Aerospace Stocks Q4 Highlights: Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB)

The end of the earnings season is always a good time to take a step back and see who shined (and who not so much). Let’s take a look at how aerospace stocks fared in Q4, starting with Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB).

Aerospace companies often possess technical expertise and have made significant capital investments to produce complex products. It is an industry where innovation is important, and lately, emissions and automation are in focus, so companies that boast advances in these areas can take market share. On the other hand, demand for aerospace products can ebb and flow with economic cycles and geopolitical tensions, which can be particularly painful for companies with high fixed costs.

The 15 aerospace stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues along with next quarter’s revenue guidance were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 7% since the latest earnings results.

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB)

Becoming the first private company in the Southern Hemisphere to reach space, Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) offers rockets designed for launching small satellites.

Rocket Lab reported revenues of $132.4 million, up 121% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.4%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Sir Peter Beck, said: “2024 was a record-setting year for Rocket Lab, with our highest annual revenue ever posted of $436.2 million and a record Q4 2024 revenue of $132.4 million – a 382% increase compared to Q4 2021, our first full quarter following our debut on the Nasdaq as a publicly-traded company. Top achievements across launch and space systems include a record number of 16 launches for Electron in 2024 (a 60% increase in launch cadence compared to 2023) and more than $450 million in newly-secured launch and space systems contracts. We rounded out the year with significant advancement across the Neutron program ahead of a planned debut launch in the second half of 2025. The Company’s strong performance across launch and space systems is foundational to Rocket Lab’s momentum toward delivering its own satellite service as a truly end-to-end space company. This has been bolstered in Q1 2025 with the introduction of our new constellation-class satellite platform designed for mass manufacture, named Flatellite. Applicable to national security, defense, and commercial services, the new satellite also signals a bold, strategic step toward potential paths for operating our own future constellation.”

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Rocket Lab Total Revenue

Rocket Lab achieved the fastest revenue growth of the whole group. The stock is up 2.1% since reporting and currently trades at $20.25.

Is now the time to buy Rocket Lab? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Best Q4: HEICO (NYSE:HEI)

Founded in 1957, HEICO (NYSE:HEI) manufactures and services aerospace and electronic components for commercial aviation, defense, space, and other industries.

HEICO reported revenues of $1.03 billion, up 14.9% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 5.4%. The business had an incredible quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ organic revenue estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.HEICO Total Revenue

The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 10.3% since reporting. It currently trades at $251.34.

Is now the time to buy HEICO? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q4: Boeing (NYSE:BA)

One of the companies that forms a duopoly in the commercial aircraft market, Boeing (NYSE:BA) develops, manufactures, and services commercial airplanes, defense products, and space systems.

Boeing reported revenues of $15.24 billion, down 30.8% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 6.4%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

Boeing delivered the slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 10.2% since the results and currently trades at $157.38.

Read our full analysis of Boeing’s results here.

Astronics (NASDAQ:ATRO)

Integrating power outlets into many Boeing aircraft, Astronics (NASDAQ:ATRO) is a provider of technologies and services to the global aerospace, defense, and electronics industries.

Astronics reported revenues of $208.5 million, up 6.8% year on year. This print beat analysts’ expectations by 7%. It was an exceptional quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Astronics pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The stock is up 20.1% since reporting and currently trades at $24.

Read our full, actionable report on Astronics here, it’s free.

Moog (NYSE:MOG.A)

Responsible for the flight control actuation system integrated in the B-2 stealth bomber, Moog (NYSE:MOG.A) provides precision motion control solutions used in aerospace and defense applications

Moog reported revenues of $910.3 million, up 6.2% year on year. This number surpassed analysts’ expectations by 5.3%. Taking a step back, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also recorded a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates but a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

The stock is down 22.1% since reporting and currently trades at $163.52.

Read our full, actionable report on Moog here, it’s free.

Market Update

The Fed’s interest rate hikes throughout 2022 and 2023 have successfully cooled post-pandemic inflation, bringing it closer to the 2% target. Inflationary pressures have eased without tipping the economy into a recession, suggesting a soft landing. This stability, paired with recent rate cuts (0.5% in September 2024 and 0.25% in November 2024), fueled a strong year for the stock market in 2024. The markets surged further after Donald Trump’s presidential victory in November, with major indices reaching record highs in the days following the election. Still, questions remain about the direction of economic policy, as potential tariffs and corporate tax changes add uncertainty for 2025.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

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