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Rocket Lab Shares Climb as JAXA Mission Slips to Dec. 12 and Focus Shifts to Neutron in 2026

Analyst upgrades alongside robust third‑quarter metrics are helping investors look past the Neutron delay to early 2026.

Overview

  • Rocket Lab said its RAISE and Shine mission for JAXA is now targeted no earlier than Dec. 12 to allow additional checkouts after earlier weather holds in New Zealand.
  • The stock advanced Monday, recently trading near $50.50, with momentum supported by fresh price targets from Needham at $63 and Bank of America at $60.
  • Neutron’s first flight is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026 after a timeline update from late 2025, a shift that previously drove a roughly 27% selloff that has since partially reversed.
  • Third‑quarter results showed record revenue of $155 million, GAAP gross margin of 37%, a narrower net loss of $0.03 per share, and 17 new Electron launch contracts, with backlog at about $1.05 billion.
  • The company highlighted expanding government work, including a new U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory contract tied to Neutron and its reusable Archimedes engine.