STARBASE, Texas, August 17, 2026, 16:50 CDT — U.S. cash markets remained shut.
- SpaceX ended up 4.46% at $146.25, increasing its value by about $82 billion.
- Approximately 319 million shares will become available for trading on Thursday, with a total value of about $46.6 billion.
- The incoming supply is 2.85 times greater than Monday’s turnover of 111.86 million shares.
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. NASDAQ:SPCX rose 4.46% on Monday, pushing its market capitalization to $1.928 trillion. The advance comes ahead of a key event: Thursday’s planned share unlock.
Roughly 319 million shares held by early investors and insiders will be available for trading on August 20. As of Monday’s close, these shares were valued at $46.6 billion. That amount represents 2.85 times Monday’s trading volume.
SpaceX ended the session at $146.25, with 111.86 million shares changing hands. The company ranked as Yahoo Finance’s top U.S. stock by trading activity. Trading volume, however, remained roughly 8% under its three-month mean.
| Supply measure | Shares | Value at $146.25 | Relative to Monday volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday trading | 111.86 million | $16.4 billion | 1.00 times |
| Three-month average volume | 122.15 million | $17.9 billion | 1.09 times |
| August 20 lockup expiry | 319.00 million | $46.6 billion | 2.85 times |
The $6.25 rise in price increased equity value by approximately $82.4 billion, according to Yahoo’s closing market capitalization estimate. The new block represents nearly 2.4% of the implied shares outstanding. As a result, the upcoming move may be determined by supply rather than the pace of launches.
A fresh institutional filing backed Monday’s call. Harvard Management revealed ownership of nearly 13 million SpaceX shares, worth over $2.2 billion, in its recent disclosure. SpaceX now represents the largest stock holding reported by the endowment manager.
SpaceX surpassed publicly traded space-connectivity rivals. The comparison indicates the bidding was unique to the company, not part of a wider industry trend.
| Company | August 17 close | Daily change |
|---|---|---|
| Space Exploration Technologies Corp. NASDAQ:SPCX | $146.23 | up 4.45% |
| Rocket Lab USA, Inc. NASDAQ:RKLB | $82.08 | gained 2.28% |
| AST SpaceMobile, Inc. NASDAQ:ASTS | $71.14 | increased 0.23% |
| Iridium Communications Inc. NASDAQ:IRDM | $50.05 | fell 0.30% |
Weekend activity provided additional momentum. SpaceX executed two Falcon 9 launches in rapid order, one of which was for the U.S. Space Force. These missions highlighted the company’s high-frequency launch capability.
At Monday’s close, the price was up 8.3% from the $135 IPO price, but still 2.5% under the $150 debut price. In June, SpaceX issued 555.6 million primary shares, raising $75 billion before expenses and potential overallotments.
The second quarter saw better operating results. Revenue increased by 92% to $7.81 billion, and the net loss decreased. However, capital expenditure climbed to $18.37 billion, exceeding quarterly revenue by over two times.
| Q2 2026 measure | Result | Year-on-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $7.81 billion | up 92% |
| Net loss | $541 million | decreased by $467 million |
| Adjusted EBITDA | $3.54 billion | increased 191% |
| Capital expenditure | $18.37 billion | Data not provided here |
Wall Street stays optimistic yet split. Morgan Stanley NYSE:MS analyst Adam Jonas described SpaceX as “uniquely positioned across launch, connectivity, and AI.” His price target of $300 represents more than a twofold increase from Monday’s closing level. Morgan Stanley note coverage
| Research firm | Recommendation | Price target | Upside from $146.25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley NYSE:MS | Overweight | $300 | 105.1% |
| Oppenheimer | Outperform | $250 | 70.9% |
| Citigroup NYSE:C | Buy | $200 | 36.8% |
| Piper Sandler NYSE:PIPR | Neutral | $156 | 6.7% |
Oppenheimer highlighted growth in Starlink and AI, maintaining its $250 price target. A wider S&P Global NYSE:SPGI survey indicated a Buy consensus, with the average price target at $210.28. Analyst forecasts ranged between $62 and $310.
The valuation offers minimal leeway for sluggish growth. As of Monday, the market capitalization is roughly 62 times annualized second-quarter revenue—a basic run-rate calculation, not a projection. Thursday will indicate if incoming buyers can take up the next batch without triggering a broader discount.
Risks: The impact of the unlock remains unclear if eligible holders choose not to sell. Accelerated growth at Starlink or new contract awards may counterbalance increased supply. However, significant AI investment, failed launches, reliance on a few customers, or sales by insiders could weigh on the stock.
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