Rocket Lab (RKLB) Research & Development (2020 - 2026)
Rocket Lab (RKLB) posted quarterly Research & Development of $80.5 million for Q1 2026, up 46.1% year-over-year from $55.1 million in Q1 2025, and up 2.2% quarter-over-quarter from $78.8 million in Q4 2025.
Rocket Lab (RKLB) Research & Development (2020 - 2026) Analysis & Trends
Rocket Lab's Research & Development history runs 7 years deep, the most recent figure standing at $80.5 million for Q1 2026.
- In Q1 2026, Research & Development rose 46.1% year-over-year to $80.5 million; the TTM figure through Mar 2026 stood at $296.1 million (up 55.04% YoY), while the FY2025 annual figure was $270.7 million, up 55.23% from the prior year.
- Research & Development for Q1 2026 stood at $80.5 million, up from $78.8 million in the prior quarter.
- The five-year high for Research & Development was $80.5 million in Q1 2026, with the low at $13.5 million in Q1 2022.
- The 5-year median for Research & Development is $38.5 million (2024), against an average of $41.8 million.
- The sharpest annual moves came in 2022 and 2023: Research & Development increased 23.39% in 2022, then surged 149.62% in 2023.
- Rocket Lab's Research & Development stood at $15.0 million in 2022, then soared by 149.62% to $37.5 million in 2023, then rose by 28.72% to $48.3 million in 2024, then soared by 63.26% to $78.8 million in 2025, then increased by 2.2% to $80.5 million in 2026.
- Business Quant data shows RKLB's Research & Development at $80.5 million in Q1 2026, $78.8 million in Q4 2025, and $70.7 million in Q3 2025.
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Peer Comparison
| # | Company | Market Cap | Enterprise Value | Gross Profit (Qtr) | R&D (Qtr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Electric | 358.52 Bn | 349.17 Bn | 6.95 Bn | 460.00 Mn |
| 2 | Rtx | 287.21 Bn | 278.91 Bn | 9.91 Bn | 726.00 Mn |
| 3 | Boeing | 170.11 Bn | 150.08 Bn | 2.41 Bn | 921.00 Mn |
| 4 | Lockheed Martin | 131.49 Bn | 127.70 Bn | 2.45 Bn | - |
| 5 | Howmet Aerospace | 109.12 Bn | 108.56 Bn | 951.00 Mn | 8.00 Mn |
| 6 | General Dynamics | 104.21 Bn | 99.88 Bn | 6.76 Bn | - |
| 7 | Northrop Grumman | 80.06 Bn | 77.76 Bn | 3.72 Bn | - |
| 8 | TransDigm | 67.85 Bn | 65.08 Bn | 1.63 Bn | - |
| 9 | L3Harris Technologies | 50.31 Bn | 48.79 Bn | 1.50 Bn | - |
| 10 | Rocket Lab | 45.94 Bn | 43.64 Bn | 84.58 Mn | 82.43 Mn |
Historic Data
Download Data| Date | Value |
|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2026 | 82.43 Mn |
| Mar 31, 2026 | 80.51 Mn |
| Dec 31, 2025 | 78.78 Mn |
| Sep 30, 2025 | 70.69 Mn |
| Jun 30, 2025 | 66.13 Mn |
| Mar 31, 2025 | 55.11 Mn |
| Dec 31, 2024 | 48.26 Mn |
| Sep 30, 2024 | 47.72 Mn |
| Jun 30, 2024 | 39.91 Mn |
| Mar 31, 2024 | 38.50 Mn |
| Dec 31, 2023 | 37.49 Mn |
| Sep 30, 2023 | 26.63 Mn |
| Jun 30, 2023 | 31.04 Mn |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 23.91 Mn |
| Dec 31, 2022 | 15.02 Mn |
| Sep 30, 2022 | 17.51 Mn |
| Jun 30, 2022 | 19.17 Mn |
| Mar 31, 2022 | 13.48 Mn |
| Dec 31, 2021 | 11.97 Mn |
| Sep 30, 2021 | 14.19 Mn |