Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) Releases Earnings Results

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday. The rocket manufacturer reported ($0.07) earnings per share for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of ($0.07), FiscalAI reports. The company had revenue of $200.35 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $189.65 million. Rocket Lab had a negative return on equity of 19.01% and a negative net margin of 32.94%.Rocket Lab’s revenue for the quarter was up 63.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($0.12) EPS.

Here are the key takeaways from Rocket Lab’s conference call:

• Record Q1 performance — revenue topped $200.3 million (+63% YoY), GAAP gross margin was 38.2%, backlog exceeded $2 billion, and cash on hand was $1.48 billion with >$2 billion in total liquidity.
• Strong launch momentum — Rocket Lab booked a record 31 Electron/HASTE missions, a $190M 20?launch HASTE order, and five Neutron flights (its largest contract), driving a record launch backlog and robust customer demand.
• Neutron development advancing — tank refinements, stage?separation tests, Archimedes engine hot fires, and the large landing barge are progressing toward a first launch later this year, but outcomes hinge on remaining qualification and flight tests.
• Accelerating vertical integration — acquisitions (Motiv, Mynaric), the in?house Gauss electric thruster production line, and expanded European footprint should broaden TAM, reduce supply risk, and improve cost/control on satellite subsystems.
• Elevated cash burn and capex — Q1 non?GAAP free cash flow was a use of $77.4 million (GAAP operating cash flow used $50.3 million), and management expects continued negative FCF as Neutron and program investments scale.

Rocket Lab Price Performance

RKLB traded up $26.73 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $105.31. The company had a trading volume of 79,372,448 shares, compared to its average volume of 23,014,510. Rocket Lab has a twelve month low of $20.23 and a twelve month high of $105.62. The company has a market capitalization of $59.96 billion, a PE ratio of -284.61 and a beta of 2.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10, a quick ratio of 3.61 and a current ratio of 4.08. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $72.88 and its 200-day simple moving average is $68.50.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several brokerages have issued reports on RKLB. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Rocket Lab from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Sunday, February 8th. Bank of America upped their price objective on Rocket Lab from $60.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 20th. Zacks Research cut Rocket Lab from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Craig Hallum raised Rocket Lab from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $98.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Friday. Finally, Citigroup reiterated an “outperform” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Friday. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $90.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Rocket Lab

In other Rocket Lab news, Director Merline Saintil sold 18,126 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, March 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.04, for a total value of $1,360,175.04. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 261,903 shares in the company, valued at approximately $19,653,201.12. This trade represents a 6.47% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Adam C. Spice sold 62,744 shares of Rocket Lab stock in a transaction on Monday, March 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $69.59, for a total value of $4,366,354.96. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 1,296,824 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $90,245,982.16. This trade represents a 4.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 233,449 shares of company stock valued at $16,487,233 over the last three months. Insiders own 8.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Rocket Lab

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in RKLB. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its position in Rocket Lab by 818.8% during the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 2,190,132 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $104,929,000 after purchasing an additional 1,951,755 shares during the period. Amundi raised its stake in shares of Rocket Lab by 308.4% during the third quarter. Amundi now owns 2,301,568 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock worth $110,268,000 after buying an additional 1,738,038 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in Rocket Lab by 13.6% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 12,399,571 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $594,063,000 after buying an additional 1,487,237 shares during the period. Deutsche Bank AG boosted its stake in Rocket Lab by 174.5% in the fourth quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 2,336,845 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $163,018,000 after acquiring an additional 1,485,621 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in Rocket Lab during the 4th quarter worth $63,837,000. 71.78% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Key Rocket Lab News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Rocket Lab posted record Q1 revenue of about $200.3 million, topping estimates and rising roughly 63% year over year, while EPS came in line with expectations. Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB) Reports Q1 Loss, Beats Revenue Estimates
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised second-quarter revenue guidance to $225 million-$240 million, above Wall Street forecasts, signaling continued momentum into the rest of 2026. Rocket Lab Announces First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Rocket Lab signed the largest launch contract in its history, including multiple Neutron and Electron missions for a confidential customer, which expands its backlog and improves revenue visibility. Rocket Lab’s Biggest Launch Deal Yet
• Positive Sentiment: Additional defense-related wins, including a $30 million HASTE hypersonic launch contract with Anduril and a Space Force demonstration with Raytheon, reinforce demand for Rocket Lab’s launch and space-systems capabilities. Rocket Lab Awarded $30 Million Contract for HASTE Hypersonic Rocket Launches for Anduril
• Positive Sentiment: Rocket Lab said it ended the quarter with a record backlog of about $2.2 billion, suggesting strong future demand and supporting the case that the company may move closer to profitability. Rocket Lab’s stock rises upon new signs its business is expanding rapidly
• Neutral Sentiment: Brokerage firms lifted price targets and one firm upgraded the stock, but several targets still sit below the current share price, making the analyst signal supportive but mixed. Benzinga analyst update

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.