HOUSTON, July 4, 2026 – Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ: LUNR) ended the holiday-shortened week at $19.58, a decline of 1.06% over the past five sessions, despite securing a significant new contract from NASA. The stock's performance trailed the broader market, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining 2.1% during the same period.
The Houston-based space exploration company was awarded a NASA contract on June 30 that could be worth up to $148.3 million. The award is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative, which selected Intuitive Machines, along with Astrobotic and Firefly Aerospace, to fly four Moon missions scheduled for late 2028. Intuitive Machines will receive $148.3 million for a single flight, while Firefly got $144.2 million and Astrobotic secured $297.9 million for two deliveries.
The new contract represents approximately 79% of Intuitive Machines' first-quarter revenue of $186.7 million and about 15-16% of the company's projected 2026 revenue, which is expected to be in the $900 million to $1 billion range. The company ended the first quarter with a backlog of $1.1 billion.
CEO Steve Altemus highlighted the company's strategic shift toward "commercial mass production of lunar infrastructure," noting that the Nova-C lander enables the company to "build, test, and deploy multiple landers in parallel." In May, Altemus emphasized the need to "build the infrastructure, connect it reliably, and operate it at scale."
Despite the positive news, LUNR shares have struggled to hold gains. After closing at $21.39 on June 30 following the NASA announcement, the stock retreated, ending Thursday below both its June 26 close of $19.79 and its June 29 finish of $20.97. Trading volume was notably light, with about 9.22 million shares changing hands, representing just 60% of the 65-day average volume of 15.4 million.
Investors are now focusing on upcoming short interest data. According to MarketWatch, 37.84 million LUNR shares were sold short as of June 15, representing 29.52% of the float. The next short interest update, based on June 30 settlement data, is scheduled for publication on July 10, according to the FINRA calendar. A rising short count would indicate continued bearish sentiment despite the new NASA work, while a decline could signal easing pressure.
Analyst targets for LUNR remain widely dispersed. FactSet data shows an average price target of $41.10, with a median of $42.50. The high target stands at $75 and the low at $11. Shares currently trade at $19.58, well below the average analyst estimate.
The stock's performance in the coming week will likely hinge on the short interest data and broader market sentiment. As the company transitions to commercial production of lunar infrastructure, the market will be watching closely for signs of sustained execution and future contract wins.
