A newly released disclosure showed accounts held on Trump’s behalf bought SpaceX shares on July 10 and sold some on July 17.
- SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell filed notice of a proposed sale of 342,170 shares valued at nearly $52 million.
- The proposed sale falls within a trading plan Shotwell adopted in June covering up to 585,605 shares.
- SpaceX is targeting no earlier than Sept.28 for Starship’s first orbital flight, which aims to deploy 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites.
Shares of SpaceX (SPCX) slipped 0.3% overnight heading into Wednesday after President and COO Gwynne Shotwell filed to sell stock valued at nearly $52 million, while a separate disclosure showed that investment accounts held on U.S. President Donald Trump’s behalf bought and sold the company’s shares in July.
SPCX stock rose 2% on Tuesday to $154.72, snapping two straight sessions of losses.
SpaceX Trading Disclosures Draw Attention
Shotwell’s latest regulatory filing announces a proposed sale of 342,170 shares with an aggregate market value of $51.96 million. The company acquired the shares on Tuesday through a cash exercise of stock options.
SpaceX disclosed in its first quarterly filing after going public that Shotwell adopted a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan on June 23 covering up to 585,605 shares. It said most of her holdings remained subject to an extended lock-up. The shares listed in Tuesday’s sale notice fall within that plan’s disclosed limit.
Separately, a financial disclosure released on Tuesday showed a $15,001-to-$50,000 purchase of SpaceX stock on July 10 in accounts held on Trump’s behalf, followed by a $1,001-to-$15,000 sale on July 17. Disclosures from last month also showed that accounts held on Trump’s behalf bought between $15,001 and $50,000 of SpaceX shares on June 23.
“Neither President Trump nor any member of his family has any ability to direct, influence, or provide input regarding how the portfolio is invested or when investments are bought or sold,” White House spokesman Davis Ingle told CNBC. His ownership of SpaceX shares has drawn attention because the company holds major NASA and Defense Department contracts.
Starship’s First Orbital Test Looms
The trading disclosures come ahead of SpaceX’s next major operational test. The company is targeting no earlier than Sept.28 for Starship Flight 14, which is intended to send the upper stage into Earth orbit for the first time and deploy 26 operational Starlink V3 satellites. The 10-hour mission calls for six orbits before the spacecraft splashes down in the Pacific.
The test comes as SpaceX prepares to shift more launches from Falcon 9 to Starship. WSJ reported that some commercial customers have struggled to book Falcon 9 flights beyond 2028 and are seeking other ways to reach orbit. SpaceX is winding down Falcon 9 production, though the rocket is expected to fly for years more, particularly on government missions, while Starship is developed.
How Do Retail Traders Feel About SPCX?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for SPCX slipped to ‘neutral’ from ‘bullish’ levels a day ago amid a 74% jump in 24-hour message volumes.
One user said, “$SPCX Sophisticated institutional players know they can get a huge supply of stock soon. They're sitting on the offers now and will short more heavily when buyers get exhausted.”
View this Stocktwits post
Another user said, “$SPCX Everyone is waiting for November to short this. Might as well do it now. The entire thing is built on dreams and hope, meanwhile the insiders cash out and run. It looks like a scam.”
View this Stocktwits post
SPCX stock has declined 4% over the past three months.
For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<
