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Viasat (VSAT) Secures Military Contract for Tactical Radios

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Viasat Inc. (VSAT - Free Report) recently secured a $99 million contract from the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Systems Command to supply Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) terminals. The contract reinforces its position as one of the leading suppliers of tactical communications solutions for defense personnel.   

Viasat solutions will enable warfighters to enjoy high-quality communications capabilities on the battlefield. The MIDS serves as the foundational communications datalink on the modern battlefield and offers a secure communications network. Viasat's MIDS JTRS terminals will deliver tactical communications and data transport to ground, maritime and airborne platforms for greater situational awareness on the battlefield.

Viasat enjoys a leading position in the satellite and wireless communications market. With the rapid proliferation of the smartphone market and usage of mobile broadband, the user demand for coverage speed and quality has increased, which is fueling the demand for network tuning and optimization to maintain high data traffic. The company attracts millions of U.S. consumers and enterprises with its high-quality broadband service. Encouragingly, Viasat’s blue-chip customer base, which comprises the U.S. Department of Defense, civil agencies, allied foreign governments, satellite network integrators and large communications service providers and enterprises, adds to its strength. Currently, the company’s Government Systems segment is acting as a major profit churner. Viasat is eyeing opportunities to extend broadband satellite mobility to rotary-wing aircraft, as it is a large addressable market that can emerge as a key profit churner.

In addition, the company is ramping up investments to develop its revolutionary ViaSat-3 broadband communications platform, which will boast nearly 10 times the bandwidth capacity of ViaSat-2. The ViaSat-3 platform will help form a global broadband network with sufficient network capacity to allow better consumer choices with an affordable, high-quality, high-speed Internet and video streaming service.

Viasat’s Satellite Services business is also progressing well, with key metrics including ARPU (average revenue per user) and revenues showing impressive growth. ARPU is growing on the back of a solid retail distribution network, accounting for an increasing proportion of the high-value and high-bandwidth subscriber base. Further, the rising adoption of in-flight Wi-Fi services in commercial aircraft is proving conducive to the growth of the Satellite Services business.

Viasat’s Ka-band solutions enable business jet customers to enjoy high-speed Internet connectivity from takeoff to touchdown. It empowers aviation clients to reinforce their IFC investments and helps customers stay connected with smooth web browsing and streaming services. Equipped with unrivaled speed and quality, Viasat’s Ka-band service has been specifically designed to meet accretive demands of data backed by next-gen business applications. The Ka-band leverages global bandwidth to provide avant-garde Internet service with best-in-market pricing to boost the competitiveness of the business jet market.

The stock has lost 31% over the past year compared with the industry’s decline of 9.3% in the same period.

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Nevertheless, we remain impressed with the inherent growth potential of this Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

TESSCO Technologies Incorporated , carrying a Zacks Rank #2, delivered an earnings surprise of 61.9%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. Earnings estimates for TESSCO for the current year have moved up 49.4% since August 2021.

TESSCO offers products to the industry’s top manufacturers in mobile communications, Wi-Fi, wireless backhaul and related products. With more than three decades of experience, it delivers complete end-to-end solutions to the wireless industry.

Spirent Communications plc (SPMYY - Free Report) carries a Zacks Rank #2. Earnings estimates for the current year for the stock have moved up 10.8% since August 2021, while that for the next year is up 11.8%.

Founded in 1936 and headquartered in Crawley, the United Kingdom, Spirent offers a comprehensive, end-to-end solution that validates forwarding performance, latency and functional capabilities in an integrated approach that reduces the cost of ownership. It is a leading provider of Ethernet validation solutions in the market.

Harmonic Inc. (HLIT - Free Report) , sporting a Zacks Rank #1, delivered an earnings surprise of 79.8%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. Earnings estimates for Harmonic for the current year have moved up 17.1% since February 2022.

Harmonic provides video delivery software, products, system solutions and services worldwide. With more than three decades of experience, it has revolutionized cable access networking via the industry's first virtualized cable access solution, enabling cable operators to more flexibly deploy gigabit Internet service to consumers' homes and mobile devices.


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