Empowered Funds LLC Purchases Shares of 45,133 Rocket Lab Corporation $RKLB

Empowered Funds LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) during the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 45,133 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $4,588,000.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in RKLB. United Capital Financial Advisors LLC bought a new position in Rocket Lab in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $1,365,000. Caitlin John LLC bought a new stake in Rocket Lab during the 2nd quarter valued at $156,000. Equitable Holdings Inc. bought a new stake in Rocket Lab during the 2nd quarter valued at $1,599,000. Centaurus Financial Inc. bought a new stake in Rocket Lab during the 2nd quarter valued at $746,000. Finally, Coastal Bridge Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Rocket Lab during the 2nd quarter worth $399,000. 71.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Insider Buying and Selling at Rocket Lab

In other Rocket Lab news, CEO Peter Beck sold 1,298,622 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $84.92, for a total value of $110,278,980.24. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 2,715,181 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $230,573,170.52. This represents a 32.35% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Frank Klein sold 45,692 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.63, for a total transaction of $3,181,533.96. Following the transaction, the insider owned 961,295 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $66,934,970.85. This trade represents a 4.54% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 3,484,214 shares of company stock valued at $304,166,848. Corporate insiders own 8.40% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. KGI Securities upgraded shares of Rocket Lab from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $107.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Piper Sandler began coverage on shares of Rocket Lab in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $83.00 price objective for the company. Roth Capital set a $110.00 target price on shares of Rocket Lab in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, KeyCorp reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $110.35.

Key Rocket Lab News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Bank of America lowered its price target modestly to $110 from $115 but maintained a Buy rating, indicating the analyst still sees substantial long-term upside. Rocket Lab Stock Outlook
• Positive Sentiment: Rocket Lab is expanding its role as a vertically integrated space-services provider. Recent developments include a Viasat satellite-bus award, participation in the U.S. Space Force’s NITE-STAR program—which has a contract ceiling of $981 million—and a full-flight Neutron launch contract with Kepler Communications. These awards support the company’s defense and satellite-systems growth prospects. Rocket Lab Defense Role
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader investor interest in space stocks remains elevated after Elon Musk backed a presidential plan to develop America’s next generation of space leaders. The initiative could benefit the sector over time, but its immediate financial impact on RKLB is uncertain. Space Leaders Initiative
• Negative Sentiment: Strong winds delayed Rocket Lab’s Synspective “Owl Around The World” Electron mission, pushing the launch to no earlier than September 1. Launch delays can pressure near-term revenue expectations and investor sentiment. Electron Launch Delay
• Negative Sentiment: Rocket Lab’s stock has flashed a technical “death cross,” reflecting deterioration in momentum after its earlier rally. The reversal has heightened concerns that further selling could occur, even as some high-profile investors continue to view the company’s space exposure favorably. Rocket Lab Death Cross
• Negative Sentiment: Executives disclosed sizable share sales: President Steve Ward sold approximately $1.0 million of stock, while COO Frank Klein sold about $2.4 million. Although the sales represent only a portion of their holdings, insider selling can reinforce concerns about valuation and near-term performance. Rocket Lab President Share Sale Rocket Lab COO Share Sale

Rocket Lab Stock Performance

RKLB opened at $63.94 on Tuesday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $77.07 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $84.98. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 5.48 and a quick ratio of 4.98. The company has a market capitalization of $38.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -236.81 and a beta of 2.60. Rocket Lab Corporation has a 1-year low of $37.57 and a 1-year high of $151.00.

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The rocket manufacturer reported ($0.08) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.06) by ($0.02). Rocket Lab had a negative net margin of 21.51% and a negative return on equity of 6.48%. The firm had revenue of $234.07 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $231.62 million. Research analysts predict that Rocket Lab Corporation will post -0.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

About Rocket Lab

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.