NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 5:43 PM ET — After-hours
- Rocket Lab shares closed up 8.9% at $75.99; after-hours trade was slightly lower. 1
- Volume ran above average as the stock hovered near recent highs. 2
- Traders are weighing analyst target hikes and the timeline to the company’s next results. 2
Rocket Lab Corporation shares jumped 8.9% on Friday to close at $75.99 and slipped about 0.3% to $75.79 in after-hours trading, which is trading after the 4 p.m. market close. 1
The move put the space launch and satellite systems company on the leaderboard of early 2026 gainers and pushed the stock back toward its recent highs after a sharp rally into year-end. 1
Why it matters now: Rocket Lab’s outsized swings have made it a bellwether for risk appetite in higher-volatility aerospace names as investors reset portfolios for the new year. Treasury yields rose on Friday, a backdrop that can pressure high-growth stocks. 3
U.S. stocks ended mixed in the first trading session of 2026, with trading volumes thinned by the holiday period. “Today is kind of a holiday trading day, lighter volumes,” said Jed Ellerbroek, a portfolio manager at Argent Capital. 3
Rocket Lab did not issue a new company announcement on Friday, but the stock has remained in focus after a series of bullish research notes late last year. Needham raised its price target on Rocket Lab to $90 from $63 while reiterating a buy rating, MarketBeat reported. (A price target is an analyst’s estimate of where a stock could trade over the next 12 months.) 2
MarketBeat’s compilation showed Rocket Lab with an average analyst price target of $61.25, below Friday’s close, underscoring how far the shares have run ahead of the consensus view. 2
In a separate earlier disclosure, the company said it had been awarded an $816 million contract by the U.S. Space Development Agency to build 18 satellites for a “Tracking Layer” program — a network designed to detect and track missile threats from space. 4
Friday’s rally came with heavy turnover. About 31.2 million shares changed hands, roughly 17% above Rocket Lab’s average daily volume, with the stock trading between $66.85 and $76.24 and touching an intraday high near $76.24. 2
Technicians pointed to the $76 area as a near-term test after Friday’s spike, with the stock still below its 52-week high of $80.14. MarketBeat pegged Rocket Lab’s 50-day and 200-day moving averages at $55.82 and $49.92, respectively. (Moving averages smooth price moves to show trend direction.) 1
Rocket Lab, based in Long Beach, California, provides launch services with its Electron rocket and sells spacecraft and space systems to commercial and government customers. 2
What investors are watching next is timing and tone. The company has not confirmed its next earnings date; Nasdaq and MarketBeat list late-February estimates, including Feb. 26, based on prior reporting schedules. 5
For now, Rocket Lab ended the first trading day of 2026 up 8.9% year-to-date, with after-hours trade little changed, as investors weighed the stock’s momentum against a higher-rate backdrop. 1
