Wall Street Zen Upgrades Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) to Hold

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Wall Street Zen from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Sunday.

RKLB has been the topic of several other research reports. TD Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Robert W. Baird upgraded shares of Rocket Lab to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 16th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a report on Wednesday, December 3rd. Roth Mkm reissued a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 target price on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Tuesday, November 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of Rocket Lab from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $67.00 to $105.00 in a research report on Friday, January 16th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $72.92.

Rocket Lab Stock Up 9.0%

RKLB stock opened at $72.32 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 2.83, a current ratio of 3.18 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. Rocket Lab has a fifty-two week low of $14.71 and a fifty-two week high of $99.58. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $73.03 and its 200 day simple moving average is $58.46. The stock has a market cap of $38.63 billion, a PE ratio of -190.32 and a beta of 2.16.

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) last posted its earnings results on Monday, November 10th. The rocket manufacturer reported ($0.03) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.05) by $0.02. The firm had revenue of $155.08 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $152.45 million. Rocket Lab had a negative net margin of 35.64% and a negative return on equity of 27.26%. Rocket Lab’s revenue was up 48.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted ($0.10) EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Rocket Lab will post -0.38 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, insider Frank Klein sold 100,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.95, for a total value of $7,295,000.00. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 1,169,487 shares in the company, valued at $85,314,076.65. The trade was a 7.88% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, CFO Adam C. Spice sold 1,365,665 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.50, for a total transaction of $103,107,707.50. Following the sale, the chief financial officer owned 1,359,568 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $102,647,384. The trade was a 50.11% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 4,306,150 shares of company stock worth $271,865,732. 11.90% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rocket Lab

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB acquired a new position in shares of Rocket Lab in the 3rd quarter valued at $25,000. Hara Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Rocket Lab during the 3rd quarter worth about $25,000. Aventura Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in Rocket Lab during the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its holdings in shares of Rocket Lab by 352.5% in the third quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 543 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 423 shares during the period. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC acquired a new position in shares of Rocket Lab in the third quarter worth about $27,000. 71.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Headlines Impacting Rocket Lab

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

• Positive Sentiment: Long-term bull case: analysts and retail commentary highlight a large, growing “space economy” where Rocket Lab’s launch, spacecraft and manufacturing capabilities position it as a core beneficiary versus peers like AST SpaceMobile. Better Space Stock: Rocket Lab vs. AST SpaceMobile
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum explanation: analysis of January performance points to contract wins, improving revenue trends and positive sentiment that helped RKLB rally early in 2026. Why Rocket Lab Stock Skyrocketed To Start 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Options/volatility note: some analysts see a sentiment mismatch between bullish retail options activity and mixed fundamentals, making option strategies attractive to income/hedge investors rather than a clear directional signal. A Potential Sentiment Mismatch Makes Rocket Lab (RKLB) Stock Options an Enticing Proposition
• Neutral Sentiment: Outlook variability: published “3 predictions for 2026” warns investors to expect volatility around launches, contract cadence and financial guidance — useful for positioning but non‑directional in the short term. 3 Predictions for Rocket Lab in 2026
• Negative Sentiment: Congress funding cut: investors sold shares after reports that Congress declined funding for a planned 2031 Mars sample‑return mission tied to NASA’s Perseverance rover—this reduces a potential long‑term revenue path for small‑sat and mission services providers. Rocket Lab Stock Is Sliding Thursday: What’s Driving The Action?
• Negative Sentiment: Sector selloff / peer pressure: a broader space‑stock pullback after a rally tied to the SpaceX‑xAI story and a concurrent software sector rout pressured RKLB alongside peers, amplifying downside despite company specifics. SpaceX rivals AST SpaceMobile and Rocket Lab join space-stock selloff
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst caution and downgrade risk: earnings‑preview pieces warn that even modest beats may not restore confidence, and some analysts flagged valuation and execution risks ahead of Q4/Q1 updates. Rocket Lab Q4 Earnings Preview: Even A Beat Won’t Save The Stock (Downgrade)
• Negative Sentiment: Recent price volatility: coverage notes steep intraday/near‑term declines (single‑day drops ~10%) that reflect rapid sentiment shifts and increased trading volume—heightened risk for short‑term holders. Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB) Falls More Steeply Than Broader Market

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.