Rocket Lab’s (RKLB) Market Perform Rating Reaffirmed at Citizens Jmp

Citizens Jmp restated their market perform rating on shares of Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) in a research note published on Friday,Benzinga reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently commented on RKLB. Needham & Company LLC boosted their target price on Rocket Lab from $63.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 23rd. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Rocket Lab from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, February 8th. Stifel Nicolaus boosted their price target on shares of Rocket Lab from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, December 22nd. Finally, TD Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, seven have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Rocket Lab has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $75.50.

Rocket Lab Stock Down 4.9%

RKLB stock traded down $3.55 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $69.10. 25,658,687 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 16,509,771. 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 has a 1-year low of $14.71 and a 1-year high of $99.58. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $78.11 and its 200 day simple moving average is $61.00. The firm has a market cap of $36.91 billion, a P/E ratio of -186.75 and a beta of 2.16.

Insider Activity at Rocket Lab

In other news, Director Merline Saintil sold 12,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, January 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $90.00, for a total value of $1,125,000.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 280,029 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $25,202,610. This represents a 4.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Edward H. Frank sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.39, for a total value of $193,475.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 142,504 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,028,384.56. This trade represents a 1.72% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 4,138,979 shares of company stock valued at $265,048,346. Insiders own 11.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Rocket Lab

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of RKLB. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Rocket Lab by 13.4% during the 4th quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 47,420,192 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $3,308,033,000 after purchasing an additional 5,610,469 shares in the last quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. grew its position in Rocket Lab by 47.2% during the fourth quarter. Baillie Gifford & Co. now owns 17,851,446 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $1,245,317,000 after buying an additional 5,725,536 shares in the last quarter. Capital World Investors grew its position in Rocket Lab by 12.0% during the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 16,200,726 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $1,130,172,000 after buying an additional 1,738,623 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp raised its holdings in Rocket Lab by 1.0% in the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 12,520,223 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $873,411,000 after acquiring an additional 120,652 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Rocket Lab by 10.1% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 9,004,724 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $626,605,000 after purchasing an additional 825,158 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 71.78% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting Rocket Lab

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

• Positive Sentiment: Record results — Rocket Lab posted record Q4 and full‑year revenue, expanded gross margins, narrowed adjusted EBITDA loss, ended the year with ~$1.1B cash and a $1.85B backlog (37% expected to convert in 12 months), giving strong near‑term revenue visibility. RKLB Delivers Record Results, But Neutron Delay Weighs on Shares
• Positive Sentiment: Confirmed demand pipeline — Rocket Lab added another multi‑launch deal with BlackSky (four dedicated Electron missions), reinforcing recurring launch revenue and Electron launch cadence. Rocket Lab Secures Latest Multi-Launch Contract with BlackSky
• Positive Sentiment: Vertical integration / product wins — The company completed acquisitions (Optical Support, Precision Components), introduced silicon solar arrays and completed spacecraft commissioning for the ESCAPADE Mars mission, strengthening spacecraft/payload capabilities and potential margin upside over time. Rocket Lab Q4 and corporate announcements
• Neutral Sentiment: Guidance mix — Q1 revenue guidance ($185M–$200M) shows growth but the midpoint was reported modestly below some analysts’ expectations, a near‑term headwind to upside surprise potential. Rocket Lab Is Down After Record Backlog And Q4 Revenue Jump
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst views split — Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target and stance, but other firms (BTIG, Citizens/JMP) left ratings unchanged or neutral, so street sentiment is mixed. Analyst coverage and price target moves
• Negative Sentiment: Neutron delay — Management pushed the Neutron maiden flight to late‑2026 after a Stage‑1 tank test rupture; that recurring development delay raises execution risk and defers the revenue/profitability leverage investors hoped for. Why Is Rocket Lab Stock Falling?
• Negative Sentiment: Near‑term profitability pressure — RKLB missed on EPS (GAAP loss ~$0.09 vs. consensus ~‑$0.05) and flagged Q1 R&D as a peak spending quarter, which will pressure margins before Neutron development rolls off. Earnings and margin commentary
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling / governance watch — Reports show heavy insider sales over recent months, which some investors view as a negative signal around timing and valuation. QuiverQuant summary (insider & institutional activity)

Rocket Lab Company Profile

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.