BigBear.ai Stock Soars Amid CEO Change and AI Regulation Shifts

Why BigBear.ai Stock Is Skyrocketing Today | The Motley Fool

Shares of BigBear.ai Holdings (BBAI 12.93%) are flying today. The firm's stock is up 10.2% as of 12:20 p.m. ET, but it gained as much as 15.1% earlier in the day. The upswing came as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite indexes were up 0.6% and 0.3%, respectively. BigBear is benefiting from President Trump's revoking of a key Biden executive order regulating artificial intelligence (AI) companies. The firm also announced a new CEO would take the reins. Soon after his inauguration, President Trump signed a flurry of executive orders -- 26, the most of any president on the first day in office -- including an order that revokes a number of previous orders and actions taken by President Biden. Labeling them "harmful," Trump took sweeping aim at the previous administration, including by revoking a 2023 mandate designed to rein in the burgeoning AI industry. At least for now, AI firms will no longer be required to share safety test results with the federal government, and the Commerce Department's AI Safety Institute will be no more. This gave AI stocks a boost, especially BigBear.ai, whose AI solutions are targeted toward defense. Biden's executive order focused especially on AI in this area. On Friday, BigBear.ai announced that it has a new CEO, one with a connection to the new president. Kevin McAleenan served as acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security during Trump's first term.

Why BigBear.ai Stock Is Skyrocketing Today

After the market closed Wednesday, BigBear.ai announced that Kevin McAleenan had been appointed as its new CEO and given a seat on its board of directors. McAleenan had already been serving as the company's president, and succeeds Mandy Long in the CEO role. Wall Street is bullish on BigBear.ai's CEO change The CEO change was made effective Wednesday, and investors are optimistic that BigBear.ai's new leader will help it unlock some significant growth opportunities. During President-elect Donald Trump's first term, McAleenan served as acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and as commissioner of Customs and Border Protection. In 2020, he was a founder of Pangiam -- a biometric identity verification company that was acquired by BigBear.ai last year. What comes next for BigBear.ai? BigBear.ai's new CEO has substantial experience when it comes to working with U.S. security agencies, and it's possible that his background will better position the company to win Pentagon contracts for artificial intelligence (AI) software and other services -- a goal that is central to the company's growth strategy. However, former CEO Long said during the last quarterly conference call that the business was seeing some hesitancy from government agencies when it came to AI spending. Following Thursday morning's gains, BigBear.ai is valued at roughly $925 million and is trading at approximately 4.8 times this year's expected sales. Given the software specialist's recent sales momentum, it's possible that BigBear.ai could see significant multiple expansion if investors gain confidence about its growth outlook under its new CEO.

BigBear.ai climbs 22%: Can McAleenan's leadership fuel the stock even more?

BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. (BBAI) shares climbed 22.42% today, closing at $4.15. This surge comes amid significant developments, including the announcement of Kevin McAleenan as the new CEO, which has sparked optimism for future growth. The stock also saw a pre-market uptick of 2.89%, continuing its upward momentum. H.C. Wainwright's recent price target increase to $7 has further fueled investor interest, citing strong demand for AI solutions and an improved financial position. The broader enthusiasm for AI stocks in 2025 adds to the rally, as BigBear.ai benefits from positive market sentiment. Additionally, increased institutional ownership has been observed, signaling confidence in the company's long-term prospects and aligning with analyst upgrades. Can BigBear.ai's stock balance growth and losses to hit $7? The recent rise in short interest has introduced volatility, with speculative trading amplifying gains as momentum builds. Meanwhile, discussions on X highlight BigBear.ai's prominent position in the AI space, reflecting the market's excitement surrounding the company's strategic direction under its new leadership. Strong options activity in January also indicates heightened interest in the stock's potential future movements. In similar cases, the appointment of high-profile leaders tends to trigger immediate stock rallies. Investors often perceive new leadership as a signal of fresh strategy and potential operational improvements. However, historical data shows that such spikes can be short-lived if the incoming CEO doesn't deliver results within the first few quarters. For example, when Palantir appointed key strategic officers in 2023, their stock saw an initial pop but retraced as execution lagged. For BigBear.ai, McAleenan's tenure could bring stability and strategic clarity to capitalize on the burgeoning AI market. Early indications, such as H.C. Wainwright's price target upgrade to $7, suggest that analysts are confident in his vision. AI stocks in 2025 has created a fertile environment for BigBear.ai. In similar instances, companies tied to AI innovation often see increased institutional investment during periods of market hype. This pattern can amplify momentum in the short term, especially when coupled with analyst upgrades. For example, C3.ai experienced a sharp rally in early 2023, buoyed by analyst upgrades and AI hype, but the stock's gains faded as earnings failed to justify lofty valuations. BigBear.ai's ability to avoid a similar fate will hinge on demonstrating progress in its operational and financial goals. Options activity in BigBear.ai suggests that traders are pricing in significant future volatility. These dynamics could lead to amplified movements, with the stock either climbing closer to the $7 target or pulling back if expectations aren't met. BigBear.ai's 22.42% climb reflects a strong endorsement from both institutional investors and analysts. With a new CEO at the helm and a favorable backdrop for AI companies, the stock's rally underscores its growth potential. Short-term volatility, however, presents challenges for traders. Long-term investors should assess the company's execution of strategic goals, as McAleenan's leadership is expected to bring renewed focus to BigBear.ai's AI innovations and operational expansion. Keeping an eye on upcoming earnings and partnership announcements will be critical to gauging sustained growth opportunities. Disclaimer: The content of this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. We do not endorse any specific investment strategies or make recommendations regarding the purchase or sale of any securities.

What's Going On With BigBear.AI Stock Thursday? - BigBear.ai Hldgs (NYSE:BBAI)

McAleenan is replacing Mandy Long, who is transitioning to an advisory role with the company. BigBear.ai Inc BBAI shares are rising Thursday morning after the AI-powered decision intelligence company announced a CEO transition. What To Know: BigBear.ai announced the appointment of Kevin McAleenan as CEO and a member of the company's board, effective Jan. 15. McAleenan has replaced Mandy Long, who is transitioning to an advisory role with the company. Before the announcement, McAleenan was BigBear.ai's president. He previously served as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where he focused on counterterrorism, border security and immigration enforcement. McAleenan also previously served as Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during President-elect Donald Trump's first administration. "The demand for differentiated artificial intelligence solutions to provide strategic advantage in government and business is strong and the combination of recent technological achievements and strategic contract awards have positioned BigBear.ai as a leading AI solutions provider focused on national security imperatives," said Peter Cannito, chair of BigBear.ai's board. "Having served at the highest levels of government, Kevin brings an intimate understanding of current national security priorities and the challenges faced by our mission partners, providing BigBear.ai with a deep understanding of how artificial intelligence can be most effectively leveraged to maximize impact." BigBear.ai reported a 22.1% revenue increase in its most recent quarter, bringing in $41.5 million during the period. The company guided for full-year 2024 revenue of $165 million to $180 million. BigBear.ai is not due to report fourth-quarter results until early March. Analysts currently expect the company to report a loss of 4 cents per share and revenue of $54.48 million, according to estimates from Benzinga Pro. See Also: Quantum Computing Stocks Continue Their Wild Surge In Thursday Premarket: QUBT Up 15%, QBTS Climbs 9%, RGTI Gains Over 3% How To Buy BBAI Stock Besides going to a brokerage platform to purchase a share - or fractional share - of stock, you can also gain access to shares either by buying an exchange traded fund (ETF) that holds the stock itself, or by allocating yourself to a strategy in your 401(k) that would seek to acquire shares in a mutual fund or other instrument. For example, in BigBear.ai's case, it's in the Information Technology sector. An ETF will likely hold shares in many liquid and large companies that help track that sector, allowing an investor to gain exposure to the trends within that segment. BBAI Price Action: BigBear.ai shares were up 11.2% at $3.77 at the time of publication Thursday morning, according to Benzinga Pro. Photo: Shutterstock. BBAIBigBear.ai Holdings Inc$3.7410.3%WatchlistOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

BigBear.AI Stock Surges On CEO Shake-Up: The Details - BigBear.ai Hldgs (NYSE:BBAI)

McAleenan previously served as Acting Secretary of the U.S. DHS during President-elect Donald Trump's first administration. BigBear.ai Inc BBAI shares are trading higher in Wednesday's after-hours session after the company announced a chief executive transition. What Happened: BigBear.ai has appointed Kevin McAleenan as CEO and a member of the company's board, effective as of Wednesday. McAleenan will replace Mandy Long, who is transitioning to an advisory role. McAleenan currently serves as BigBear.ai's president. He has extensive government experience and previously served as Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during President-elect Donald Trump's first administration. "Today marks an important next step for the business. The demand for differentiated artificial intelligence solutions to provide strategic advantage in government and business is strong and the combination of recent technological achievements and strategic contract awards have positioned BigBear.ai as a leading AI solutions provider focused on national security imperatives," said Peter Cannito, chair of BigBear.ai's board. "Having served at the highest levels of government, Kevin brings an intimate understanding of current national security priorities and the challenges faced by our mission partners, providing BigBear.ai with a deep understanding of how artificial intelligence can be most effectively leveraged to maximize impact." See Also: UnitedHealth Group Q4 Earnings Preview: First Report Since Insurance CEO's Murder Comes With Questions On Company's Future Is BBAI A Good Stock To Buy? Wall Street analysts view BigBear.ai on the whole as a Buy, given the history of coverage over the past three months. Scott Buck from HC Wainwright & Co. is the most optimistic, expecting a 133.33% rise in the stock in the coming year. But looking at how the market as a whole thinks of the stock, you can reference historical price action for views on whether investors feel strongly about the stock one way or another. In the past three months, BigBear.ai rose 97.09%, which indicates that opinion improved on the business and how attractive it is to own based on either its stock price or underlying fundamentals, such as revenue, which rose 22.12% over the past year. A complete overview of how Wall Street views individual stocks is available here, while real-time updates on the latest analyst actions will be delivered via Benzinga Pro. Try it for free. BBAI Price Action: BigBear.ai shares were up 4.42% at $3.54 after-hours Wednesday, according to Benzinga Pro. Read Next: * UnitedHealth Group Q4 Earnings Preview: First Report Since Insurance CEO's Murder Comes With Questions On Company's Future Photo: Shutterstock. BBAIBigBear.ai Holdings Inc$3.5511.6%WatchlistOverviewMarket News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Kevin McAleenan Appointed CEO of BigBear.ai By Investing.com

TYSONS CORNER, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BigBear.ai (NYSE: BBAI) today announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Kevin McAleenan as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, effective January 15, 2025, succeeding Mandy Long. Mandy Long will step down as Chief Executive Officer and from the Board of Directors, transitioning to serve as a Company advisor. McAleenan currently serves as BigBear.ai's President and has deep government and business experience working with U.S. national security agencies, including serving as Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) during the first Trump administration before founding Pangiam, which was subsequently bought by BigBear.ai in 2024. Prior to Pangiam, McAleenan was Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, where he focused on counterterrorism, border security and immigration enforcement, following almost two decades as a career official. Today marks an important next step for the business, said Peter Cannito, Chair of the Board of Directors of BigBear.ai. The demand for differentiated artificial intelligence solutions to provide strategic advantage in government and business is strong and the combination of recent technological achievements and strategic contract awards have positioned BigBear.ai as a leading AI solutions provider focused on national security imperatives. Kevin is a proven leader with a track record of driving success through mission focus, technology and process innovation, and operational excellence. Having served at the highest levels of government, Kevin brings an intimate understanding of current national security priorities and the challenges faced by our mission partners, providing BigBear.ai with a deep understanding of how artificial intelligence can be most effectively leveraged to maximize impact. We are thrilled to welcome Kevin as CEO and confident in his ability to drive the company's next phase of growth. All this would not have been possible without Mandy's efforts over recent years in bringing innovative, cutting-edge AI technologies to market. The BigBear.ai product portfolio and financial position has been significantly enhanced as a direct result of her efforts. The Board is grateful for her contributions and the role she has played in shaping our strategy, he concluded. It is an honor to step into the role of CEO at BigBear.ai, said McAleenan. The success of our customers depends on their ability to navigate complexity and act decisively in the most high-stakes environments. BigBear.ai is uniquely positioned to support these objectives with our domain expertise, and our cutting-edge technology. I look forward to working with this exceptional team to build on our successes and expand our ability to deliver AI-powered solutions in ways that make a meaningful impact for our customers, partners, and stakeholders. It has been a privilege to lead such a talented and dedicated team of professionals over the past two and a half years. The future is bright for BigBear.ai and its mission to deliver clarity for the world's most complex decisions, said Mandy Long. Kevin most recently served as President of BigBear.ai, where he led teams offering cutting edge computer vision, simulation and modeling, with digital identity tools to support customers critical security and operational decisions. Kevin co-founded and led Pangiam as CEO and Chair of the Board until its acquisition by BigBear.ai, developing cutting edge biometric and AI products for security applications, for both government agencies and commercial customers. Kevin brings experience from almost two decades of leadership in the U.S. Government to his role. He was the first career civil servant to be appointed and confirmed as Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in 2018, and he served most recently as Acting Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under President Donald Trump, where he led over 240,000 employees and oversaw operations at CBP, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the U.S. Coast Guard, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Secret Service, and others. His past experiences include implementing innovations to the U.S. international arrival and departure process, developing comprehensive counterterrorism and risk management strategies, and overseeing the implementation of the U.S. government's single window for international trade, a project that spanned over 4-dozen agencies. Kevin received several awards for his service and leadership including a Presidential Rank Award"the nation's highest civil service award, a Service to America Medal, and multiple awards from travel and trade industry groups. About BigBear.ai BigBear.ai is a leading provider of AI-powered decision intelligence solutions for national security, digital identity, and supply chain management. Customers and partners rely on BigBear.ai's artificial intelligence and predictive analytics capabilities in highly complex, distributed, mission-based operating environments. BigBear.ai is a public company traded on the NYSE under the symbol BBAI. For more information, visit https://bigbear.ai and follow BigBear.ai on LinkedIn: @BigBear.ai, and X: @BigBearai. To receive email communications from BigBear.ai, register here. Forward-Looking Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the intended use of proceeds from the private placement and may be preceded by the words intends, may, will, plans, expects, anticipates, projects, predicts, estimates, aims, believes, hopes, potential or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, and cannot be predicted or quantified and consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, and legal conditions; risks related to the uncertainty of the projected financial information (including on a segment reporting basis); risks related to delays caused by factors outside of our control, including changes in fiscal or contracting policies or decreases in available government funding; changes in government programs or applicable requirements; budgetary constraints, including automatic reductions as a result of sequestration or similar measures and constraints imposed by any lapses in appropriations for the federal government or certain of its departments and agencies; influence by, or competition from, third parties with respect to pending, new, or existing contracts with government customers; our ability to successfully compete for and receive task orders and generate revenue under multiple award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts; potential delays or changes in the government appropriations or procurement processes, including as a result of events such as war, incidents of terrorism, natural disasters, and public health concerns or epidemics; and increased or unexpected costs or unanticipated delays caused by other factors outside of our control, such as performance failures of our subcontractors; risks related to the rollout of the business and the timing of expected business milestones; the effects of competition on our future business; our ability to issue equity or equity-linked securities in the future, and those factors discussed in the Company's reports and other documents filed with the SEC, including under the heading Risk Factors. More detailed information about the Company and the risk factors that may affect the realization of forward-looking statements is set forth in the Company's filings with the SEC, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Investors and security holders are urged to read these documents free of charge on the SEC's web site at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.