Key TakeawaysRedwire shares climbed approximately 20% following the release of Q1 2026 results showing revenue of $97 million, representing a 57.9% year-over-year increase.The space infrastructure company closed the quarter with a backlog of $498.1 million, marking a 71.1% annual gain and a robust book-to-bill ratio of 1.92.Gross profit margin expanded significantly to 26.6%, compared to 14.7% in the prior-year period.Management maintained its full-year 2026 revenue forecast of $450 million to $500 million, implying roughly 41.6% growth at the midpoint.Wall Street firms including Alliance Global and Jefferies lifted their price targets after the earnings release, with executives highlighting wins in Andromeda, lunar energy infrastructure, and Stalker unmanned aerial systems.Redwire (RDW) shares jumped nearly 20% during Wednesday’s trading session after the aerospace and defense contractor delivered impressive first-quarter earnings marked by a record order backlog and substantial margin expansion.Redwire Corporation, RDWFirst-quarter revenue totaled $97 million, marking a 57.9% climb compared to the year-ago quarter. The performance was powered by gains across both operating divisions — space-related revenue reached $52.7 million, while the defense technology segment generated $44.3 million, largely boosted by the Edge Autonomy transaction, which has now been completely integrated under the Redwire brand.Shares traded approximately 19.76% higher during Wednesday’s session, signaling strong investor confidence in the quarterly performance and maintained forward outlook.Gross margin represented a standout metric for the period. The figure reached 26.6%, a substantial improvement from 14.7% one year earlier and 9.6% during the fourth quarter of 2025. Company leadership credited the expansion to an improved contract mix, the transition of products from development phases into full production, and enhanced operational efficiency.The quarterly net loss totaled $76.5 million, although executives emphasized that over $44 million represented one-time charges, including $42.5 million in non-cash equity compensation related to the Edge Autonomy integration. Adjusted EBITDA came in at negative $9.2 million, but CEO Peter Cannito indicated the company would have achieved positive EBITDA when excluding voluntary research and development investments.Pipeline Growth Accelerates With Defense Contract MomentumNew bookings reached $186.5 million during the three-month period, producing a book-to-bill ratio of 1.92. This propelled total backlog to $498.1 million — representing a 21.1% sequential increase and 71.1% year-over-year expansion.On the defense side, Redwire secured over $20 million in additional orders for its Stalker drone systems from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The Marine Corps also placed its inaugural order for the enhanced navigation variant of Stalker Block 30, a platform with approximately 250 units already deployed by the service branch.The Stalker technology also saw action during the U.S. Army’s Ivy Sting training operations, where Cannito noted it served as the sole fixed-wing vertical takeoff and landing platform in attendance.Additionally, Redwire won a prime contractor position with Belgium’s Ministry of Defence to develop the country’s inaugural national security satellite, alongside a quantum-encrypted satellite contract through the European Space Agency’s QKDSat initiative.Andromeda Program Opens Door to $6 Billion MarketRedwire earned a spot among 14 companies selected for Space Systems Command’s Andromeda IDIQ vehicle, initially valued at $1.8 billion across a decade. Cannito revealed the program’s aggregate ceiling is now projected to exceed $6 billion.The firm also landed a $12.8 million agreement to deliver ELSA solar arrays to Moog, plus an additional $4 million award from NASA supporting pharmaceutical experiments on the International Space Station utilizing Redwire’s PIL-BOX technology.Cannito indicated the company is pursuing opportunities within a multi-orbit Golden Dome architecture and continues to compete for lunar power network contracts. Redwire’s Roll-Out Solar Arrays are being positioned as a foundational technology for lunar electrical grid systems.Full-year 2026 revenue guidance was held steady at $450 million to $500 million. The company closed the first quarter with $175.2 million in total liquidity, including $145.2 million in cash reserves.Both Alliance Global and Jefferies analysts increased their price targets in response to the quarterly results.The post Redwire (RDW) Stock Soars 20% on Stellar Q1 Results and $498M Backlog Milestone appeared first on Blockonomi.