Analysis: SpaceX’s Business Shows One Pole Profitable, Two Poles Loss-Making, with Cumulative Losses Reaching $41.3 Billion

On the first day of SpaceX's listing, only 4.2% of the total shares were available for trading. With supply unable to meet demand and subscription enthusiasm running high, a short-term surge in the stock price was not unexpected. However, the company's price-to-sales ratio has exceeded 112 times, far surpassing Tesla's 15 times and chip giant Nvidia's nearly 20 times.

That said, SpaceX's business exhibits a pattern of "one pole profitable, two poles loss-making." Starlink is the undeniable "cash cow." According to the prospectus, this satellite internet business generated $11.39 billion in revenue last year, accounting for 61% of SpaceX's total revenue. By the end of 2025, it had served over 10 million users. The company also plans to acquire spectrum and add 15,000 satellites to deploy a direct-to-cell service, potentially covering approximately 6 billion mobile phone users worldwide. The rocket launch business, leveraging reusable technology, holds about an 80% share of the global commercial rocket launch market. Yet it still posted a loss of $657 million last year. Furthermore, if Starship is to achieve crewed Mars landings, substantial funding and continued technological iteration are required.

xAI and future space computing business are seen as "black holes for burning cash." According to statistics from some institutions, at the current loss rate, xAI alone could deplete Starlink's profits within the next four quarters. According to the prospectus, SpaceX has accumulated losses of $41.3 billion since its founding in 2002. (CCTV News)