Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest bought 160,890 Rocket Lab shares for its flagship ARK Innovation ETF worth about $12.7 million at current levels.
- CFO Adam Spice gifted 30,000 Rocket Lab shares worth about $2.5 million based on Monday’s closing price.
- Spice retained more than 1.4 million shares, directly and indirectly owned, valued at $116.2 million at Monday’s close.
- Rocket Lab joined the U.S. Space Force’s Space Data Network Consortium and secured two delivery orders worth a combined $12 million.
Shares of Rocket Lab (RKLB) rose 1% overnight late Tuesday after Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment Management added 160,890 shares, while CFO Adam Spice disclosed a $2.5 million share gift amid a string of U.S. Space Force wins and satellite milestones this week.
RKLB stock fell 4% on Tuesday to finish the session at $79.16.
CFO Gifts, Cathie Wood Buys RKLB
A fresh regulatory filing late Tuesday showed that Spice disposed of 30,000 Rocket Lab shares, worth about $2.5 million based on Monday’s closing price, through a bona fide gift that day. The recipient was not disclosed. After the transaction, Spice owned 1.17 million shares and held another 250,000 indirectly through a trust, leaving him with total disclosed ownership of more than 1.4 million shares valued at $116.2 million at Monday’s close.
Meanwhile, Cathie Wood’s Ark Investment Management added 160,890 Rocket Lab shares to its flagship ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) on Tuesday. The purchase was worth about $12.7 million based on RKLB’s current market price and represented 0.2% of the ETF.
The filing followed several defense-related developments Rocket Lab announced this week. On Tuesday, the company said it had joined the U.S. Space Force’s Space Data Network Consortium and received two delivery orders worth a combined $12 million. Rocket Lab will support the development of a secure, high-speed military communications network and conduct an in-orbit demonstration using a Photon spacecraft in 2027.
“This represents a significant opportunity to leverage Rocket Lab’s vertically integrated capabilities to help ensure seamless interoperability and global connectivity for the Joint Force,” CEO Peter Beck said.
Rocket Lab also joined the Space Force’s NITE-STAR program, which has a $981 million contract ceiling. Its selection makes the company eligible to compete for future orders covering spacecraft, software, ground systems and mission operations.
Rocket Lab Wins Military Satellite Work
Also this week, Viasat (VSAT) selected Rocket Lab to build a geosynchronous satellite bus for the Space Force’s Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global program. The spacecraft will use Rocket Lab’s Lightning-GEO platform and carry Viasat’s dual-band payload, providing secure, anti-jam communications for U.S. and allied forces.
Rocket Lab began the week by announcing that eight satellite platforms it built for MDA Space had successfully reached orbit and established contact with ground controllers. The spacecraft represent the first batch of 17 platforms produced under a $143 million agreement supporting Globalstar’s direct-to-device communications and Internet of Things network.
All eight satellites were performing nominally and generating power after their Aug. 15 launch, according to the company. The 500-kilogram spacecraft are customized versions of Rocket Lab’s Lightning platform, which is also being produced for several defense missions, including Space Development Agency constellations.
How Do Retail Traders Feel About RKLB?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for RKLB was ‘bearish’ at a one-year low of 34/100 amid ‘low’ message volume.
One user said “nothing good is going to happen for the next couple of months” until Neutron successfully launches, citing Rocket Lab’s “enormous” valuation while maintaining belief in its long-term success.
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Another user said, “$RKLB when will people learn this company only exists for neutron. It is the reason no amount of contracts or news will raise this massively overpriced ticker higher.”
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RKLB stock has jumped 76% over the past year.
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