Rocket Lab Stock Gained 118% Over the Past Year. Is It Time to Buy?

Rocket Lab shares gained 118% over the past year as the company expands its rocket-launch and satellite ambitions. The firm, listed on NASDAQ as RKLB, reported a record Q1 2026 with 31 launch contracts, selling more launches in the quarter than in all of 2025. Sales rose nearly 64% to $200 million, exceeding a Wall Street consensus estimate of about $189 million, while losses narrowed to $0.07 per share versus a $0.08 estimate and $0.12 a year earlier. The growth narrative includes a planned acquisition of Iridium Communications (NASDAQ: IRDM) valued at nearly $8 billion in a half-stock, half-cash deal, expected to close in the first half of 2027. Iridium, with services for 2.5 million subscribers, generated more than $114 million in net earnings in 2025.