BigBear.ai Holdings, Inc. BBAI is expanding beyond its traditional defense roots by tapping into a fast-growing opportunity: AI-powered airport security. As airports seek to reduce passenger wait times while strengthening security, the company's biometric identity and AI-based screening technologies could become an important growth engine.
The company's recent contract wins highlight this momentum. During the first quarter of 2026, BigBear.ai secured deployments at Chicago O'Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth airports, worth a combined $7 million. These projects utilize their veriScan and TrueFace platforms to accelerate identity verification, enabling passengers to move through checkpoints more efficiently without sacrificing security. Management noted that such solutions are particularly valuable as airports face labor shortages and rising travel demand.
Beyond passenger screening, BigBear.ai is broadening its trade and travel portfolio through CargoSeer, whose AI-powered platform helps customs agencies inspect cargo, detect fraud and improve border security. This creates opportunities to serve multiple segments of the transportation ecosystem rather than relying solely on airport checkpoint deployments.
The company's financial position also provides support for its expansion plans. First-quarter backlog climbed 14% sequentially to $281.9 million, while higher-margin software offerings, including Ask Sage, continued to improve the revenue mix. Although BigBear.ai remains unprofitable, while investing in growth. The increasing exposure to AI-driven airport security and border management solutions positions it to benefit from long-term government and transportation infrastructure spending. If adoption of frictionless security accelerates, this market could become an increasingly meaningful contributor to the company's future growth.
How Does BigBear.ai Stack Up Against Its Peers?
BigBear.ai competes with several established defense and security technology companies that are expanding their AI and biometric capabilities for airports and border security. Leidos Holdings LDOS is a leading player, offering advanced airport checkpoint screening systems, biometric identity verification and automated security solutions used by airports and government agencies worldwide. Its scale, long-standing customer relationships and broad security portfolio make Leidos Holdings a formidable competitor.
Another key rival is CACI International CACI, which provides AI-powered biometrics, border security, intelligence and mission-support solutions to U.S. federal agencies. CACI International's deep expertise in homeland security and data analytics positions it well to benefit from rising investments in frictionless passenger screening and border management.
Compared with these larger peers, BigBear.ai differentiates itself through specialized AI platforms such as veriScan, TrueFace and CargoSeer, which are designed to improve passenger identity verification, cargo inspection and customs operations. While BBAI trails LDOS and CACI in scale and financial resources, the recent airport contract wins and growing focus on trade and travel could help it capture a larger share of the expanding AI-driven airport security market.
BBAI’s Price Performance, Valuation & EPS Estimate Trend
Shares of BBAI have gained 2.6% over the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Computers - IT Services industry, as shown below.
BBAI’s 3-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BBAI stock is currently trading at a discount compared with the industry peers, with a forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 11.1, as evidenced by the chart below.
P/S Ratio (F12M)
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BBAI’s 2026 loss per share has narrowed in the past 60 days, as shown below. The estimated figure indicates a narrower loss from the year-ago loss of 82 cents per share.
EPS Trend of BBAI
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BBAI’s Zacks Rank
BigBear.ai currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).