By Joe Stonor
SES shares led the Stoxx 600 risers Wednesday after the Luxembourgish satellite group signed a preliminary agreement with Sharp Corporation that could see SES's satellites launch in Japan.
Shares rose 10% to 7.88 euros in afternoon European trade. The stock is up around 42% so far this year, thanks in large part to SpaceX-driven investor enthusiasm around satellite companies.
The two companies will begin discussions around deploying SES's medium earth orbit satellites in Japan under a newly agreed memorandum of understanding.
Tokyo-listed Sharp develops flat-panel satellite communication terminals that can link up with SES's satellites.
The pair's collaboration will focus on industrial uses for satellites in areas where terrestrial networks are unavailable, such as in mountainous regions and over oceans, the companies said.
"Together, we are committed to developing the services and technologies needed to support these use cases and to drive the continued expansion of the [medium earth orbit] market in Japan," SES's president of fixed vertical, Jean-Philippe Gillet, said.
Write to Joe Stonor at josephmichael.stonor@wsj.com