Eutelsat Shares Plummet as SoftBank Exits Amid Starlink Competition Woes
Eutelsat's stock cratered 7.2% in early trading after SoftBank's abrupt share dump, compounding the European satellite operator's struggles against Elon Musk's Starlink. The Franco-British firm now trades 70% below March 2025 peaks when Ukraine-related infrastructure bets briefly sent shares soaring 600%.
The OneWeb merger has failed to deliver promised scale - Eutelsat operates just 600 satellites versus Starlink's 6,750-strong constellation. A €1.35 billion French government bailout in June secured lifeline funding but couldn't address the fundamental competitive gap.
Market observers note the selloff may continue as investors reevaluate Europe's ability to compete in the New Space race. 'The orbital infrastructure gap has become a chasm,' remarked one London-based analyst, requesting anonymity to discuss client positions.