New York, Jan 22, 2026, 14:45 EST — Regular session
- Red Cat Holdings shares surged about 15% on Thursday, marking the stock’s second week of solid gains in a row.
- The company is holding an Innovation Day on Feb. 27, featuring product updates and live demos.
- A BlackRock filing showed the asset manager held a 7.3% stake at the end of the year.
Red Cat Holdings Inc shares jumped 14.9% to $17.95 on Thursday, backed by heavy trading volume. Investors are gearing up for the drone maker’s next update cycle.
The current surge is crucial since Red Cat’s rally depends on strong revenue momentum and a market hungry to reprice anything tied to U.S. defense-drone demand. Traders want fresh details on the company’s delivery capabilities this year—and the margins it can achieve.
Red Cat said it will host an Innovation Day on Feb. 27 at its headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida. The event will feature corporate updates, a product roadmap, and a live Q&A session. Attendees can also expect demos from its new maritime division, Blue Ops. 1
Institutional interest in Red Cat showed a notable uptick in another SEC filing. BlackRock reported owning 8,761,474 shares, representing 7.3% of the outstanding class, in an amended Schedule 13G filed on Jan. 21, reflecting holdings as of Dec. 31. These Schedule 13G filings typically suggest a passive investor position. 2
Shares of Red Cat surged following last week’s preliminary revenue update, which forecast Q4 2025 revenue between $24.0 million and $26.5 million. The full-year outlook was set at $38.0 million to $41.0 million. Both figures remain unaudited and subject to revision. CEO Jeff Thompson pointed to strong demand from defense and government clients, alongside enhanced production capacity, as key drivers behind the better-than-expected results. 3
Analyst commentary has helped fuel the stock’s rise. Northland raised its price target, highlighting Red Cat as “uniquely positioned as a leading” force in unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned surface vessels, according to a Nasdaq.com report. 4
Red Cat focuses on small unmanned aircraft systems, or sUAS — compact drones built for surveillance and a range of missions — and is now branching into uncrewed surface vessels, or USVs, via Blue Ops. Their strategy covers both air and sea, tightly connected to defense procurement.
The U.S. military drone market is crowded, with both major companies and specialists battling hard over pilots, contracts, and renewals. For smaller players like Red Cat, stock shifts tend to react more to news spikes than to core fundamentals—especially when trading volume jumps.
That said, some warnings apply. Red Cat’s revenue figures are preliminary and remain unaudited. Government demand also fluctuates—budget changes, testing phases, and procurement adjustments can push back orders without notice. 3
Thursday’s surge faces a test as investors watch to see if it holds until the close after a shaky start. The rally could gain steam if options activity and short-covering ramp up.
Red Cat’s leadership is set to present live demos and field questions on Feb. 27 at Innovation Day. The event aims to shed light on demand forecasts and execution strategies for 2026. 1
