BigBear.ai Holdings (NYSE: BBAI) saw its stock soar 14.71% in pre-market trading on Tuesday, following the release of better-than-expected third-quarter results and the announcement of a strategic acquisition. The AI-powered decision intelligence solutions provider delivered a strong performance that exceeded analyst expectations, despite facing some headwinds in its core business.

For the third quarter of 2025, BigBear.ai reported revenue of $33.1 million, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $31.82 million. While this represents a 20% year-over-year decrease, primarily due to lower volume on certain Army programs, the company managed to narrow its losses significantly. BigBear.ai posted a loss of $0.03 per share, beating expectations for a loss of $0.07 per share and improving from a $0.06 per share loss in the same period last year.

The most significant driver of the stock's rally appears to be BigBear.ai's announcement of a definitive agreement to acquire Ask Sage, a fast-growing generative AI platform, for $250 million. Ask Sage is specifically built for defense and national security agencies and is expected to deliver approximately $25 million in annual recurring revenues for 2025. This acquisition aligns with BigBear.ai's strategy to expand its AI capabilities and strengthen its position in the defense and security sectors. Additionally, the company maintained its full-year 2025 revenue projection between $125 million and $140 million, signaling confidence in its near-term outlook despite recent challenges. The positive financial results, coupled with the strategic acquisition announcement, have reinvigorated investor confidence in BigBear.ai's growth prospects, driving the significant stock price increase in pre-market trading.