For the last five years, the narrative between retail and institutional investors has been one of battle. Retail traders chased hype, while institutions stuck to the numbers. Due to fundamental differences between the two strategies, these two groups were usually on opposite sides of the trade.
However, 2026 has brought upheaval to the battlefield that may change how some play the market. According to a new report from J.P. Morgan (NYSE: JPM), the retail trading army has migrated away from the meme stocks and artificial intelligence (AI) plays of the past. Retail trading's latest obsession is the space technology sector.
In previous years, Wall Street's top investors might have warned against following the crowd. But this time, the smart money is following the retail trend. On January 16, 2026, Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) issued a report that effectively validated the entire sector. The investment bank signaled that the Orbital Economy is no longer a science project; it is an industrial asset class ready for harvest.
When Main Street enthusiasm meets Wall Street validation, it creates a powerful setup for stock price growth. Let’s breakdown the specific stocks at the center of this rare alignment.
Rocket Lab: The Apple of Space Gets an Upgrade
Rocket Lab USA (NASDAQ: RKLB) is the perfect example of this new market unity. For years, it has been a favorite among retail investors due to its transparent CEO and frequent launches. Now, the institutions are catching up.
Rocket Lab received two significant analyst upgrades in a week. First, on Jan. 16, 2026, Morgan Stanley officially upgraded the company to an Overweight rating, raising its price target to $105.
This was quickly followed by an upgrade on Jan. 20 from Bank of America, which doubled its price target from $60 to $120.
Together, the banks have now set a new, bolder price target consensus of $112.50, suggesting healthy upside from the stock's recent trading range of around $86.
The analysts cited the company's transition from a small-rocket launcher to a large-scale infrastructure provider as the key driver.
Navigating the Turbulence
The stock recently faced a test of faith. On Jan. 21, 2026, the company suffered a structural failure during a pressure test of its new Neutron rocket tank. In the past, news like this might have caused a panic sell-off.
However, the stock has shown remarkable resilience, dipping only about 10%. Why? Because the company is sitting on a massive financial safety net: an $816 million contract with the Space Development Agency (SDA). Additionally, progress continues with the arrival of the new Hungry Hippo payload fairings at the launch site. This mix of government backing and tangible progress gives investors confidence to look past temporary testing setbacks.
AST SpaceMobile: Squeezing the Skeptics
If Rocket Lab is the steady industrial play, AST SpaceMobile (NASDAQ: ASTS) is the high-octane battleground. The company is attempting a technological feat that many thought was impossible: connecting standard cell phones directly to satellites for broadband data.
Understanding the Short Squeeze
AST SpaceMobile is currently trading around $108, but it remains one of the most controversial stocks on the market. Approximately 15% of its available shares are sold short.
Short selling is a bet that the stock price will go down. When a stock with high short interest receives good news, the price jumps. This forces short sellers to buy stock to close their losing bets, driving the price even higher. This chain reaction is called a short squeeze.
The February Catalyst
The fuse for this potential squeeze could be lit very soon. Investors are laser-focused on late February 2026, when the BlueBird 7 satellite is scheduled to launch on a Blue Origin rocket.
Following the launch, the company plans to activate beta commercial service with AT&T (NYSE: T) in the first half of the year. If these satellites successfully deliver high-speed data to unmodified phones, the bear case falls apart. While insiders like American Tower (NYSE: AMT) have sold some shares to lock in gains after a massive run-up, the retail base has held the line, waiting for this specific moment of truth.
The Runners: Real Revenue, Real Rockets
For investors who prefer balance sheets over buzz, the sector offers two quieter, financially robust options.
Planet Labs: The Data Machine
Planet Labs (NYSE: PL) is often called the Bloomberg Terminal of Earth. It launches satellites and then sells the data that those satellites collect.
- The Sovereign Shift: Governments worldwide are increasingly nervous about geopolitical stability. This has driven demand for Sovereign Cloud data, dedicated intelligence for specific nations.
- The Scoreboard: This demand helped Planet Labs deliver $81.3 million in revenue last quarter. With the successful launch of their high-tech Pelican-5 and 6 satellites, they are upgrading their product just as demand is peaking.
Intuitive Machines: The Lunar Leader
Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ: LUNR) is unique because it is one of the few growth stocks with a fortress balance sheet.
- Cash is King: The company holds over $600 million in cash with very limited debt. In a high-interest-rate world, not paying interest on debt is a massive advantage.
- The Next Mission: The stock, trading near $20, is gearing up for the IM-2 and IM-3 missions to the moon in the first half of 2026. Unlike its competitors, Intuitive Machines has the cash reserves to survive delays, making it a lower-risk option for exposure to the lunar economy.
Don't Pick the Winner: Buy the Whole Race
Investing in space is exciting, but it is also volatile. Rockets explode. Tests fail. Delays happen. For investors who want to participate in the growth without sweating every single launch window, the Procure Space ETF (NASDAQ: UFO) is the most logical tool.
This Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) acts like a basket.
It holds shares in Rocket Lab, AST SpaceMobile, Planet Labs, and other global players, including MDA Space (a popular non-market space economy company).
- The Trade-off: You likely won't see a 50% gain in a single day like you might with AST SpaceMobile.
- The Benefit: If one company has a bad week, the others can hold the portfolio up.
- The Numbers: The fund is trading around $47 and has delivered a massive +92% return over the past year. It even pays a small dividend, offering a modest income while you wait for the sector to mature.
The Era of Concept Stocks Is Over
The convergence of the J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley reports with the enthusiasm of the retail investor is exceptionally significant. Rarely do the advanced mathematical models of the world's largest banks align so perfectly with the excitement of the general public.
The Orbital Economy has graduated. It is no longer about colorful PowerPoint presentations and promises of future glory. In 2026, the revenue is real, the rockets are flying, and the contracts are signed. While volatility is guaranteed, the trend is undeniable: Space is open for business, and Wall Street is finally buying tickets.
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The article "Space Stock Boom: Why Retail and Wall Street Are Aligning" first appeared on MarketBeat.
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