New York, January 5, 2026, 18:14 (EST) — After-hours
- Rocket Lab shares closed up 2.8% at $78.15 and slipped 0.7% in after-hours trading. Investing
- Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an Overweight rating and a $72 price target, according to Investing.com. Investing
- Investors are watching Rocket Lab’s Jan. 13–14 appearance at Needham’s Growth Conference for updates on SDA execution and Neutron timing. Investing
Rocket Lab Corp (RKLB.O) shares rose 2.8% in regular trading on Monday to $78.15, then dipped about 0.7% after hours. Investing
The move keeps the space company’s stock near a 52-week high after a sharp late-December run, with investors weighing whether Rocket Lab can deliver on a growing pipeline of U.S. national security satellite work while it develops its next rocket. Investing
Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an Overweight rating — meaning the firm expects the stock to outperform peers over time — and kept a $72 price target, according to Investing.com. The stock closed above that target, underscoring how stretched valuations have become after the recent surge. Investing
Rocket Lab’s recent rally has been tied to a defense win announced in December: the company said it was awarded an $816 million prime contract to design and manufacture 18 satellites for the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer Tranche 3 program. A prime contractor leads the project and is responsible for delivery. Rocket Lab
The Space Development Agency, part of the U.S. Space Force, said it placed about $3.5 billion in fixed-price satellite orders across Rocket Lab and three large defense contractors — Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), Northrop Grumman (NOC.N) and L3Harris Technologies (LHX.N) — with 18 satellites apiece. Fixed-price deals typically put cost overruns on the contractor. Reuters
Rocket Lab said its tranche-3 satellites will carry its Phoenix infrared sensor payload and StarLite protection sensors, and that additional subsystem opportunities could lift the total capture value to about $1 billion. CEO Peter Beck said: “Rocket Lab is honored to play a role in enabling this.” Rocket Lab
Monday’s session was volatile, with the stock trading between $71.31 and $78.25. About 33.4 million shares changed hands, versus roughly 31.2 million on the prior session, based on published historical data. StockAnalysis
The key debate for investors is timing: the SDA tranche-3 satellites are expected to be launched into low Earth orbit in 2029, the agency has said, while Rocket Lab’s planned Neutron rocket — aimed at larger payloads than its Electron vehicle — is the nearer-term event risk that could shape 2026 sentiment. Reuters
But the downside case is straightforward. A slip in Neutron’s schedule, execution stumbles on large fixed-price work, or slower option capture than investors expect could pressure a stock already trading near its 52-week peak. Reuters
Next up, traders will focus on Rocket Lab’s Jan. 13–14 slot at Needham’s Growth Conference for any fresh color on tranche execution, production ramp and Neutron milestones. Investing
