ASTS, RKLB Stocks Sink To Multi-Month Lows While SPCX Holds Steady – Piper Sandler Says Elon Musk's Company Is Yet To Prove Itself
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) and Rocket Lab (RKLB) shares plummeted over 15% and 10% respectively on July 16, 2026, ahead of SpaceX's Starship test flight, even as Piper Sandler initiated coverage of all three space stocks. Piper Sandler named ASTS its preferred pick with an 'Overweight' rating and $100 price target, citing a more palatable valuation and partnerships with major mobile network operators, while assigning RKLB a 'Neutral' rating with an $83 target.
Why it matters: ASTS' decline was compounded by the pricing of a $1 billion convertible senior notes offering with a $79.57 conversion price, and JPMorgan noted the upcoming Starship test outcome could influence sentiment toward SpaceX and its related public equities.
ASTS, RKLB Stocks Sink To Multi-Month Lows While SPCX Holds Steady – Piper Sandler Says Elon Musk's Company Is Yet To Prove Itself
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) and Rocket Lab (RKLB) shares plummeted over 15% and 10% respectively on Thursday, hitting multi-month lows ahead of SpaceX's latest Starship test flight, despite Piper Sandler initiating coverage of all three space-sector names. ASTS's selloff was compounded by the pricing of a $1 billion convertible senior notes offering with a $79.57 conversion price, well above its ~$57 trading level; Piper Sandler assigned an 'Overweight' rating and $100 target, citing ASTS's more palatable valuation and mobile network operator partnerships.
Why it matters: Piper Sandler rated RKLB 'Neutral' with an $83 target, noting its Electron vehicle dominates small-payload launches but trades at a premium to SpaceX, while SpaceX (SPCX) received a 'Neutral' rating and $156 target as Piper Sandler said the market needs more time to be convinced of its AI data center ambitions; SPCX traded flat.
WSB User Blows Up Account: +130% YTD to -10% in Two Weeks After Greedy Put-Selling
A WSB user who was up 130% YTD turned it all around in two weeks by aggressively selling puts on margin, peaking on July 1st with 80 CRWV contracts at $90 strike. After a META article allegedly dropped the stock 20% in two days, they pivoted to a full position in RKLB at $84 and sold CC at cost basis, which worked for a week before the space sector and broader market collapsed, triggering a margin call.
Why it matters: The user chose to liquidate their account rather than let the broker force-sell, vowing to restart with less reckless trading.
ASTS seller blames dilution and sector headwinds, plans re-entry after wash sale period
A trader sold 4,000 ASTS shares near $67, citing negative pressure from Musk-related holdings and an upcoming share lockup expiration. ASTS diluted shares after hours despite previous assurances that the last raise was sufficient, further souring sentiment.
Why it matters: The seller plans to wait 31 days for the wash sale rule to expire before potentially re-entering, hoping to offset losses with other gains.
Young trader loses everything on space stocks RKLB and ASTS
A 19-year-old trader lost $15k swing trading RKLB and ASTS after they dumped post-IPO. He bought calls on margin, faced repeated margin calls, and eventually lost everything.
Why it matters: Despite prior success managing his mother's savings, he fell for volatility and quick gains.