Rocket Lab Completes First 2026 Launch, Marks 80th Electron Mission

Rocket Lab Corp (NASDAQ:RKLB) shares are up on Friday as the company recently completed its first launch of 2026, marking its 80th Electron mission overall. Here’s what investors need to know.

• Rocket Lab shares are under pressure. Why is RKLB stock trading lower?

Rocket Lab Solidifies Its Market Position

The mission, titled “The Cosmos Will See You Now”, successfully deployed two satellites into a 1,050 km circular orbit for Open Cosmos, a pan-European space tech firm. This launch reinforces Rocket Lab’s reputation as a reliable small satellite launch vehicle, with a full schedule of Electron launches planned for 2026.

Additionally, the company faced some challenges as its Neutron rocket’s Stage 1 tank ruptured during testing, which caused a temporary drop in stock price. However, Rocket Lab confirmed that no significant damage occurred, and production of the next Stage 1 tank is already underway.

Rocket Lab’s Unstoppable Momentum: What Lies Ahead?

Rocket Lab is currently trading 5.8% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 46.7% above its 100-day SMA, demonstrating strong short-term and longer-term strength. Over the past 12 months, shares have surged 176.78% and are positioned closer to their 52-week highs than lows.

The RSI is at 62.26, indicating neutral territory, while the MACD is below its signal line, suggesting bearish pressure. The combination of neutral RSI and bearish MACD indicates mixed momentum.

• Key Resistance: $99.50
• Key Support: $84.00

Earnings Report: A Turning Point Ahead?

Investors are looking ahead to the next earnings report on Feb. 26.

• EPS Estimate: Loss of 9 cents (Up from Loss of 10 cents YoY)
• Revenue Estimate: $178.07 million (Up from $132.39 million YoY)

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Buy Rating with an average price target of $64.00. Recent analyst moves include:

• Goldman Sachs: Neutral (Raises Target to $69.00) (Jan. 20)
• B of A Securities: Buy (Raises Target to $120.00) (Jan. 20)
• Morgan Stanley: Upgraded to Overweight (Raises Target to $105.00) (Jan. 16)

Benzinga Edge Rankings

Below is the Benzinga Edge scorecard for Rocket Lab, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses compared to the broader market:

• Momentum: Bullish (Score: 96.6) — Stock is outperforming the broader market.

The Verdict: Rocket Lab’s Benzinga Edge signal reveals a strong momentum score, indicating that the stock is currently outperforming the market. Investors should keep an eye on upcoming earnings as the company continues to navigate its growth trajectory.

Top ETF Exposure

• SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE:XAR): 5.66% Weight
• First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE:MISL): 4.81% Weight
• ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF (NASDAQ:ARKX): 7.62% Weight

Significance: Because RKLB carries such a heavy weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.

RKLB Shares Trade Flat Friday

RKLB Price Action: Rocket Lab shares were up 2.73% at $90.39 at the time of publication on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

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