Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. Buys New Shares in Rocket Lab Corporation $RKLB

Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. bought a new position in shares of Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 83,243 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock, valued at approximately $8,462,000.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Mcguire Capital Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Rocket Lab in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Zions Bancorporation National Association UT acquired a new stake in shares of Rocket Lab in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $28,000. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Rocket Lab by 109.5% in the second quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 796 shares of the rocket manufacturer’s stock valued at $28,000 after buying an additional 416 shares in the last quarter. Gordian Capital Singapore Pte Ltd acquired a new position in Rocket Lab during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Reflection Asset Management bought a new stake in Rocket Lab during the fourth quarter worth $30,000. 71.78% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Rocket Lab Stock Performance

NASDAQ RKLB opened at $72.57 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $43.42 billion, a PE ratio of -268.77 and a beta of 2.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 4.98 and a current ratio of 5.48. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $81.86 and a 200-day moving average of $85.29. Rocket Lab Corporation has a 52-week low of $37.57 and a 52-week high of $151.00.

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 10th. The rocket manufacturer reported ($0.08) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.06) by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $234.07 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $231.62 million. Rocket Lab had a negative net margin of 21.51% and a negative return on equity of 6.48%. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Rocket Lab Corporation will post -0.2 EPS for the current year.

Trending Headlines about Rocket Lab

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

• Positive Sentiment: Rocket Lab successfully completed its 93rd Electron mission, deploying an Earth-imaging satellite for Japan’s iQPS. The launch was the company’s 14th of 2026 and extended a 100% success streak for iQPS missions. Nine additional dedicated iQPS launches are booked through 2030, supporting future revenue visibility. Rocket Lab launches 93rd Electron mission
• Positive Sentiment: Recent U.S. Space Force and defense awards are strengthening Rocket Lab’s position as a national-security contractor. Highlights include participation in the NITE-STAR program, with a potential ceiling of $981 million, a protected military communications satellite-bus role, the $397 million Flatellite contract, and a record $266 million missile-defense launch award. The company’s backlog reportedly exceeds $2.3 billion.
• Positive Sentiment: CEO Peter Beck said the proposed $8 billion Iridium acquisition is intended to expand Rocket Lab’s satellite-communications capabilities without directly competing with SpaceX’s Starlink. Management is positioning the deal as a differentiated communications offering, although investors will weigh its strategic benefits against transaction and execution risks. Rocket Lab CEO discusses Iridium deal
• Neutral Sentiment: Analysts remain broadly optimistic, with a reported median price target of $120 and a separate consensus average of $110.65. However, these targets depend heavily on continued contract growth and successful Neutron development.
• Negative Sentiment: Rocket Lab remains unprofitable and recently missed quarterly EPS expectations despite beating revenue estimates. Heavy spending on Neutron has pressured margins, while a first-stage tank issue has pushed Neutron’s debut to the fourth quarter, delaying a major potential growth catalyst.
• Negative Sentiment: Valuation remains demanding after the sell-off, with the company trading at a very high sales multiple and carrying a negative earnings profile. In addition, reports show extensive insider selling—including sales by CEO Peter Beck—without reported insider purchases, which may weigh on sentiment.
• Negative Sentiment: Higher oil prices and rising long-term interest rates have raised concerns about an economic slowdown and weaker industrial orders across aerospace-related stocks. The post-IPO volatility in SpaceX has also continued to pressure the broader space sector.

Insider Activity at Rocket Lab

In other news, CEO Peter Beck sold 990,960 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.86, for a total value of $82,110,945.60. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,724,221 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $142,868,952.06. This represents a 36.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Marvin Bradford Clevenger sold 3,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.67, for a total value of $513,345.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 473,975 shares in the company, valued at approximately $69,517,913.25. This trade represents a 0.73% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 3,749,294 shares of company stock valued at $351,008,208. Insiders own 8.40% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have recently commented on RKLB. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a research report on Tuesday, August 11th. KeyCorp reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Rocket Lab in a report on Tuesday, August 11th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price target on Rocket Lab from $73.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 12th. Citizens Jmp restated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $130.00 price objective on shares of Rocket Lab in a research note on Tuesday, August 11th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Rocket Lab from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, August 15th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, thirteen have given a Buy rating, five have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $110.65.

Rocket Lab 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.