--- title: "Weekly Recap | Rocket Lab -25.47%, Neutron debut slips to 2027" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/302174652.md" description: "Rocket Lab fell 25.47% this week to close at $50.84, underperforming the S&P 500 by roughly 23.52 percentage points amid a 1.95% decline for the benchmark. The stock slid every day into the close: Monday opened at $67.88 and finished at $65.71, Tuesday settled at $64.22, and Wednesday widened losses to $59.18. Thursday printed a weekly low of $49.693 before closing at $55.25; Friday ended at $50.84. Volatility was extreme, with a 27." datetime: "2026-10-17T08:03:09.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/302174652.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/302174652.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/302174652.md) generator: "portal-rs" --- # Weekly Recap | Rocket Lab -25.47%, Neutron debut slips to 2027 ## The Week Rocket Lab fell 25.47% this week to close at $50.84, underperforming the S&P 500 by roughly 23.52 percentage points amid a 1.95% decline for the benchmark. The stock slid every day into the close: Monday opened at $67.88 and finished at $65.71, Tuesday settled at $64.22, and Wednesday widened losses to $59.18. Thursday printed a weekly low of $49.693 before closing at $55.25; Friday ended at $50.84. Volatility was extreme, with a 27.07% weekly amplitude and average daily volume of roughly 25.6m shares, about 37% above the 60-day median. ## Key Events The week revolved around the Neutron launch timeline. After Wednesday’s close, Rocket Lab updated its Neutron development status and adjusted target launch timing, and by Thursday the news had spread that the maiden flight was pushed into 2027. The stock dropped more than 9% intraday and hit its lowest level since December. The company still holds a $2.4bn backlog, which became a focal point as investors weighed the longer wait against existing orders. Sentiment was also pressured by the broader market, with chip and AI-linked names under stress; the Nasdaq closed 2% lower on Friday and finished the week down more than 4%, while Rocket Lab’s drawdown ran deeper over the same stretch. ## Analyst Ratings As of 16 October, 22 institutions cover Rocket Lab: 12 rate it buy, 5 overweight, 4 hold, and 1 no opinion, with zero underweight or sell ratings. The consensus rating is buy, with a consensus target of $102.15, implying about 100.92% upside from the current price. The target range is wide—$64 at the low end and $150 at the high end—reflecting disagreement over the Neutron delay. The stock ranks 12th out of 86 in the aerospace and defence sector. KeyBanc kept its overweight rating with a $100 target, Citizens maintained market outperform at $90, Stifel reiterated a $132 target, while Goldman Sachs cut its target to $67. ## The Week Ahead There is no Rocket Lab earnings or company event on next week’s calendar. Macro data will centre on housing: NAHB Housing Market Index on Monday, 19 October, followed by housing starts and building permits on Tuesday, 20 October; EIA weekly crude and Cushing inventories are due on Wednesday, 21 October. For Rocket Lab, the key carry-over from this week is whether the market fully prices the 2027 Neutron window. Watch for further updates on development milestones and order execution, as well as option flow around the 23 October expiry. ## In Short Rocket Lab’s price action tracked its news flow closely this week: the Neutron debut slipped into 2027, and the stock lost about a quarter of its value, returning to lows last seen in December. Support and disagreement sit side by side. Of 22 covering institutions, only 4 are neutral and none are underweight or sell, with consensus target at $102.15. At the same time, earnings are still negative, the price-to-book ratio sits at 8.71, and the latest session showed large-lot money as a net buyer while mid- and small-lot flows were mixed. The question now is whether Rocket Lab can set clearer milestones for the new Neutron timeline, and whether analysts’ revised 2027 revenue assumptions stabilise after this week’s target cuts. *This article is generated by LongbridgeAI from market data, for information only and not investment advice.* ### Related Stocks - [RKLB.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RKLB.US.md) - [RKLX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RKLX.US.md) - [RKLZ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RKLZ.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [MISSION SUCCESS: Rocket Lab Launches 98th Electron Mission | RKLB Stock News](https://longbridge.com/en/news/302848386.md) - [Down Nearly 65% From Its 52-Week High, Has Rocket Lab Stock Become a Bargain Buy?](https://longbridge.com/en/news/303246098.md) - [Rocket Lab just had the worst week in its history. Here's what I'd do with the stock now.](https://longbridge.com/en/news/302598445.md) - [‘Can’t See the Forest for the Trees,’ Says Investor About Rocket Lab Stock](https://longbridge.com/en/news/302733975.md) - [Rocket Lab Just Had Another Setback. Here’s Why I’m Finally Buying the Stock Anyway](https://longbridge.com/en/news/302545565.md) --- > **Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.**