Key Points
- Director Merline Saintil sold 5,000 Rocket Lab shares on Dec. 19 at $65 each, and has sold a total of 35,000 shares in December (worth about $2.05M), leaving her with 388,529 shares valued at roughly $25.25M.
- Rocket Lab has momentum from a large U.S. defense/space contract (reported near $805–$816M) and a record year for Electron with 21 launches and 100% mission success
- However, rising insider selling and valuation concerns — amid a strong rally and mixed analyst views — present potential governance, supply and downside risks for traders.
Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB - Get Free Report) Director Merline Saintil sold 5,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction on Friday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.00, for a total value of $325,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director directly owned 388,529 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $25,254,385. This trade represents a 1.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.
Merline Saintil also recently made the following trade(s):
- On Wednesday, December 17th, Merline Saintil sold 5,000 shares of Rocket Lab stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.46, for a total value of $272,300.00.
- On Friday, December 12th, Merline Saintil sold 15,000 shares of Rocket Lab stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.00, for a total value of $975,000.00.
- On Thursday, December 4th, Merline Saintil sold 10,000 shares of Rocket Lab stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $48.00, for a total transaction of $480,000.00.
Rocket Lab Price Performance
Rocket Lab stock opened at $77.55 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $41.42 billion, a P/E ratio of -204.08 and a beta of 2.20. Rocket Lab Corporation has a 12-month low of $14.71 and a 12-month high of $78.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 3.18 and a quick ratio of 2.83. The firm's 50-day moving average is $54.75 and its two-hundred day moving average is $47.69.
Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 10th. The rocket manufacturer reported ($0.03) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.02. Rocket Lab had a negative net margin of 35.64% and a negative return on equity of 27.26%. The business had revenue of $155.08 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $152.45 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted ($0.10) earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 48.0% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that Rocket Lab Corporation will post -0.38 earnings per share for the current year.
Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rocket Lab
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB purchased a new stake in shares of Rocket Lab during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Hara Capital LLC acquired a new position in Rocket Lab during the third quarter valued at approximately $25,000. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its position in Rocket Lab by 352.5% during the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 543 shares of the rocket manufacturer's stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 423 shares in the last quarter. Sound Income Strategies LLC purchased a new stake in Rocket Lab during the third quarter worth approximately $27,000. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Rocket Lab by 109.5% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 796 shares of the rocket manufacturer's stock worth $28,000 after acquiring an additional 416 shares in the last quarter. 71.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Rocket Lab News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Rocket Lab this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Won a large U.S. defense/space contract (reported at roughly $805–$816M) tied to missile-warning/satellite work — a material revenue and backlog catalyst for Rocket Lab’s space systems business. Rocket Lab Stock Surges as Company Secures $816 Million Space Development Contract
- Positive Sentiment: Completed a record year for Electron with the 21st successful launch of 2025 (100% mission success), reinforcing Rocket Lab’s reliability for commercial, international and defense customers — supports further launch cadence and recurring revenue. Rocket Lab Successfully Launches for iQPS, Ends 2025 with 21 Launches and 100% Mission Success
- Positive Sentiment: Analysts have reacted with upgrades and higher price targets (Stifel and others reported to have raised views), adding to buying momentum following the contract and launch news. Why Rocket Lab Stock Is Soaring Higher Today
- Neutral Sentiment: Space-sector optimism and policy tailwinds (government focus on space, speculation around larger industry players) are lifting multiple names, which is helping RKLB’s move but also introduces sector correlation risk. Space stocks rocket higher as sector optimism gains steam into 2026
- Neutral Sentiment: Analyst coverage is mixed beneath the surface — several buy/overweight ratings exist, but median price targets in some compilations remain below the current market level, highlighting valuation debate. Rocket Lab Stock (RKLB) Opinions on Major U.S. Government Contract Win
- Negative Sentiment: Insider selling has picked up (including a recent director sale of 5,000 shares and large December sales by executives). Many high-dollar sales were executed under preplanned 10b5-1 programs, which tempers the signal but still raises governance/lockup and supply concerns for traders. Director Merline Saintil Sells Shares
- Negative Sentiment: Valuation and concentration risks: RKLB has rallied strongly year-to-date, and some coverage cautions the stock could be priced for perfection — if contract timing, Neutron development or launch cadence slips, the share price could correct. Rocket Lab Valuation Check After Landmark Contract Win
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
A number of brokerages have recently commented on RKLB. KeyCorp lifted their price objective on Rocket Lab from $50.00 to $75.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, October 17th. Baird R W upgraded Rocket Lab to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Thursday, October 16th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $63.00 price objective on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Rocket Lab from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Saturday, December 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $59.00.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on RKLB
Rocket Lab Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
Rocket Lab is an aerospace company that provides launch services, spacecraft, and space systems for commercial and government customers. The company's primary launch vehicle is Electron, a small-lift orbital rocket designed to deploy small satellites and rideshare payloads to low Earth orbit. Rocket Lab also develops and manufactures the Rutherford engine, noted for its electric-pump-fed design and additive-manufactured components, which powers Electron and supports the company's propulsion capabilities.
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