Elon Musk's SpaceX Aims to Realize 'Star Trek' Vision, Secures $739 Million Pentagon Contract
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 13 2026
0mins
Should l Buy FOUR?
Source: Benzinga
- Vision Realization: At an event in Starbase, Texas, Elon Musk articulated SpaceX's ambition to make 'Star Trek' a reality, promoting interplanetary travel to explore extraterrestrial life and civilizations, showcasing the company's aspirations in commercial spaceflight.
- Defense Collaboration: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's visit to Starbase highlighted the Pentagon's push towards AI and praised SpaceX's technological advancements, indicating the government's recognition and potential collaboration with SpaceX in defense initiatives.
- NASA's Future Plans: NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman reaffirmed the goals of landing humans on the Moon and Mars, emphasizing the role of nuclear energy in future space exploration, reflecting a long-term commitment to deep space endeavors.
- Major Contract: SpaceX secured a $739 million contract with the U.S. Space Force for missile tracking and warning systems technology, further solidifying its leadership position in the defense and aerospace markets.
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Analyst Views on FOUR
Wall Street analysts forecast FOUR stock price to rise
21 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
6 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 54.570
Low
90.00
Averages
113.75
High
150.00
Current: 54.570
Low
90.00
Averages
113.75
High
150.00
About FOUR
Shift4 Payments, Inc. is engaged in commerce-enabling technology. The Company is an independent provider of software and payment processing solutions in the United States based on the total volume of payments processed. Its payments platform provides omni-channel card acceptance and processing solutions across multiple payment types, including credit, debit, contactless card, Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV), QR Pay, and mobile wallets, as well as alternative payment methods, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Alipay and WeChat Pay. Through its proprietary gateway, its payments platform is integrated with over 550 software suites. It enables connectivity with the payment processors, alternative payment rails and many different payment devices. Its suite of technology solutions includes SkyTab POS, SkyTab Mobile, SkyTab Venue, Lighthouse, The Giving Block, Shift4Shop and Marketplace. Its SkyTab POS offering helps its merchants scale their business and improve operational efficiency.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Shift4 Announces Q4 2025 Earnings Release Date
- Earnings Release Schedule: Shift4 will release its Q4 2025 financial results on February 26, 2026, before the market opens, with management hosting a conference call at 8:30 AM ET to discuss the results, which is expected to attract investor interest.
- Conference Call Access: Investors can join the call by dialing +1-800-343-4136 for toll-free access or +1-203-518-9843 for toll access, with Conference ID FOURQ425, ensuring timely updates on the company's performance.
- Webcast and X Spaces: The earnings call will be webcast live on Shift4's website, and the audio will also be simulcast via X Spaces, broadening the avenues for investor participation and engagement.
- Investor Conference Participation: Management will participate in fireside chats at the Raymond James and Wolfe FinTech conferences on March 3 and March 11, 2026, respectively, offering one-on-one and small group meetings to emphasize the company's commitment to investor relations.
See More
1492 Capital Management Fully Exits Shift4 Payments Stake
- Stake Change: 1492 Capital Management completely sold its 61,345 shares in Shift4 Payments during Q4 2026, with an estimated transaction value of $4.75 million, indicating a strategic exit amid declining stock performance.
- Stock Performance: As of February 9, 2026, Shift4 Payments shares were priced at $58.61, reflecting a 52.1% decline over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 67.15 percentage points, raising concerns about its future outlook.
- Company Overview: Shift4 Payments specializes in payment processing and commerce-enabling software, serving various sectors including hospitality and eCommerce; despite a 22% revenue growth year-over-year in the first nine months of 2025, it faces intense competition and uncertainty.
- Management Transition Impact: Following founder Jared Isaacman's resignation, Shift4 Payments is undergoing a leadership transition, and while new CEO Taylor Lauber may drive growth, market sentiment remains cautious regarding the company's future performance.
See More
1492 Capital Fully Exits Shift4 Payments Stake
- Share Sale Details: On February 10, 2026, 1492 Capital Management disclosed in an SEC filing that it sold its entire holding of 61,345 shares in Shift4 Payments during Q4, with an estimated transaction value of $4.75 million, indicating a $4.75 million decline in the company's stake value during this period.
- Impact on Holdings: Prior to the sale, Shift4 Payments accounted for 1.9% of 1492 Capital's AUM, and following the divestment, the fund holds no shares, reflecting concerns about the company's future prospects amid ongoing market challenges.
- Market Competition Pressure: Although Shift4 carved out a lucrative niche in the hospitality fintech sector, its stock has struggled in a highly competitive environment, particularly following the resignation of its founder, which likely influenced 1492 Capital's decision to exit its position.
- Future Growth Expectations: Despite analysts forecasting a slowdown in revenue growth to 25% in 2026, the anticipated 35% growth for 2025 and a relatively low 28 P/E ratio for a rapidly growing stock suggest a complex market perception regarding Shift4's future potential.
See More
Discussion on Potential Merger Between SpaceX and xAI
- Merger Prospects: The potential merger between SpaceX and xAI has garnered market attention, particularly with SpaceX's anticipated IPO in 2026, as this merger could attract investor interest and enhance the IPO's appeal.
- Capital Market Competition: Currently, companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are also vying for entry into the capital markets, highlighting the fierce competition among large capital-intensive firms for IPOs, and the merger of SpaceX and xAI could enhance their market attractiveness in this context.
- Investor Confidence: Although the market remains cautious about mergers involving Elon Musk's companies, analysts believe that such a merger could provide these firms with greater resource and capital liquidity, helping them achieve better valuations ahead of their IPOs.
- Technological Integration Potential: If SpaceX and xAI successfully merge, it could create a powerful technological ecosystem that leverages AI to enhance innovation in aerospace and transportation, thereby gaining a competitive edge in future market dynamics.
See More
Shift4 Payments Completes Corporate Structure Simplification
- Completion of Simplification: Shift4 Payments has completed its corporate structure simplification by collapsing multiple share classes into a single Class A share structure, eliminating its previous 'controlled company' status, thereby enhancing governance transparency and attractiveness.
- Founder Rights Adjustment: Founder Jared Isaacman converted his Class B and C shares into Class A shares and waived rights under the Tax Receivable Agreement, making the company the sole beneficiary of the agreement, which is expected to provide greater financial flexibility.
- Improved Future Cash Flow: The transaction is projected to eliminate approximately $440 million in future Tax Receivable Agreement payments, alleviating cash flow pressure and enhancing long-term free cash flow visibility, thereby boosting investor confidence.
- Increased Investor Appeal: By removing multiple share classes and super-voting stock, Shift4 Payments is set to attract a broader audience of institutional and retail investors, enhancing public shareholders' influence on any future change of control transactions, further driving potential stock price growth.
See More
China Accelerates Space-Based AI Compute Infrastructure Development
- Space Compute Infrastructure Plan: The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has unveiled a five-year plan to establish a 'gigawatt-level space digital infrastructure' aimed at supporting space-based data processing, reflecting the nation's ambitions in the space computing sector.
- Asteroid Resource Exploration: The initiative includes plans for asteroid resource exploration and autonomous mineral extraction, indicating China's forward-looking approach to space resource development, which could lay the groundwork for a future space economy.
- Space Tourism Market Development: China aims to establish a comprehensive space tourism operation system, with InterstellOr targeting its first crewed flight in 2028 at a ticket price of approximately RMB 3 million, showcasing the potential and allure of the space tourism market.
- Intensified Technological Competition: The escalating competition between China and the U.S. in the space sector may drive both nations to achieve breakthroughs in technological innovation, promoting the advancement and application of future space technologies.
See More
Shift4 Announces Q4 2025 Earnings Release Date
- Earnings Release Schedule: Shift4 will release its Q4 2025 financial results on February 26, 2026, before the market opens, with management hosting a conference call at 8:30 AM ET to discuss the results, which is expected to attract investor interest.
- Conference Call Access: Investors can join the call by dialing +1-800-343-4136 for toll-free access or +1-203-518-9843 for toll access, with Conference ID FOURQ425, ensuring timely updates on the company's performance.
- Webcast and X Spaces: The earnings call will be webcast live on Shift4's website, and the audio will also be simulcast via X Spaces, broadening the avenues for investor participation and engagement.
- Investor Conference Participation: Management will participate in fireside chats at the Raymond James and Wolfe FinTech conferences on March 3 and March 11, 2026, respectively, offering one-on-one and small group meetings to emphasize the company's commitment to investor relations.
See More
1492 Capital Management Fully Exits Shift4 Payments Stake
- Stake Change: 1492 Capital Management completely sold its 61,345 shares in Shift4 Payments during Q4 2026, with an estimated transaction value of $4.75 million, indicating a strategic exit amid declining stock performance.
- Stock Performance: As of February 9, 2026, Shift4 Payments shares were priced at $58.61, reflecting a 52.1% decline over the past year, significantly underperforming the S&P 500 by 67.15 percentage points, raising concerns about its future outlook.
- Company Overview: Shift4 Payments specializes in payment processing and commerce-enabling software, serving various sectors including hospitality and eCommerce; despite a 22% revenue growth year-over-year in the first nine months of 2025, it faces intense competition and uncertainty.
- Management Transition Impact: Following founder Jared Isaacman's resignation, Shift4 Payments is undergoing a leadership transition, and while new CEO Taylor Lauber may drive growth, market sentiment remains cautious regarding the company's future performance.
See More
1492 Capital Fully Exits Shift4 Payments Stake
- Share Sale Details: On February 10, 2026, 1492 Capital Management disclosed in an SEC filing that it sold its entire holding of 61,345 shares in Shift4 Payments during Q4, with an estimated transaction value of $4.75 million, indicating a $4.75 million decline in the company's stake value during this period.
- Impact on Holdings: Prior to the sale, Shift4 Payments accounted for 1.9% of 1492 Capital's AUM, and following the divestment, the fund holds no shares, reflecting concerns about the company's future prospects amid ongoing market challenges.
- Market Competition Pressure: Although Shift4 carved out a lucrative niche in the hospitality fintech sector, its stock has struggled in a highly competitive environment, particularly following the resignation of its founder, which likely influenced 1492 Capital's decision to exit its position.
- Future Growth Expectations: Despite analysts forecasting a slowdown in revenue growth to 25% in 2026, the anticipated 35% growth for 2025 and a relatively low 28 P/E ratio for a rapidly growing stock suggest a complex market perception regarding Shift4's future potential.
See More
Discussion on Potential Merger Between SpaceX and xAI
- Merger Prospects: The potential merger between SpaceX and xAI has garnered market attention, particularly with SpaceX's anticipated IPO in 2026, as this merger could attract investor interest and enhance the IPO's appeal.
- Capital Market Competition: Currently, companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are also vying for entry into the capital markets, highlighting the fierce competition among large capital-intensive firms for IPOs, and the merger of SpaceX and xAI could enhance their market attractiveness in this context.
- Investor Confidence: Although the market remains cautious about mergers involving Elon Musk's companies, analysts believe that such a merger could provide these firms with greater resource and capital liquidity, helping them achieve better valuations ahead of their IPOs.
- Technological Integration Potential: If SpaceX and xAI successfully merge, it could create a powerful technological ecosystem that leverages AI to enhance innovation in aerospace and transportation, thereby gaining a competitive edge in future market dynamics.
See More
Shift4 Payments Completes Corporate Structure Simplification
- Completion of Simplification: Shift4 Payments has completed its corporate structure simplification by collapsing multiple share classes into a single Class A share structure, eliminating its previous 'controlled company' status, thereby enhancing governance transparency and attractiveness.
- Founder Rights Adjustment: Founder Jared Isaacman converted his Class B and C shares into Class A shares and waived rights under the Tax Receivable Agreement, making the company the sole beneficiary of the agreement, which is expected to provide greater financial flexibility.
- Improved Future Cash Flow: The transaction is projected to eliminate approximately $440 million in future Tax Receivable Agreement payments, alleviating cash flow pressure and enhancing long-term free cash flow visibility, thereby boosting investor confidence.
- Increased Investor Appeal: By removing multiple share classes and super-voting stock, Shift4 Payments is set to attract a broader audience of institutional and retail investors, enhancing public shareholders' influence on any future change of control transactions, further driving potential stock price growth.
See More
China Accelerates Space-Based AI Compute Infrastructure Development
- Space Compute Infrastructure Plan: The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation has unveiled a five-year plan to establish a 'gigawatt-level space digital infrastructure' aimed at supporting space-based data processing, reflecting the nation's ambitions in the space computing sector.
- Asteroid Resource Exploration: The initiative includes plans for asteroid resource exploration and autonomous mineral extraction, indicating China's forward-looking approach to space resource development, which could lay the groundwork for a future space economy.
- Space Tourism Market Development: China aims to establish a comprehensive space tourism operation system, with InterstellOr targeting its first crewed flight in 2028 at a ticket price of approximately RMB 3 million, showcasing the potential and allure of the space tourism market.
- Intensified Technological Competition: The escalating competition between China and the U.S. in the space sector may drive both nations to achieve breakthroughs in technological innovation, promoting the advancement and application of future space technologies.
See More
