A huge catalyst is about to hit the market…
You might have already heard the rumblings…
It’s SpaceX’s multi-billion-dollar IPO.
I’ve got a watchlist full of stocks running alongside the hype.
The actual SpaceX ticker isn’t on my watchlist (SPCX)… It’s not public yet. But we can still take an early chunk of this momentum without buying the IPO.
It’s one of the biggest stories in the market right now. And it’s slated to be the biggest IPO in history.
IPOs are already historically volatile… It’s the first time traders have an opportunity to influence a company’s market value.
- Optimistic longs are buying.
- Pessimistic shorts are selling.
- And traders on both sides look for gains in between.
With an IPO like SpaceX… valued well over $1 trillion, I expect incredible volatility from the market.
We’re already starting to see that momentum.
And the best trade setups won’t come from SpaceX…
The Biggest IPO in History
SpaceX filed its S-1 with the SEC on May 20. And the numbers are staggering.
The company targets a valuation of around $2 trillion on listing day. That puts SpaceX in the same boat as hegemons like Apple, Microsoft, and NVIDIA.
The expected listing date is June 12, 2026.
SpaceX is looking to raise as much as $75 billion through the IPO, crushing Saudi Aramco’s $29.4 billion offering from 2019 as the largest IPO ever recorded.
Here’s the part that should grab your attention:
SpaceX is reportedly allocating 30% of the float to retail investors.
The typical mega-cap IPO sends 5% to 10% to retail traders… SpaceX is tripling that.
Whether it’s a publicity stunt or a real attempt to juice demand remains to be seen. Either way, the move is drawing eyeballs from every corner of the market.
And that’s gold for traders.
SpaceX by the Numbers
The financials tell two stories…
The good:
- Revenue of $18.67 billion in 2025, up 33% year-over-year.
- Starlink alone generated $11.39 billion in revenue.
- Cantor Fitzgerald and Roth analysts both describe SpaceX’s grip on orbital launch as “monopolistic.”
The bad:
- A $4.94 billion net loss for full-year 2025.
- A $4.28 billion loss in Q1 2026 alone.
- An accumulated deficit of $41.3 billion, mostly tied to AI infrastructure spending and the xAI merger.
Bulls call this investing in growth. Bears call it a cash incinerator.
I’m not picking a side. Because I’m not trading the IPO directly.
The Real Setups
Sympathy plays are where the real money is.
For one… we can’t trade SpaceX until the IPO. And waiting until June 12 would mean we’re leaving weeks of momentum on the table.
The anticipation and volatility are building NOW.
Secondly, when it goes public, we won’t be able to trade the options for a few weeks. That’s how it works with IPOs: the options aren’t available right away.
I’m not waiting for SpaceX. The entire sector is ripping right now. Here’s where I’m focusing my energy…
Space Stock #1: AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS)
ASTS builds the BlueBird satellite constellation.
The idea is a cellular broadband network in space that any smartphone can connect to directly, no tower required.
The stock just surged past $120 per share, up 415% over the past year. This is a chart I’d watch for a pullback to the breakout level.
Space Stock #2: Intuitive Machines, Inc. (NASDAQ: LUNR)
LUNR is a lunar infrastructure play. The company builds Nova-C lunar landers and runs delivery missions for NASA, the DoD, and commercial customers.
It also boasts lunar data network contracts and AI-powered space data services.
The stock just bounced off $30 per share and spiked past $40. It’s up 213% over the past year.
I’m watching this one carefully. Parabolic charts work until they don’t. A failure to reclaim $40 opens the door for put setups. And bulls need a clean break above the recent highs for continued momentum.
Space Stock #3: Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ: RKLB)
RKLB is the most established launch company outside of SpaceX itself.
They run Electron for small payloads and are developing Neutron for large constellation deployments. It has commercial, aerospace, and government contracts all in the mix.
The stock just pushed past $140 per share after an incredible run. It’s up 410% over the past year. And the chart is the steepest of the four names on this watchlist.
Late-stage parabolic moves like this one usually end with a violent reversal candle. The question is, how far can it run until that happens?
Space Stock #4: Redwire Corporation (NYSE: RDW)
RDW supplies the picks and shovels for the space sector.
- Sensors
- Star trackers
- Antennas
- In-space manufacturing
- Plus, defense tech for the DoD and allied governments
It’s a less glamorous name than the rocket builders, but it sits in the middle of the supply chain.
This is the cheapest stock on my list, it’s up 50% over the past year…
The $20 level is the line in the sand. That was the previous breakout level.
Hold above it, and the call setup stays alive. Lose it on a daily close, and the gap could fill back to $15 fast.
How I’m Trading This Watchlist
My plan is simple:
- Calls on the names that pull back to support and hold.
- Puts on the names that exhaust their parabolic moves.
- No positions held through the June 12 IPO, unless I’m playing the catalyst like a lotto ticket.
The last bullet point matters most of all.
Sympathy plays rip on anticipation. But the reaction once SPCX hits the market is less clear.
The actual SPCX debut could send these stocks either way. Fund managers might rotate INTO SpaceX and OUT of the adjacent names. Or the sector mania could lift everything higher all at once.
Regardless, I don’t want to find out which side wins while sitting in a position I built three weeks earlier.
Trade the move that’s in front of you, take gains before the catalyst hits, and reset after the dust settles.
Stay Street Smart,
Jeff Zananiri
*Past performance does not indicate future results, Not typical.
