Rocket Lab Shares Plunge 3.53% with $930M in Trading Volume Ranking 98th as $275M Geost Acquisition Bolsters Missile Defense and Space Surveillance Capabilities

On August 12, 2025, Rocket Lab (RKLB) fell 3.53% with a trading volume of $0.93 billion, ranking 98th among stocks on the day. The company finalized its acquisition of Geost, a developer of electro-optical and infrared sensor systems, for $275 million in cash and stock, expanding its capabilities in missile warning, tracking, and space domain awareness. The deal, announced in May, includes potential earnouts tied to future revenue targets and adds Geost’s advanced technologies to Rocket Lab’s mission-critical space solutions.

Rocket Lab’s integration of Geost’s capabilities positions it as a key player in next-generation defense initiatives such as the U.S. military’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. Geost’s expertise in resilient payloads and classified missions aligns with Rocket Lab’s focus on scalable, secure space systems. The acquisition also strengthens Rocket Lab’s manufacturing footprint in Arizona and Virginia, enhancing its production capacity for EO/IR technologies critical to national security programs.

CEO Sir Peter Beck emphasized the strategic value of combining Geost’s sensing technologies with Rocket Lab’s rapid deployment capabilities, while Geost’s leadership highlighted the opportunity to scale innovations in national defense. The transaction underscores Rocket Lab’s commitment to expanding its end-to-end mission solutions amid growing demand for space-based surveillance and missile defense systems.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day resulted in a total profit of $2,940 from December 2021 to August 2025. The period saw a maximum drawdown of $-1,960, an average daily return of 0.24%, a Sharpe ratio of 0.67, and a peak Sharpe ratio of 1.2 over the past four years.