Latest news with #BlueBird
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
BLBD Q2 Earnings Call: Tariffs Pressure EV Margins as Blue Bird Maintains Guidance
School bus company Blue Bird (NASDAQ:BLBD) reported Q1 CY2025 results beating Wall Street's revenue expectations , with sales up 3.7% year on year to $358.9 million. The company's full-year revenue guidance of $1.45 billion at the midpoint came in 0.9% above analysts' estimates. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.96 per share was in line with analysts' consensus estimates. Is now the time to buy BLBD? Find out in our full research report (it's free). Revenue: $358.9 million vs analyst estimates of $356.8 million (3.7% year-on-year growth, 0.6% beat) Adjusted EPS: $0.96 vs analyst estimates of $0.95 (in line) Adjusted EBITDA: $49.21 million vs analyst estimates of $47.31 million (13.7% margin, 4% beat) The company reconfirmed its revenue guidance for the full year of $1.45 billion at the midpoint EBITDA guidance for the full year is $200 million at the midpoint, above analyst estimates of $197.9 million Operating Margin: 9.4%, down from 10.4% in the same quarter last year Sales Volumes rose 1.8% year on year (-2.2% in the same quarter last year) Market Capitalization: $1.31 billion Blue Bird's second quarter results reflected ongoing demand for school buses, with management crediting higher average selling prices and a mix shift toward alternative power vehicles as key drivers. CEO John Wyskiel highlighted that the company's core combustion engine business remained stable, while sales of electric vehicles (EVs) reached a quarterly record. CFO Razvan Radulescu noted operational improvements and strategic cost management contributed to margin performance, though increased investments in headcount and engineering partially offset gains. Management acknowledged the impact of recently implemented tariffs, describing them as an emerging headwind, particularly for EVs, but emphasized that proactive pricing actions and a strong backlog supported operational stability in the quarter. Looking ahead, Blue Bird's guidance assumes continued strong demand for school buses and a balanced mix across product lines, but management flagged tariffs and supply chain volatility as significant risks. CFO Razvan Radulescu stated, "We are working with our supply chain partners to find alternative sources in the United States and North America, but this takes time." CEO John Wyskiel explained that the company may intentionally reduce EV production in coming quarters if tariff pressures persist, while substituting orders with internal combustion engine vehicles as needed. Management expects state and federal funding, including rounds of the EPA Clean School Bus Program, to remain supportive, while ongoing pricing adjustments are intended to offset rising input costs and maintain margin targets. Management identified sustained demand, pricing actions, and a growing alternative power mix as key factors in the quarter, while tariffs and supply chain challenges began to pressure margins and segment mix. Alternative power mix growth: Blue Bird reported increased sales of EV and propane-powered buses, maintaining its leadership in alternative power segments. Management cited owner loyalty and exclusive supplier status for propane models as drivers of higher margins and customer retention. Pricing adjustments offset cost pressures: The company implemented targeted price increases across product lines, including a 2% tariff-related hike and an additional 2% increase on new orders, to counteract the impact of new tariffs and rising material costs. Tariff impact most acute for EVs: Management explained that newly imposed tariffs, especially the 145% rate on certain Chinese imports, significantly increased the cost structure of EVs, prompting Blue Bird to temporarily prioritize internal combustion engine models over EVs until the situation stabilizes. Strong industry backlog and funding support: The company ended the quarter with a backlog representing over six months of production and continued to benefit from state and federal funding flows, particularly from the EPA Clean School Bus Program. Commercial chassis segment launch: Blue Bird debuted a new commercial chassis designed for propane and EV powertrains, targeting delivery and last-mile fleet customers, with a planned market launch in 2026. Early customer interest and best-in-class features were highlighted as potential growth drivers. Blue Bird's outlook is shaped by ongoing demand, evolving regulatory dynamics, and the company's strategic pricing and product mix decisions. Tariff-driven product mix shifts: Management stated that if high tariffs on EV components persist, Blue Bird will shift production toward internal combustion engine and propane buses, which are less affected by tariffs, to protect margins and meet customer demand. Dependence on government funding: The company's growth plan relies on continued state and federal subsidies, including expected future rounds of EPA grants. Management noted potential timing uncertainty for these funding programs, which could impact order flow and segment mix. Pricing strategy and supply chain adaptation: Blue Bird is proactively increasing prices to offset rising costs from tariffs and inflation, while working with suppliers to find alternative sourcing. Management believes these measures are critical to maintaining EBITDA margin targets, but acknowledged execution risk if material costs rise further or supply chain constraints worsen. In the coming quarters, key developments to monitor will include (1) whether Blue Bird can successfully execute price increases without eroding customer demand, (2) how persistent tariff pressures influence the company's EV production and segment mix, and (3) the pace of EPA Clean School Bus Program funding rounds and their effect on order intake. Strategic progress in launching the commercial chassis product and sourcing alternatives to tariff-impacted components will also be key milestones. Blue Bird currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 9.8×. Should you double down or take your chips? The answer lies in our full research report (it's free). Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election sent major indices to all-time highs, but stocks have retraced as investors debate the health of the economy and the potential impact of tariffs. While this leaves much uncertainty around 2025, a few companies are poised for long-term gains regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate, like our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 183% over the last five years (as of March 31st 2025). Stocks that made our list in 2020 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+1,545% between March 2020 and March 2025) as well as under-the-radar businesses like the once-micro-cap company Kadant (+351% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today. Sign in to access your portfolio
Fast Company
15 hours ago
- Business
- Fast Company
The Georgia electric school bus factory shows the far-reaching consequences of Trump's federal funding cuts
As the administration of President Donald Trump dismantles reforms enacted under Joe Biden, workers and management at a Fort Valley, Georgia, school bus plant are thriving because of the same policies. On Trump's first day in office, he signed an executive order that would freeze future spending under two Biden-era laws: The Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which authorized funding of more than $2 trillion. Under Biden, those grants often went to companies that supported worker unions, according to the Center for American Progress. Several workers at Blue Bird Corp., a school bus manufacturer with 1,500 union employees at its plant in Fort Valley, said that support transformed their workplace. They pointed to better job conditions under a union contract and said that the company has thrived under a grant and contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars thanks to federal support for electric buses. Observers, including former acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, said that Trump's actions could mean an abrupt end to successful government programs that have already improved the lives of workers across the country and added to companies' bottom lines. 'We're making them school buses. They're making a lot of money.' At first glance, Blue Bird's story looks like it's solely about the power of unions to improve a workplace. Like many workers in the Deep South, workers at Blue Bird had tried to organize a union without success since the 1960s. In 2019, they began to gain traction. The majority-Black workforce was fed up with starting wages as low as $13 an hour, no official pay scale, and the resulting unpredictability—and rarity—of raises. The factory roof leaked, and some parts of the job, like working with hazardous pressure systems, felt unsafe, they said. What's more, the policy for time off was opaque: The company would 'give personal leave to who they want to, not when people might really need it,' said Dee Thomas, a 12-year veteran of Blue Bird who serves as USW Local 697's executive vice president. Blue Bird officials declined repeated requests by Capital & Main for comment. Workers began talking among themselves about a union. One member knew someone who was in the United Steelworkers union, and soon employees were talking to union organizers, meeting in parks, local churches and public libraries. In 2022, workers heard that Blue Bird—one of the country's only bus manufacturers with electric vehicle expertise — told investors they expected to bring in at least $1 billion in federal incentives encouraging public school districts to switch to electric school buses. They wanted a fair share of the proceeds they were helping the company make. 'We're making them school buses,' Thomas said. 'They're making a lot of money.' When the union campaign went public in early 2023, Blue Bird fought it, workers said. The United Steelworkers union filed unfair labor practice complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that managers threatened to close the plant if workers voted for a union, surveilled employees as they talked with union organizers, and urged workers to vote against the union in mandatory employee meetings. (After the union election, the charges were withdrawn.) Guidelines under a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency helped the union organizing campaign, said Alex Perkins, a USW organizer and current staff representative for the Blue Bird union. The EPA's Clean School Bus Program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, required union neutrality at companies, banning them from using government funding to support or oppose union organizing activity. Activists said they reminded Blue Bird executives that the federal money they'd bragged to investors about might not be granted to 'union busters.' In response, the company tempered its opposition, Perkins said. In early May 2023, Blue Bird workers voted 697 to 435 to authorize the United Steelworkers union to represent them. A boost from Biden The victory was only a first step: The union needed to negotiate a contract with the company before workers' jobs would actually improve. Some of Blue Bird's potential customers, as well as federal grants, gave preference to companies that committed to good faith contract negotiations with workers. Su, who was acting secretary of labor at the time, had made quick contract agreements a priority for the Department of Labor. Most employers, on the other hand, drag out initial contract talks, and most first contracts take more than 500 days—more than 16 months—to be ratified, according to a recent Bloomberg Law study. There is no penalty for employers who drag out negotiations or even fail to sign a contract. Nearly one-third of all unions that win an election do not have a contract within three years, with more than a quarter never getting a contract at all. Workers weren't sure how Blue Bird would respond to negotiations, so they resolved to show the company that treating workers well could help its bottom line. In August 2023, with contract negotiations at Blue Bird in process, Melinda Newhouse, assistant to the United Steelworkers' international president, called in to a Los Angeles Unified School District public school board meeting about its pending $80 million contract for 180 electric school buses. 'When public investment is made, it should be done in a way that takes into account more than just the bottom line,' Newhouse told the meeting, referring to Blue Bird's new union. The district, bound by law to accept the lowest 'responsible' bid, chose Blue Bird. The company's then-CEO, Phil Horlock, called it 'the largest single order ever of EV school buses.' The same summer, the Biden administration threw some weight behind union workplaces. When the Department of Energy issued its call for proposals for Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, it said that automotive applicants had to describe how their project would benefit their community with high-quality jobs and support for collective bargaining agreements. If Blue Bird wanted to expand production, a union could help it get grants to do so. As contract negotiations entered their 10th month, Su visited Blue Bird. A longtime labor activist before joining the government, Su had made it her mission to urge companies to adopt contracts within one year. 'Too often workers who choose a union face significant delays in getting a first contract,' Su told Capital & Main. 'And that delay is not accidental.' In Fort Valley, Su urged Blue Bird executives and workers alike to ratify a contract before the first anniversary of the successful union vote. 'To their credit, Blue Bird took it on,' Su said. Management checked in with her regularly about the progress of bargaining, which Su saw as 'a strong sign of their good faith' and collaboration, she added. Workers came to feel that Blue Bird was collaborating with them, too. 'We worked together,' the company and the union, said Perkins, who was also on the bargaining committee. In May 2024, just shy of the one-year deadline, Blue Bird and the union agreed to a three-year contract that went into effect the following July. The agreement raised the lowest-paid workers' wage to around $22 an hour, standardized the retirement plan, established a profit-sharing agreement and created a health and safety committee with trained staff. It also formalized the collaboration that had evolved between Blue Bird and workers over the course of negotiations and established regular meetings among worker representatives, management and the CEO to discuss concerns in the workplace and ideas for improvement. 'A union relationship is a partnership,' Horlock said at the official signing of the union agreement. '[Secretary Su] explained that to me, and I'm grateful we listened and we did it. We got it done.' The same month the union contract went into effect, Blue Bird got a Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grant worth nearly $80 million to expand electric bus production—and with it, union jobs. In the company's grant application, Blue Bird highlighted its 'efforts to work jointly' with the United Steelworkers and touted its commitment to 'good faith negotiations' with the union. USW also sent a letter of support with the application outlining how the company and union would work together. Today, workers say the union has made their jobs better with raises, improved safety and lower turnover. Public records suggested that the unionization effort has continued to pay off for Blue Bird, too. During the first quarter of 2025, Blue Bird reported 'near record quarterly profits,' Horlock said in the company's February earnings call. Horlock attributed the company's performance to its investments to upgrade facilities, develop new products and 'continu[ing] to enhance the plant working environment for employees.' Horlock stepped down as CEO in February but remains on the board of directors. Blue Bird's experience under Biden-era policies provides a prime example of how companies can actually benefit from unions — once they stop fighting them, said Arthur Wheaton, director of labor studies at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. 'There are a lot of common interests between the union and the company,' he said. The union can benefit the company by giving management workers' insights, gained from firsthand experience on how to solve problems, he added. And, as with the Steelworkers, many unions have connections with elected officials who can shape policy to create additional jobs and more stable employment. 'It only helps the Steelworkers to have Blue Bird get more funding,' Wheaton said. All of that reflects the Biden administration's strategic and intentional support of unions, said Ian Elder, national director at Jobs to Move America, an advocacy organization that works to lift labor standards. The previous administration was 'enacting a form of industrial policy [with] an intention to cultivate industries that create good, sustainable careers' while 'addressing climate change, protecting the environment, and protecting communities from environmental harm,' Elder added. Funding freeze Today, Blue Bird and its workers enjoy a kind of success that's likely to become rare as the Trump administration ends the kinds of policies that made Blue Bird's collaboration possible. The contract at Blue Bird was 'a seed of the kind of change that is possible,' Su said. 'That is even more important than ever now, when we have an administration that speaks about being pro-worker, but does things that are horribly anti-worker.' Indeed, Trump's sweeping funding freeze hit the Clean School Bus Program — and its provisions rewarding good faith contract negotiations — leaving its remaining $2 million in funding unspent. The EPA has made no announcement of new funding, though existing awards are still being paid out. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has issued orders to begin eliminating new emissions standards that favor electric vehicles, consumer subsidies for buying them and federal funding to support their development. In a similar vein, the Domestic Manufacturing Conversion Grants that paid off for Blue Bird have been spent, with no additional funding — or a program to replace it — in sight. Su's replacement as secretary of labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, was initially lauded as a pro-worker Republican, but she has yet to promote policies in support of unions. Although Chavez-DeRemer has posed for multiple photo ops with workers, she has also recanted her support for the PRO Act, the pro-union bill backed by the Biden administration, and declared her support for right-to-work legislation that is widely understood to be anti-union. She also endorsed a Trump agenda that includes effectively canceling project labor agreements with unions for federal construction work; eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; and removing union input from registered apprenticeship programs. The Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy and Department of Labor did not return requests for comment. Meanwhile, the Blue Bird union's officers remain optimistic that their collaboration with the company will survive Trump's changes. There are nearly two years left on their current contract—enough time, they think, to prove to Blue Bird that companies and workers do better when they work together. 'The culture is changing at Blue Bird,' Thomas said, pointing to their ongoing advice to management and other contract wins. 'Management will be changing as well. . . . They are going to get it right.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wall Street Analysts Think Blue Bird (BLBD) Is a Good Investment: Is It?
When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important? Let's take a look at what these Wall Street heavyweights have to say about Blue Bird (BLBD) before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage. Blue Bird currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.43, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by seven brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.43 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy. Of the seven recommendations that derive the current ABR, five are Strong Buy and one is Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 71.4% and 14.3% of all recommendations. Check price target & stock forecast for Blue Bird here>>>While the ABR calls for buying Blue Bird, it may not be wise to make an investment decision solely based on this information. Several studies have shown limited to no success of brokerage recommendations in guiding investors to pick stocks with the best price increase potential. Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations. This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements. With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool, the Zacks Rank, which classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), is a reliable indicator of a stock's near -term price performance. So, validating the Zacks Rank with ABR could go a long way in making a profitable investment decision. In spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures. Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5. It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them. On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. In addition, the different Zacks Rank grades are applied proportionately to all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide current-year earnings estimates. In other words, this tool always maintains a balance among its five ranks. There is also a key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank when it comes to freshness. When you look at the ABR, it may not be up-to-date. Nonetheless, since brokerage analysts constantly revise their earnings estimates to reflect changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in predicting future stock prices. In terms of earnings estimate revisions for Blue Bird, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has declined 12.1% over the past month to $3.74. Analysts' growing pessimism over the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates lower, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to plunge in the near term. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) for Blue Bird. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> Therefore, it could be wise to take the Buy-equivalent ABR for Blue Bird with a grain of salt. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Blue Bird Corporation (BLBD) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research 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
Business Wire
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
Blue Bird's Foundation Donates More Than $50,000 to Community Groups in Georgia
MACON, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Blue Bird School Bus Foundation, charitable arm of iconic school bus manufacturer Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD), continues to advance the education, health, and safety of children in its home state of Georgia. The Foundation hosted a community event at its corporate headquarters in Macon, Ga., and awarded a total of $53,300 to ten local area nonprofit organizations, including: Donations ranged from $2,500 up to $12,500. "Georgia has been our home for nearly a century," said Blue Bird president and CEO John Wyskiel. "Our school buses safely transport children, so we deeply care about their education, health, and safety. We're pleased to fund ten local nonprofits that work tirelessly to improve our communities for children every day." "As a first-time recipient, we are delighted to accept the generous donation from the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation to promote child car seat safety in our local communities," said Abbie Price, Coordinator at Safe Kids Central Georgia, which was awarded Blue Bird's top-level donation of $12,500 at the community event. 'The funding will enable us to provide free car seats and educational materials to low-income families in need." Since its inception in 2015, the Blue Bird School Bus Foundation has donated more than $600,000 in charitable contributions to various community organizations, including more than 85 Georgia-based nonprofits. In addition, Blue Bird has donated three all-electric, zero-emission school buses to three community organizations since Dec. 2023, including Peach County Schools in Fort Valley, Ga., the Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation in Pittsburgh, Pa., and to Hoop Bus in Los Angeles, Ca. Peach County Schools added the zero-emission school bus to its all-Blue Bird school bus fleet as a clean transportation option for day and field trips, as well as on special routes. The Jerome Bettis Bus Stops Here Foundation is turning the electric bus into a mobile computer lab to expand the foundation's digital literacy programs for local community members in need. And Hoop Bus equipped the zero-emission bus with basketball hoops at the front and back, turning the vehicle into an interactive, mobile court serving thousands of at-risk youth in under-resourced communities across California. About Blue Bird School Bus Foundation Inc. The Blue Bird School Bus Foundation Inc. is a Georgia nonprofit corporation with the mission to promote education, health, and safety for children in the state of Georgia. Established in 2015, the Foundation supports organizations that directly benefit school age children under 19 years old as well as organizations which directly support disadvantaged communities. For more information, visit About Blue Bird Corporation Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability. School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25 million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low- and zero-emission school buses with more than 25,000 propane, natural gas, and electric powered buses sold. Blue Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird's complete product and service portfolio, visit
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Starlink Rival AST SpaceMobile Wants to Launch 243 Giant Satellites by 2028
PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. As it seeks to compete with SpaceX's cellular Starlink service, AST SpaceMobile has an ambitious goal—launch 243 more satellites by 2028. AST mentioned the goal in an FCC filing as it tries to secure regulatory clearance to operate the FM1, a prototype satellite slated to launch from India in July. The FM1 is the company's first stab at a second-generation BlueBird satellite, which is designed to beam cellular connectivity to phones on the ground. In March, AST filed for experimental authority with the FCC to start tests with the prototype satellite. On Monday, it provided more details after the FCC told AST its original application was 'incomplete.' One of the new documents shows that AST envisions launching 243 second-generation BlueBirds from now until 2028. Each satellite is designed to operate for up to seven years before it's de-orbited and set on a path to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. The satellites are huge, with a communication antenna spanning 223 square meters. That's about three times larger than AST's first-gen BlueBird satellites, five of which are currently in orbit. The document adds that FM1 has a mass of 5,830 kilograms (nearly 13,000 pounds) — or about 10 times the mass of a V2 Mini Optimized satellite for Starlink. However, future iterations of the second-generation BlueBird satellites will be smaller at 4,210 kilograms, thanks to the 'use of composite material,' the document says. The second-generation BlueBirds have been designed to deploy at about 520 kilometers (323 miles) in altitude before elevating themselves to 700km. The goal of launching 243 more satellites by 2028 is certainly ambitious, but it will be easier said than done. AST plans to use SpaceX's Falcon 9 to launch next-generation BlueBirds and Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket. The latter only just conducted its maiden flight in January; the rocket successfully reached orbit, but the first-stage booster botched its landing. The new FCC filing also mentions an FM2 satellite, suggesting the company is preparing another prototype BlueBird. As a result, satellite industry analyst Tim Farrar said: "Looks like the start of a satellite redesign and extended delay." The other issue is that AST still needs FCC clearance to launch and commercially operate its satellite constellation for use in the US. So far, the FCC has deferred on the company's original request to operate an additional 243 satellites. AST has yet to file a follow-up application. AST submitted the documents to the FCC after SpaceX criticized the company's initial proposal for the FM1 satellite, including its plans to prevent the craft from posing a hazard in Earth's orbit. In response, AST submitted a new 'orbit debris assessment report,' which maintains that the company's FM1 and future satellites comply with orbital safety regulations. Despite the new filing, the FCC sent an email to AST on Tuesday, demanding that it resolve several lingering questions and possible inaccuracies and errors in the documentation. Although AST wants to launch 248 satellites, the company has said it only needs 45 to 60 BlueBirds in orbit to start offering continuous satellite connectivity to partners, including AT&T and Verizon.
