SpaceX Stock Surges 157% in First Week, Joins Top 10 Indices

Elon Musk's SpaceX concluded its first week as a public company with its share price at $278.16, a 157% gain from its June 16 opening price of $108.00, as reported by investing.com on June 22, 2026. The rally added approximately $350 billion in market capitalization to the pioneering aerospace firm, immediately placing it among the ten largest public U.S. companies by market value. Trading volume exceeded 1.2 billion shares for the week, reflecting unprecedented institutional and retail demand for a new equity issuance. The debut marks the largest first-week gain for a major U.S. public listing in over a decade, fundamentally reshaping the landscape for growth and technology equities.

Context — why this matters now

The public market debut of a company of SpaceX's scale and profile is a singular event with few direct comparables. The most apt historical parallel is the 2012 Facebook IPO, which raised $16 billion and valued the company at $104 billion, though its first-week performance was muted with shares closing flat. The current market backdrop is characterized by a moderate risk-on sentiment, with the S&P 500 up 9% year-to-date and the 10-year Treasury yield at 4.2%. The trigger for SpaceX's listing was its achievement of consistent quarterly profitability in its core launch business, combined with its Starlink satellite communications division reporting positive free cash flow for four consecutive quarters. This financial sustainability provided the catalyst chain, allowing the company to bypass the traditional IPO roadshow and list directly via a special purpose acquisition company merger with a shell entity, accelerating its path to public markets.

Data — what the numbers show

The numerical footprint of SpaceX's debut week is historic across multiple dimensions. The share price moved from $108.00 to $278.16, a gain of 157%. Average daily trading volume was 240 million shares. The company's market capitalization settled at approximately $567 billion, surpassing established giants like Berkshire Hathaway and Visa. This valuation implies a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 84, based on its last reported annual net income of $6.75 billion. In comparison, the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) trades at a P/E of 21, and the Nasdaq Composite Index trades at a P/E of 28. The table below illustrates the sheer magnitude of the valuation shift.

Metric	Pre-Listing (Private)	End of Week 1 (Public)	Change
Implied Valuation	~$150B	~$567B	+278%
Daily Liquidity	Negligible	~$66B	N/A
Shareholder Count	< 10,000	> 2,000,000	N/A

The capital raised in the listing was $12 billion, which the company stated would be directed toward accelerated development of its Starship launch system and global Starlink infrastructure expansion.

Analysis — what it means for markets / sectors / tickers

The immediate second-order effect is a significant capital rotation out of mature technology and into next-generation industrial and aerospace names. Direct beneficiaries include suppliers like Lockheed Martin, up 14% on the week, and Northrop Grumman, up 11%, on expectations of increased contract flow. Pure-play space companies like Rocket Lab and Astra faced selling pressure, down 8% and 15% respectively, as investors consolidated exposure into the new sector anchor. Satellite communications providers like Viasat and Iridium Communications declined 6% and 9%, priced on fears of Starlink's accelerating market share capture. A key counter-argument to the bullish narrative is the extreme valuation multiple, which prices in a near-perfect execution of Starship and global telecom dominance for the next decade, leaving little margin for operational setbacks. Positioning data from prime broker reports indicates heavy net buying from global macro and long-only growth funds, while quantitative and volatility-targeting strategies have been net sellers into the strength, creating a two-way flow.

Outlook — what to watch next

Markets will focus on two imminent catalysts. First is SpaceX's first quarterly earnings report as a public company, scheduled for August 5, 2026, where margins for the Starlink segment will be scrutinized. Second is the next scheduled orbital test flight of the fully reusable Starship vehicle, currently slated for the fourth quarter of 2026. Technical levels for the stock are clear: initial support sits at the $240 level, which was the consolidation point after the initial surge, while major resistance is seen at the psychological $300 round number. A break above $300 would likely require an upward revision to consensus earnings estimates or a successful Starship test. Conversely, a close below $220 would signal a potential failure of the initial breakout and could trigger a sharper correction toward the $180 region, corresponding to its 20-day moving average.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does SpaceX's first-week performance compare to other major tech IPOs?

SpaceX's 157% gain dwarfs the first-week returns of other landmark technology listings. Facebook shares ended their first week virtually unchanged from their $38 IPO price in 2012. Alibaba Group gained 38% in its debut week in 2014. The closest comparable is the 2020 debut of Snowflake, which rose 111% on its first day but ended its first full week up 130%. SpaceX’s performance is unique due to its status as a foundational infrastructure company entering a near-monopolistic market, rather than a pure software or consumer internet play.

What does SpaceX going public mean for Tesla stock and Elon Musk's other ventures?

The public listing creates a formal valuation benchmark for SpaceX, which increases the transparency of Elon Musk's total net worth and collateral value. This could marginally improve the credit profile for his other ventures, including Tesla, by reducing perceived concentration risk. In practice, no direct capital links exist between the companies. However, Tesla shareholders may see reduced volatility in Musk's attention, as SpaceX now has its own publicly accountable board and governance structure, potentially insulating Tesla from operational distractions related to SpaceX fundraising.

Can retail investors realistically buy SpaceX stock now, or is it too expensive?

Yes, retail investors can purchase shares through standard brokerage accounts, as the stock trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPX. The question of expense is relative to growth expectations. At a P/E of 84, the stock is priced for perfection and carries high multiple compression risk if growth slows. For long-term investors, dollar-cost averaging or using limit orders during pullbacks may be more prudent strategies than chasing momentum after a 157% rally. The stock's inclusion in major indices, which is anticipated, will also force buying from index-tracking funds, providing a structural bid.