Rocket Lab Stock Shoots For The Stars As Big Q4 Outlook Outweighs Neutron Delay — Retail Traders Fired Up

• The company has already matched last year's tally of 16 launches and remains on course to end the year with 20-plus launches, setting a new record.
• Rocket Lab said its Neutron rocket will not make its debut till the first quarter of 2026, dashing hopes of a launch within this year.
• The company said it has sufficient liquidity to pursue additional deals.

Rocket Lab USA’s (RKLB) stock gained over 7% in extended trading on Monday after the company projected fourth-quarter revenue above Wall Street’s estimates before adding that it remains on track for a record number of launches this year.

What Helped Drive The Beat?

The launch services provider reported third-quarter revenue of $155.1 million, while analysts estimated revenue of $151.7 million, according to Fiscal.ai data. The firm’s net loss for the three months ended Sept. 30 narrowed to $0.03, compared with $0.10 a year earlier.

“With progress across our major space systems programs, record backlog of contracts for our launch services business, and well-timed, strategic M&A in growth areas that are well aligned with next-generation defense programs like Golden Dome and the Space Development Agency’s future constellations, our momentum is strong and we’re poised to deliver long-term exciting growth,” CEO Peter Beck said.

The company has already matched last year's tally of 16 launches and remains on course to end the year with 20-plus launches, setting a new record. The company ended the third quarter with a backlog of $1.1 billion and expects to convert 57% of it into revenue over the next 12 months.

Rocket Lab projected fourth-quarter revenue of $170 million and $180 million, which will set a new record for a three-month period. The midpoint of the forecast was higher than analysts’ average estimate of $172.4 million.

Much-Anticipated Neutron Launch Delayed

Rocket Lab said its Neutron rocket will not make its debut till the first quarter of 2026, dashing hopes of a launch within this year. The spacecraft was expected to take off as early as 2024, but was later pushed to at least late 2025.

Beck said that the firm needs a “bit more time to retire the risks” related to the launch of the ambitious rocket. “We don't want to learn something during Neutron’s first flight that could be learned on the ground during the testing phase,” he added.

The Neutron rocket is being designed to be more powerful than its Electron rocket. It will enable the company to enter the highly lucrative medium-lift market, directly competing with SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.

However, Beck has previously insisted that Rocket Lab will not rush into any launches, unlike its much bigger rival, SpaceX. The Elon Musk-led company follows the "fail fast, learn faster" approach, prioritizing learning from its mistakes and quickly moving on to the next test.

What Are Stocktwits Users Thinking?

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits about Rocket Lab moved to ‘extremely bullish’ from ‘bullish’ a day ago at the time of writing, while chatter was ‘high.’

“Generational company, huge moat, now on the brink of profitability even with Neutron spending. Underlying core business is a profitable powerhouse, and Neutron just opens an order of magnitude scaling to that foundation,” one user said.

Another trader said that people who bought the stock at $70s will be in profit on Tuesday, suggesting a spike from its current level of $51.90.

More Deals On The Horizon

Rocket Lab stock has already more than doubled this year, and the company is bolstering satellite-making capabilities alongside other technological developments to tap into anticipated contracts such as for the Golden Dome defense system. It has already bought electro-optical and infrared sensor maker Geost for up to $325 million and is looking to complete the deal for German laser communications company Mynaric.

“As for what's next, we've built up our dry powder for future M&A with more than $1 billion in liquidity following the market offering program implemented in September. It was a very strategic move to lock in capital that will allow us to act quickly on some of the exciting opportunities in the pipeline,” Beck added.

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