Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) Stock Moved Up to Strong-Buy by Barclays

Barclays upgraded shares of Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) to a strong-buy rating in a research note released on Friday morning,Zacks reports.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Citigroup initiated coverage on Rocket Lab in a research note on Thursday, October 1st. They issued a “buy” rating and a $105.00 price objective on the stock. KeyCorp reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Berenberg Bank began coverage on Rocket Lab in a research note on Wednesday, September 2nd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $83.00 price target on the stock. Piper Sandler assumed coverage on Rocket Lab in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $83.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Roth Capital set a $110.00 price objective on shares of Rocket Lab in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, five have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $104.71.

Rocket Lab Trading Down 0.3%

RKLB opened at $68.21 on Friday. Rocket Lab has a twelve month low of $37.57 and a twelve month high of $151.00. The company has a fifty day moving average of $70.52 and a 200-day moving average of $84.33. The stock has a market cap of $40.81 billion, a PE ratio of -252.62 and a beta of 2.93. The company has a quick ratio of 4.98, a current ratio of 5.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01.

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) last released its earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The rocket manufacturer reported ($0.08) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.06) by ($0.02). The firm had revenue of $234.07 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $231.62 million. Rocket Lab had a negative net margin of 21.51% and a negative return on equity of 6.48%. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Rocket Lab will post -0.20 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, SVP Arjun Kampani sold 6,034 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.65, for a total value of $402,166.10. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 250,917 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $16,723,618.05. The trade was a 2.35% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Frank Klein sold 35,558 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.61, for a total value of $2,368,518.38. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 925,737 shares in the company, valued at approximately $61,663,341.57. The trade was a 3.70% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders sold a total of 400,749 shares of company stock worth $26,964,474 over the last 90 days. 8.40% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Versant Capital Management Inc lifted its holdings in Rocket Lab by 5.1% during the second quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 2,049 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $208,000 after acquiring an additional 100 shares during the period. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Rocket Lab by 7.1% during the 1st quarter. Bartlett & CO. Wealth Management LLC now owns 1,869 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $120,000 after purchasing an additional 124 shares during the period. Sovereign Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Rocket Lab by 3.9% in the 1st quarter. Sovereign Financial Group Inc. now owns 3,320 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $213,000 after buying an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. Parvin Asset Management LLC grew its position in Rocket Lab by 4.0% during the first quarter. Parvin Asset Management LLC now owns 3,665 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $235,000 after buying an additional 140 shares during the period. Finally, Wedmont Private Capital increased its holdings in Rocket Lab by 3.5% during the third quarter. Wedmont Private Capital now owns 4,644 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $318,000 after buying an additional 157 shares during the last quarter. 71.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

More Rocket Lab News

Here are the key news stories impacting Rocket Lab this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Barclays initiated coverage of Rocket Lab with an “overweight” rating and an $85 price target, providing a near-term catalyst and signaling confidence in the aerospace and defense sector. Rocket Lab Stock Eyes Rebound After Bullish Coverage
• Positive Sentiment: Investor attention remains focused on Rocket Lab’s Neutron medium-lift rocket. Supporters, including Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest, view the vehicle as potentially competitive with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and believe demand from satellite operators could create a significant launch opportunity if development stays on schedule. ARK and Neutron Launch Opportunity
• Positive Sentiment: Reports of a potential NASA bulk purchase, along with Rocket Lab’s Iridium-related business and broader launch activity, are reinforcing the long-term growth narrative. Rocket Lab NASA Bulk Purchase Report
• Neutral Sentiment: Rocket Lab’s shares have fallen sharply from their 52-week high, leaving valuation-sensitive investors focused on whether Neutron can convert its large addressable market into actual launches and revenue. Analysts cited in recent coverage see substantial upside, but the forecast depends heavily on successful execution. Rocket Lab Wall Street Upside Forecast
• Negative Sentiment: SpaceX’s agreement securing nationwide low-band spectrum has pressured satellite and space stocks, including Rocket Lab, by raising concerns about competitive dynamics in direct-to-device connectivity and control of critical communications infrastructure. SpaceX Spectrum Deal Pressures Space Stocks
• Negative Sentiment: Recent coverage has highlighted dilution, missed earnings expectations, continuing losses, and skepticism that Rocket Lab can compete with SpaceX. Jim Cramer also favored SpaceX over Rocket Lab, adding to the pressure on sentiment. Jim Cramer Compares Rocket Lab and SpaceX

Rocket Lab Company Profile

Rocket Lab USA, Inc is a space and launch company that provides launch services, spacecraft, satellite components and other space systems for commercial, civil and national-security customers. The company designs and manufactures many of its products in-house, supporting missions from initial spacecraft development through launch and on-orbit operations.

Rocket Lab’s primary launch vehicle is Electron, a small-lift rocket designed to place satellites into low Earth orbit. The company also operates the HASTE suborbital test platform for hypersonic and other advanced aerospace technologies and is developing Neutron, a larger reusable rocket intended to serve commercial and government missions.