Why Intuitive Machines Stock Keeps Going Up

Source The Motley Fool

Key Points

  • Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard raised his price target on Intuitive Machines stock by 65% today.

  • In just a few days, Intuitive might win the NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle contract.

  • 10 stocks we like better than Intuitive Machines ›

SpaceX IPO excitement drove Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ: LUNR) stock higher for a fourth straight trading day Tuesday. With a little help from Wall Street, this time, it looks like it's going to stick.

Shares of the lunar lander company soared 17.2% through 11:20 a.m. ET after Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard raised his price target on the space stock by 65%, to $43 per share.

Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »

Rover driving around the moon with the Earth in the background.

Image source: Getty Images.

Why Cantor loves Intuitive Machines stock

What makes Cantor so optimistic about Intuitive Machines stock?

The company's post-earnings promise to approach $1 billion in revenue this year is certainly one factor, and management's assurance that it will be "profitable," at least in terms of adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA -- which isn't really earnings), is another.

What's got Cantor's analyst even more excited, though, is the prospect that NASA might award Intuitive a contract to build a Lunar Terrain Vehicle (LTV) this week. Sheppard says he's "confident" Intuitive will get the contract, which could be worth up to $4.6 billion over time.

Additional catalysts include Intuitive's upcoming Q4 IM-3 moon landing (which hopefully will land upright), as well as funds from the U.S. Space Force's Andromeda space domain awareness program, which could be worth anywhere from $1.8 billion to $6.2 billion over 10 years.

What it means for Intuitive Machines stock

Granted, 14 other companies are competing for parts of that last one. Indeed, many of the contracts Intuitive Machines has won, or may win, could end up being shared with other awardees.

Still, this is quite a lot of billion-dollar-plus contracts we're talking about here. If Intuitive Machines wins significant roles in even a handful of them, the $6.1 billion market capitalization on this space stock could easily look like a bargain.

Should you buy stock in Intuitive Machines right now?

Before you buy stock in Intuitive Machines, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Intuitive Machines wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $477,813!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,320,088!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 986% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of May 26, 2026.

Rich Smith has positions in Intuitive Machines. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Intuitive Machines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Gold Price Forecast: U.S.-Iran Negotiations Face Uncertainties, Gold May Fall Below $4,400During the Asian session on May 26, gold prices ( XAUUSD) weakened under pressure after briefly touching the $4,580 resistance level, maintaining a weak trend intraday and potentially ent
Author  TradingKey
9 hours ago
During the Asian session on May 26, gold prices ( XAUUSD) weakened under pressure after briefly touching the $4,580 resistance level, maintaining a weak trend intraday and potentially ent
placeholder
Gold edges higher above $4,550 on US-Iran peace optimism Gold price (XAU/USD) gains ground to near $4,575 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. The precious metal edges higher as hopes for US-Iran peace negotiations weakened the US Dollar (USD). 
Author  FXStreet
16 hours ago
Gold price (XAU/USD) gains ground to near $4,575 during the early Asian session on Tuesday. The precious metal edges higher as hopes for US-Iran peace negotiations weakened the US Dollar (USD). 
placeholder
Forex Today: Risk flows dominate markets on US-Iran deal hopesHere is what you need to know on Monday, May 25:
Author  FXStreet
Yesterday 09: 45
Here is what you need to know on Monday, May 25:
placeholder
Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD holds gains near $78.50 on US-Iran deal optimismSilver price (XAG/USD) rises nearly 4% after registering losses in the previous day, trading around $78.50 per troy ounce during the Asian hours on Monday.
Author  FXStreet
Yesterday 01: 26
Silver price (XAG/USD) rises nearly 4% after registering losses in the previous day, trading around $78.50 per troy ounce during the Asian hours on Monday.
placeholder
Gold Price Forecast: XAU/USD keeps looking for direction above $4,500Gold (XAU/USD) trades lower for the second consecutive day on Friday, but remains contained within previous ranges, with downside attempts limited above the $4,500 line for now.
Author  FXStreet
May 22, Fri
Gold (XAU/USD) trades lower for the second consecutive day on Friday, but remains contained within previous ranges, with downside attempts limited above the $4,500 line for now.
goTop
quote