Neutron, a medium-lift rocket meant to rival SpaceX's Falcon 9, will no longer launch this year.
Rocket Lab on Wednesday said the inaugural launch of its new, larger Neutron rocket was delayed until next year, sending the space firm's shares down about 6% in extended trading.
Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB) reached $64.22 at the closing of the latest trading day, reflecting a -2.27% change compared to its last close.
Rocket Lab's spacecraft maneuverability and space operations expertise are likely to help it navigate orbital congestion and support reliable missions as satellite activity grows.
Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB | RKLB Price Prediction) has built a track record of building and flying rockets. Now its founder and CEO, Peter Beck, wants a much bigger role.
Rocket Lab Corp (NASDAQ:RKLB) stock is up 1.7% before the bell, last seen at $69.55, after Barclays initiated coverage with an "overweight" rating and $85 price target.
Rocket Lab sits more than 50% below its 52-week high after a brutal stretch of dilution and missed earnings, yet one Wall Street analyst just reiterated a target that implies the stock doubles from here.
Rocket Lab tore up its $3.6 billion bridge loan without borrowing a dollar, and the Iridium deal is now fully funded. Iridium's roughly $500 million of annual EBITDA turns Rocket Lab's $80 million EBITDA loss into about $420 million, before Neutron. Up to 72 million new shares are coming, but only 17 million hinge on the collar's stock-price window.
Rocket Lab is scaling from small-lift Electron launches to medium-lift Neutron, targeting mega-constellation deployments and direct competition with SpaceX's Falcon 9. Space Systems, accounting for 29% of H1 2026 revenue, offers high-margin, recurring sales of satellite components and full spacecraft, underpinning predictable multi-year growth. Q2 2026 revenue surged 62% to $234 million, with backlog soaring 137% year-over-year to $2.36 billion, reflecting robust contract momentum across launch and space systems.
Space stocks split widely over the past month. Shares of Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB | RKLB Price Prediction) landed on the strong side alongside shares of SpaceX (NASDAQ:SPCX).
RKLB expands its Space Systems portfolio with spacecraft manufacturing, vertical integration and the new IMM Apex solar cell.
Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB) reached $73.02 at the closing of the latest trading day, reflecting a -1.22% change compared to its last close.