journeys to company needs, businesses can keep their teams ahead of quickly evolving skill requirements. By blending their dynamic expert marketplace with AI-powered delivery, Udemy offers a scalable way to foster continuous learning. And by turning employee training into a strategic asset, companies can better maintain a competitive edge. The ability to quickly reskill at scale is becoming essential for staying ahead. Udemy's success shows how the right learning platform can transform not only a workforce, but also an entire organization for the digital age.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store