Legal & General Group Plc Invests $171.76 Million in Rocket Lab Corporation $RKLB

Legal & General Group Plc bought a new stake in shares of Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 1,689,746 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $171,763,000.

Several other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its stake in Rocket Lab by 13.4% in the fourth quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 47,420,192 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $3,308,033,000 after purchasing an additional 5,610,469 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Rocket Lab in the second quarter worth approximately $4,124,970,000. Capital World Investors lifted its stake in Rocket Lab by 12.0% during the 4th quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 16,200,726 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $1,130,172,000 after acquiring an additional 1,738,623 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp bought a new position in shares of Rocket Lab during the second quarter valued at about $245,764,000. Finally, State Street Corp boosted its position in Rocket Lab by 1.0% in the fourth quarter. State Street Corp now owns 12,520,223 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $873,411,000 after purchasing an additional 120,652 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 71.78% of the company’s stock.

Rocket Lab Stock Down 1.1%

NASDAQ:RKLB opened at $66.18 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 4.98 and a current ratio of 5.48. The firm has a market cap of $39.60 billion, a P/E ratio of -245.10 and a beta of 2.60. Rocket Lab Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $37.57 and a fifty-two week high of $151.00. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $79.45 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $85.15.

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

Analysts Set New Price Targets

RKLB has been the subject of several research reports. KGI Securities upgraded Rocket Lab from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $107.00 price target for the company in a research note on Monday, July 27th. Bank of America lifted their price target on shares of Rocket Lab from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 30th. Cantor Fitzgerald upped their price target on shares of Rocket Lab from $96.00 to $122.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Roth Capital set a $110.00 target price on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have issued a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $110.65.

More Rocket Lab News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Defense contract expands Rocket Lab’s backlog. Viasat selected Rocket Lab to build spacecraft buses for the U.S. Space Force’s Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global program. The initial “Swarm 1” award is part of Viasat’s $218.8 million prime contract and reinforces Rocket Lab’s growing role in government space infrastructure. Why Rocket Lab Could Outpace Viasat as Defense Space Spending Accelerates
• Positive Sentiment: Optical communications could broaden revenue opportunities. Rocket Lab’s optical communications terminals are being tested aboard KSAT’s Hyperion satellite, extending the company beyond launch services and into high-bandwidth satellite communications infrastructure. What Does Rocket Lab Gain From Its Optical Communications Role?
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly optimistic, but valuation is demanding. Coverage highlights strong revenue growth, a sizable backlog and multiple price targets well above the current trading level. However, Rocket Lab remains unprofitable, with high-growth expectations already reflected in its valuation. Is It Worth Investing in Rocket Lab Based on Wall Street’s Bullish Views?
• Negative Sentiment: Neutron delays are the main overhang. Reports warn that Rocket Lab’s medium-lift Neutron rocket debut could slip into 2027. A delay would postpone a major expected growth catalyst and prolong development spending, even though the company’s existing launch and space-systems businesses continue to expand. Peter Beck’s Neutron Rocket Could Slip to 2027
• Negative Sentiment: Technical and insider-selling concerns add pressure. The stock’s failed breakouts and position below key moving averages have encouraged bearish options strategies. Recent reports also point to significant open-market insider sales without corresponding purchases, which may weigh on investor confidence. Rocket Lab Stock Bear Put Spread

Insider Buying and Selling at Rocket Lab

In other news, SVP Arjun Kampani sold 7,754 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $69.63, for a total value of $539,911.02. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 256,951 shares in the company, valued at $17,891,498.13. The trade was a 2.93% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. 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. Also, insider Frank Klein sold 45,692 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.63, for a total value of $3,181,533.96. Following the transaction, the insider directly owned 961,295 shares in the company, valued at approximately $66,934,970.85. The trade was a 4.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. 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. In the last quarter, insiders sold 3,482,622 shares of company stock worth $306,340,164. Insiders own 8.40% of the company’s stock.

Rocket Lab 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.