Overview
- Rocket Lab’s first dedicated JAXA mission now targets a launch window no earlier than Dec. 7 from New Zealand after a weather delay from the originally planned Thursday evening slot.
- Shares rose about 9.5% to $48.96 on Thursday as investors positioned ahead of the mission, with the stock still below its 50-day average but well above its 200-day trend line.
- The Electron flight is slated to be the company’s 19th launch of 2025, reflecting the firm’s increased cadence.
- The mission will deploy JAXA’s RAISE-4 satellite, and a second dedicated JAXA launch is planned for 2026.
- Needham maintained a Buy with a $63 target and Bank of America lifted its target to $60, citing faster launch tempo and the planned Neutron debut in the first quarter of 2026.