Investors Purchase High Volume of Rocket Lab Call Options (NASDAQ:RKLB)

Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Friday. Stock traders purchased 172,414 call options on the company. This is an increase of 18% compared to the average volume of 146,568 call options.

Rocket Lab Price Performance

NASDAQ:RKLB opened at $96.30 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $51.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -253.42 and a beta of 2.16. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 2.83 and a current ratio of 3.18. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $61.54 and its 200 day simple moving average is $54.23. Rocket Lab has a 52 week low of $14.71 and a 52 week high of $99.58.

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) last released its earnings results on Monday, November 10th. The rocket manufacturer reported ($0.03) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.05) by $0.02. Rocket Lab had a negative return on equity of 27.26% and a negative net margin of 35.64%.The firm had revenue of $155.08 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $152.45 million. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($0.10) earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 48.0% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Rocket Lab will post -0.38 earnings per share for the current year.

More Rocket Lab News

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

• Positive Sentiment: Morgan Stanley issued a large upgrade and raised its view on Rocket Lab, which triggered renewed buy-side interest and helped lift the stock. Rocket Lab Stock Jumps on Morgan Stanley Massive Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Large government/defense awards and a swelling backlog (previously reported) increase revenue visibility and support higher growth expectations for 2026 — a key fundamental driver underpinning the rally. Defense Contract Win Drives Shares to All-Time High
• Positive Sentiment: Research pieces and analyst commentary are lifting 2026 revenue expectations (one deep-dive projects roughly $900M), reinforcing the narrative that Rocket Lab is moving to a larger revenue tier as Defense & Space Systems backlog converts. Rocket Lab Enters A Different League
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusually heavy options activity — roughly 172,414 call contracts traded (about +18% vs. typical daily call volume) — signals speculative bullish positioning and can amplify intraday moves but doesn’t change fundamentals.
• Neutral Sentiment: Consensus broker view remains tilted toward buy/moderate-buy on average, keeping institutional interest and coverage high (Marketbeat consensus: “Moderate Buy”). Consensus “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages
• Negative Sentiment: KeyBanc downgraded RKLB from Overweight to Sector Weight citing valuation and potential “Neutron euphoria,” which triggered profit-taking earlier and remains a headwind. KeyBanc downgrades Rocket Lab (RKLB)
• Negative Sentiment: Insider sales by director Merline Saintil (large, recent disposals disclosed) can raise short-term concern about lockup monetization and add selling pressure. SEC Filing – Insider Sales
• Negative Sentiment: Several commentators warn the rally may be overextended; execution slips or Neutron timeline delays could trigger a large pullback given rich valuation multiples.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

RKLB has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. Zacks Research upgraded Rocket Lab from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, January 12th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their price target on shares of Rocket Lab from $75.00 to $85.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, December 22nd. Needham & Company LLC increased their price objective on shares of Rocket Lab from $63.00 to $90.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. Bank of America lifted their price objective on shares of Rocket Lab from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Finally, Roth Capital reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 price objective on shares of Rocket Lab in a report on Tuesday, November 11th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, five have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Rocket Lab has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $64.42.

Insider Transactions at Rocket Lab

In related news, CFO Adam C. Spice sold 1,365,665 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.50, for a total transaction of $103,107,707.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 1,359,568 shares in the company, valued at approximately $102,647,384. This trade represents a 50.11% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Director Edward H. Frank sold 2,500 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $77.39, for a total transaction of $193,475.00. Following the transaction, the director owned 142,504 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,028,384.56. This trade represents a 1.72% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold 4,306,150 shares of company stock valued at $271,865,732 in the last quarter. 11.90% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Rocket Lab

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in RKLB. Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB bought a new stake in Rocket Lab in the third quarter worth $25,000. Hara Capital LLC bought a new stake in Rocket Lab in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Aventura Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Rocket Lab during the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. UMB Bank n.a. boosted its position in Rocket Lab by 352.5% in the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 543 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $26,000 after buying an additional 423 shares during the period. Finally, Sound Income Strategies LLC bought a new stake in Rocket Lab during the 3rd quarter valued at $27,000. Institutional investors own 71.78% of the company’s stock.

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.