--- title: "Cantor Fitzgerald Raises Rocket Lab Stock Price Target after Q2 Earnings, Calls Neutron 'the Most Material Catalyst'" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/295554688.md" description: "Cantor Fitzgerald raised Rocket Lab's (RKLB) price target from $96 to $122, citing Neutron as the primary catalyst. Despite a wider Q2 loss and stock dip, revenue beat estimates at $234.07 million. Analyst Andres Sheppard highlighted Neutron's potential to challenge SpaceX, strong launch records, a $2.36 billion backlog, and the Iridium acquisition as key drivers for future profitability and market dominance." datetime: "2026-08-11T14:59:34.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/295554688.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295554688.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/295554688.md) --- # Cantor Fitzgerald Raises Rocket Lab Stock Price Target after Q2 Earnings, Calls Neutron 'the Most Material Catalyst' Rocket Lab (RKLB) stock is down over 4% at the market open today after the company reported mixed Q2 2026 results. Investors grew cautious as Peter Beck warned that the window for an end-of-year launch for Neutron's first-stage rocket is "narrowing." Still, four-star-rated analyst Andres Sheppard at Cantor Fitzgerald lifted his price target on RKLB from $96 to $122, calling Neutron "the most material catalyst." On TipRanks, Sheppard is a four-star-rated analyst and ranks #2,437 among more than 12,000 tracked analysts. ### Claim 55% Off TipRanks SPCX has a long & short ETF? Explore SPCM & SPCG For context, Rocket Lab reported a Q2 loss of $0.08 per share, wider than the $0.07 loss expected by analysts. Revenue reached a record $234.07 million, beating estimates of $231.35 million. ## **Cantor Stays Bullish on Neutron Progress** Sheppard stated that Neutron is the key catalyst for RKLB stock. Rocket Lab said its first-stage tank is in final assembly and on track to reach the launchpad in Q4 2026. The second-stage tank is also set to ship to Launch Complex 3 for final testing. The analyst believes once operational, Neutron could become the most direct alternative to SpaceX's (SPCX) Falcon 9. He also expects strong demand for Neutron to improve Rocket Lab's margins and speed up its path to profitability. He pointed out that management is targeting up to 20 launches per engine and expects each launch to generate $50 million to $55 million in revenue. Notably, Rocket Lab's Neutron is being built as a medium-lift rocket with a payload capacity of about 13,000 kg, far above Electron's roughly 300 kg capacity. ## **Launches and Iridium Deal Strengthen the Bull Case** Apart from Neutron, Sheppard sees Rocket Lab's launch record as another key strength. He stated that the company has completed 92 successful Electron and HASTE launches. Rocket Lab also had a record $2.36 billion backlog at the end of Q2, including more than 90 launches. Management expects about 46% of the backlog to convert into revenue within 12 months. More broadly, Sheppard views the orbital launch market as largely "supply constrained" and believes Rocket Lab is "best positioned to capitalize on the growing demand both through Electron/Haste, and via the upcoming Neutron." Lastly, Sheppard praised Rocket Lab's planned acquisition of Iridium Communications (IRDM). Iridium operates a global LEO satellite network with more than 60 active satellites and 10 on-orbit spares. Sheppard expects the deal to open new markets and contract opportunities by combining Iridium's infrastructure and spectrum with Rocket Lab's space capabilities. He also expects the combined company to roughly double annual revenue once the deal closes. Management is targeting a closing by mid-2027, though Iridium is not yet included in current estimates. ## **Is RKLB a Good Stock to Buy?** According to TipRanks, RKLB stock has received a Strong Buy consensus rating, with 14 Buys and four Holds assigned in the last three months. The average price target for Rocket Lab is $111.50, suggesting a potential upside of 39.08% from the current level. ### Related Stocks - [IRDM.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/IRDM.US.md) - [RKLB.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RKLB.US.md) - [RKLX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RKLX.US.md) - [VCX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VCX.US.md) - [SATS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SATS.US.md) - [PL.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PL.US.md) - [ASTS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ASTS.US.md) - [DXYZ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/DXYZ.US.md) - [JEDI.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/JEDI.US.md) - [ITA.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ITA.US.md) - [PPA.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PPA.US.md) - [UFO.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/UFO.US.md) - [ROKT.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ROKT.US.md) - [ARKX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ARKX.US.md) - [XAR.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/XAR.US.md) - [PLU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/PLU.US.md) - [ASTX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ASTX.US.md) - [ASUP.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ASUP.US.md) - [ASTN.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/ASTN.US.md) - [RKLZ.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/RKLZ.US.md) - [159241.CN](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/159241.CN.md) - [SPCX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SPCX.US.md) - [SPCM.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SPCM.US.md) - [SPCG.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SPCG.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [RKLB Stock Price Forecast: What Technical Analysis Says Right Now](https://longbridge.com/en/news/296114976.md) - [Top Analyst Weighs In on Rocket Lab Stock After Post-Earnings Slump](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295472353.md) - [Rocket Lab’s Record Quarter Still Left Investors Waiting on Neutron](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295551097.md) - [Rocket Lab Says It Has 'More Upside' on Rocket Prices](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295568524.md) - [Rocket Lab's CEO Wants His Company to Become a 'Self-Licking Ice Cream'— Here's What That Means](https://longbridge.com/en/news/295513996.md)