Key Points
- Director sale: Director Edward Frank sold 2,500 shares at an average price of $77.39 for $193,475, reducing his stake by 1.72% to 142,504 shares (about $11.03M) as disclosed in an SEC filing.
- Mixed fundamentals: Rocket Lab beat quarterly EPS estimates (loss of $0.03 vs. $0.05 expected) and reported 48% revenue growth to $155.1M, but remains unprofitable with negative margins and a negative P/E.
- Outlook and sentiment: Positive catalysts include the Neutron program and an $816M Space Development Agency award with several analyst upgrades, yet risks remain from volatility, cautious forecasts, and ongoing execution/valuation concerns; consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy" with a $61.25 target.
Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB - Get Free Report) Director Edward Frank sold 2,500 shares of Rocket Lab stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $77.39, for a total value of $193,475.00. Following the sale, the director owned 142,504 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $11,028,384.56. This represents a 1.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.
Rocket Lab Trading Up 0.5%
Shares of NASDAQ RKLB opened at $70.45 on Wednesday. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $55.51 and a 200 day simple moving average of $49.64. Rocket Lab Corporation has a 52 week low of $14.71 and a 52 week high of $79.83. The stock has a market cap of $37.63 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -185.39 and a beta of 2.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 2.83 and a current ratio of 3.18.
Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Monday, November 10th. The rocket manufacturer reported ($0.03) earnings per share (EPS) 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 firm had revenue of $155.08 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $152.45 million. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned ($0.10) earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 48.0% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, research analysts predict that Rocket Lab Corporation will post -0.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Rocket Lab News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting Rocket Lab this week:
- Positive Sentiment: Neutron is a transformational growth catalyst — investors expect the medium‑lift, reusable Neutron to expand Rocket Lab’s addressable market into larger commercial and government launches, a key reason sentiment remains constructive heading into 2026. Why 2026 Could Be Another Breakout Year for Rocket Lab
- Positive Sentiment: Major defense award and analyst upgrades — Rocket Lab won an $816M Space Development Agency contract and Needham and Stifel raised price targets, validating its evolution into a defense prime and supporting higher revenue visibility. Why 2026 Could Be Another Breakout Year for Rocket Lab
- Positive Sentiment: Operational momentum — Electron finished 2025 with a 100% mission success rate and heavy launch cadence, reinforcing execution credibility that underpins near‑term revenue and backlog growth. Why 2026 Could Be Another Breakout Year for Rocket Lab
- Neutral Sentiment: Sector tailwinds and repricing potential — speculation around a SpaceX IPO and broader interest in the $600B space sector could reprice public peers like RKLB, creating upside but also correlation risk. What SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab and more have in store for 2026
- Neutral Sentiment: Heavy volume, retail interest and options activity — elevated trading/option flows and retail enthusiasm have amplified moves; that boosts liquidity but can increase short‑term volatility. Stock Market Today, Dec. 30: Rocket Lab Regains Momentum Rocket Lab Unusual Options Activity
- Negative Sentiment: Cautious analyst views — at least one AI-driven forecast flagged caution for RKLB in 2026, reminding investors there are downside scenarios if Neutron or defense execution slips. Rocket Lab stock forecast — why AI analyst is cautious on RKLB for 2026
- Negative Sentiment: Insider sale and fundamental risks — a director sold a small block of shares (disclosed filing) and the company remains unprofitable with negative margins and a negative P/E, leaving valuation and execution risk if growth slows. SEC Filing: Insider Sale
Analyst Ratings Changes
Several equities analysts have weighed in on RKLB shares. Robert W. Baird started coverage on Rocket Lab in a report on Wednesday, October 15th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $83.00 target price on the stock. Morgan Stanley cut their price objective on Rocket Lab from $68.00 to $67.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an "overweight" rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Citigroup reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a report on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, Roth Capital reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $75.00 price target on shares of Rocket Lab in a research report on Tuesday, November 11th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Rocket Lab currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $61.25.
Check Out Our Latest Analysis on RKLB
Institutional Trading of Rocket Lab
Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new position in Rocket Lab in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Hara Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Rocket Lab in the third quarter worth $25,000. UMB Bank n.a. increased 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 worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 423 shares during the period. Sound Income Strategies LLC acquired a new position in Rocket Lab during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Finally, Financial Consulate Inc. bought a new stake in Rocket Lab in the 3rd quarter valued at $35,000. Institutional investors own 71.78% of the company's stock.
About Rocket Lab
(
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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