The upcoming SpaceX initial public offering (IPO) has caught the market's attention, and the buzz is getting louder as SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI are all planning huge public debuts.
But investing in a giant IPO may not be the right move for most individual investors. The private investors who have funded these companies until now stand to gain a windfall after they go public. But IPO stocks, especially hyped-up ones, can be extremely volatile when they first start trading, and they often drop, leaving eager retail investors with substantial early losses.
If you're interested in what SpaceX has to offer, you might want to consider Amazon (AMZN +3.23%) instead. Although Amazon is known for e-commerce and increasingly for artificial intelligence (AI), it's in the middle of launching a broadband satellite business similar to SpaceX's Starlink that opens up a massive new revenue stream.
Introducing Amazon Leo
Amazon has been working on a satellite business called Project Kuiper, which it has recently renamed Amazon Leo. It's a satellite broadband company offering high-speed internet services across the globe, including rural areas not covered by standard services. It's in the process of acquiring Globalstar, which will provide access to direct-to-consumer services on its network.
Image source: Getty Images.
Amazon plans to launch Leo in the coming months and already has deals with Delta and JetBlue for in-flight Wi-Fi, as well as other companies, including AT&T and Vodafone. It will also provide satellite service for iPhones and Apple Watches.
It recently completed its 10th satellite launch and now has more than 250 satellites in orbit. It's planning 20 more launches within the next year and 30 more in 2027.
NASDAQ: AMZN
Key Data Points
CEO Andy Jassy sees a strong symbiosis between Leo and Amazon Web Services (AWS), which makes both more powerful, and he said Amazon is front-loading spending on the project because it expects it to be a huge business.
It competes directly with SpaceX's Starlink, which, according to reports, represents the bulk of SpaceX's revenue today. It's a much bigger business, with more than 7,800 satellites in orbit and 2.7 million customers worldwide. It's also the dominant global rocket launcher, which a business Amazon isn't investing in at this time.
Why Amazon might be a better buy
There are several concerns about investing in SpaceX at its IPO. There's the overhype that often leads to a post-IPO drop, valuation concerns, and general uncertainty right now -- especially because its financial statements are still private at this stage. Elon Musk and his responsibilities at Tesla add risk as well.
Amazon, on the other hand, is a known entity, with several thriving and profitable businesses. It's nearing a $3 trillion valuation, with $742 billion in sales, while SpaceX is targeting a valuation of up to $2 trillion. If I had to choose one over the other, Amazon is the no-brainer winner, and I would revisit SpaceX at some point down the line.
