Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:RKLB) Reports Q3 Earnings

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. shares surged over 35% in premarket trading on Wednesday following the announcement of its Q3 earnings and the acquisition of its first customer for the Neutron rocket.

Financial Highlights

• Quarterly Revenue: $104.8 million (up 55% from $67.6 million in Q3 last year)
• Wall Street Forecast: $102 million (surpassed)
• Net Loss: $51.9 million (widened from $40.6 million YoY)
• Loss Per Share: 10 cents (better than analysts’ forecast of 11 cents)

Future Projections

For Q4, Rocket Lab forecasts revenue between $125 million and $135 million, setting the annual revenue expectation at about $430 million.

Neutron Rocket Contract

The company secured its first Neutron rocket launch contract with a "confidential commercial satellite constellation operator" for two missions slated for mid-2026. The contract pricing aligns with the previously set target of around $50 million per launch.

Stifel analyst Erik Rasmussen remarked that the contract opens more substantial launch opportunities for Rocket Lab, aligning with the increased confidence in achieving its first Neutron test flight in mid-2025.

Q3 Revenue Growth

Much of the revenue growth came from the Space Systems division, which generated $83.9 million (up from $46.3 million the previous year). The Launch division contributed $21 million, approximately matching last year’s figure.

Analysts from KeyBanc Capital Markets noted the significance of Rocket Lab's vertically integrated model, which differentiates it from peers, and expressed optimism about the company’s growth potential, particularly in its Space Systems division.