Rocket Lab Successfully Launches Its 66th Electron Rocket
Rocket Lab USA Inc. RKLB recently completed its 66th successful Electron rocket launch. The latest launch mission encompassed the deployment of the QPS-SAR-11 satellite into the Earth's orbit.
This mission is part of the contract that Rocket Lab secured in February 2025, from Japan-based Earth imaging company iQPS, marking one of its largest Electron launch agreements to date. This deal involves eight dedicated Electron launches, with six missions scheduled for 2025, out of which four are already completed, and two in 2026.
Such successful missions reflect RKLB's proven expertise in launch services and further strengthen its footprint in the space industry.
What's Favoring RKLB Stock?
In the modern era of space exploration, factors like rapid technological advancements, the growing demand for satellite deployment, increasing commercial space activities and rising investments in space infrastructure are fueling the growth of the space launch services market.
This must have prompted the Grand View Research firm to estimate that the global space launch services market will witness a compound annual growth rate of 15.6% during the 2024-2030 time period.
Such robust market growth prospects are expected to benefit companies like Rocket Lab. With its advanced Electron rocket and expanding capabilities in small satellite launches, the company is well-positioned to leverage the booming demand for frequent and cost-effective launches. It is also making strides in reusable rocket technology, which significantly reduces costs and improves launch efficiency.
To capture further market shares, Rocket Lab is currently developing the Neutron rocket, designed for larger payloads and constellation deployments. This new product should further bolster RKLB's position in the market and fetch solid revenues.
Opportunities for Other Space Stocks
Other companies that are expected to enjoy the perks of the expanding global space launch services market have been discussed below.
Northrop Grumman Corporation NOC: It is one of the key players in the space industry, providing launch vehicles and propulsion systems through its space systems division. The company's innovations in rocket technology and satellite deployment make it a significant beneficiary of the growing demand for space launch services.
Northrop has a long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate of 3.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NOC's 2025 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 2.8%.
The Boeing Company BA and Lockheed Martin Corporation 's LMT joint venture, United Launch Alliance ('ULA'), has been the United States' premier launch services provider since its establishment in 2006. The JV has successfully launched more than 150 Atlas and Delta rockets since 2006.
Boeing has a long-term earnings growth rate of 18.1%, while that for Lockheed is pegged at 10.5%. The Zacks Consensus Estimates for BA and LMT's 2025 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 25.6 and 4.7%, respectively.
RKLB Stock's Price Movement
Shares of RKLB have gained 501.3% in the past year compared with the industry 's 42.2% growth.
RKLB's Zacks Rank
RKLB currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
5 Stocks Set to Double
Each was handpicked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2024. While not all picks can be winners, previous recommendations have soared +143.0%, +175.9%, +498.3% and +673.0%.
Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.
Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
The Boeing Company (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report
Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC): Free Stock Analysis Report
Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB): Free Stock Analysis Report
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Air India crash renews scrutiny into Boeing's troubling safety record
Watch The crash of a Boeing 787 in India has renewed scrutiny into the operations and safety record of the American aircraft company. Adrian Ghobrial explains.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Oil prices surge while global shares retreat after Israel's strike on Iran
Currency traders watch monitors near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, right, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the KEB Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) HONG KONG — Oil prices surged while global shares were lower Friday after Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military targets in an attack that raised the risk of all-out war between them. U.S. benchmark crude oil rose by US$4,14, or 6.1%, to $72.18 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, increased by $4.25 to $73.61 per barrel. The future for the S&P 500 fell 1.1% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.2%. Germany's DAX dropped 1% to 23,529.75, and the CAC 40 in Paris gave up 0.7% to 7,712.66. British FTSE 100 skid 0.3% to 8,859.09. In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 0.9% to 37,834.25 while the Kospi in Seoul edged 0.9% lower to 2,894.62. Hong Kong's Hang Seng retreated 0.6% to 23,892.56 and the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.8% to 3,377.00. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 drifted 0.2% lower to 8,547.40. 'An Israeli attack on Iran poses a top ten of our global risk, but Asian markets are expected to recover quickly as they have relatively limited exposure to the conflict and growing ties to unaffected Saudi Arabia and the UAE,' said Xu Tiachen of The Economist Intelligence. On Thursday, U.S. stock indexes ticked higher following another encouraging update on inflation across the country. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 6,045.26. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2% to 42,967.62, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.2% to 19,662.48. Oracle jumped 13.3% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. That helped markets offset a 4.8% loss for Boeing after an Air India plane crashed Thursday, killing more than 240 people. It was the first crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the cause wasn't immediately known. Stocks broadly got some help from easing Treasury yields in the bond market following the latest update on inflation. Thursday's update said inflation at the wholesale level wasn't as bad last month as economists expected, and it followed a report on Wednesday saying something similar about the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling. Wall Street took it as a signal that the Federal Reserve will have more leeway to cut interest rates later this year in order to give the economy a boost. The U.S. Federal Reserve has been hesitant to lower interest rates, and it's been on hold this year after cutting at the end of last year, because it's waiting to see how much President Donald Trump's tariffs will hurt the economy and raise inflation. While lower rates can goose the economy by encouraging businesses and households to borrow, they can also accelerate inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.35% from 4.41% late Wednesday and from roughly 4.80% early this year. Besides the inflation data, a separate report on jobless claims also helped to weigh on Treasury yields. It said slightly more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected, and the total number remained at the highest level in eight months. That could be an indication of a rise in layoffs. The Fed's next meeting on interest rates is scheduled for next week, but the nearly unanimous expectation on Wall Street is that it will stand pat again. Traders are betting it's likely to begin cutting in September, according to data from CME Group. Trump's on-and-off tariffs have raised worries about higher inflation and a possible recession, which had sent the S&P 500 roughly 20% below its record a couple months ago. But stocks have since rallied nearly all the way back on hopes that Trump will lower his tariffs after reaching trade deals with other countries. Many of Trump's tariffs are on hold at the moment to give time for negotiations, but Trump added to the uncertainty late Wednesday when he suggested the United States could send letters to other countries at some point 'saying this is the deal. You can take it or you can leave it.' In currency trading early Friday, the U.S. dollar gained to 143.72 Japanese yen from 143.46 yen. The euro edged lower, to $1.1537 from $1.1590. Jiang Junzhe, The Associated Press
Globe and Mail
4 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Oil prices surge while global shares retreat after Israel's strike on Iran
HONG KONG (AP) — Oil prices surged while global shares were lower Friday after Israel struck Iranian nuclear and military targets in an attack that raised the risk of all-out war between them. U.S. benchmark crude oil rose by $4,14, or 6.1%, to $72.18 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, increased by $4.25 to $73.61 per barrel. The future for the S&P 500 fell 1.1% while that for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.2%. Germany's DAX dropped 1% to 23,529.75, and the CAC 40 in Paris gave up 0.7% to 7,712.66. British FTSE 100 skid 0.3% to 8,859.09. In Asia, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 0.9% to 37,834.25 while the Kospi in Seoul edged 0.9% lower to 2,894.62. Hong Kong's Hang Seng retreated 0.6% to 23,892.56 and the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.8% to 3,377.00. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 drifted 0.2% lower to 8,547.40. 'An Israeli attack on Iran poses a top ten of our global risk, but Asian markets are expected to recover quickly as they have relatively limited exposure to the conflict and growing ties to unaffected Saudi Arabia and the UAE,' said Xu Tiachen of The Economist Intelligence. On Thursday, U.S. stock indexes ticked higher following another encouraging update on inflation across the country. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 6,045.26. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2% to 42,967.62, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.2% to 19,662.48. Oracle jumped 13.3% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. That helped markets offset a 4.8% loss for Boeing after an Air India plane crashed Thursday, killing more than 240 people. It was the first crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the cause wasn't immediately known. Stocks broadly got some help from easing Treasury yields in the bond market following the latest update on inflation. Thursday's update said inflation at the wholesale level wasn't as bad last month as economists expected, and it followed a report on Wednesday saying something similar about the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling. Wall Street took it as a signal that the Federal Reserve will have more leeway to cut interest rates later this year in order to give the economy a boost. The Federal Reserve has been hesitant to lower interest rates, and it's been on hold this year after cutting at the end of last year, because it's waiting to see how much President Donald Trump's tariffs will hurt the economy and raise inflation. While lower rates can goose the economy by encouraging businesses and households to borrow, they can also accelerate inflation. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.35% from 4.41% late Wednesday and from roughly 4.80% early this year. Besides the inflation data, a separate report on jobless claims also helped to weigh on Treasury yields. It said slightly more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected, and the total number remained at the highest level in eight months. That could be an indication of a rise in layoffs. The Fed's next meeting on interest rates is scheduled for next week, but the nearly unanimous expectation on Wall Street is that it will stand pat again. Traders are betting it's likely to begin cutting in September, according to data from CME Group. Trump's on-and-off tariffs have raised worries about higher inflation and a possible recession, which had sent the S&P 500 roughly 20% below its record a couple months ago. But stocks have since rallied nearly all the way back on hopes that Trump will lower his tariffs after reaching trade deals with other countries. Many of Trump's tariffs are on hold at the moment to give time for negotiations, but Trump added to the uncertainty late Wednesday when he suggested the United States could send letters to other countries at some point 'saying this is the deal. You can take it or you can leave it.'
