Nothing quite kills a stock rally like the words "proposed public offering." Sidus Space Inc. (SIDU) found that out the hard way Tuesday, watching its shares crater after announcing plans to sell a hefty chunk of new stock.

The Deal Details

Sidus Space priced a best-efforts public offering of approximately 19.23 million shares of Class A common stock at $1.30 per share. If all goes according to plan, the company expects to pocket roughly $25 million in gross proceeds before placement agent fees and offering expenses take their cut.

Here's the thing about share offerings: they dilute existing shareholders. When a company creates millions of new shares out of thin air, each existing share represents a smaller piece of the overall pie. Investors don't love that math, which explains today's swift sell-off.

All shares in the offering are coming directly from the company, meaning this is fresh capital rather than insiders cashing out. Sidus Space plans to use the net proceeds for sales and marketing efforts, operational costs, product development, manufacturing expansion, and the ever-popular "working capital and general corporate purposes" bucket.

The offering is slated to close December 24, subject to customary closing conditions. ThinkEquity is handling the deal as sole placement agent.

The Timing Twist

The irony here is almost perfect. Sidus Space shares had soared Monday alongside other space-related stocks in a sector-wide rally. Then the company promptly announced it wanted to sell stock while prices were elevated. Smart capital raising strategy? Perhaps. Great for existing shareholders watching their gains evaporate? Not so much.

Price Action

At the time of writing, Sidus shares were trading 32.75% lower at $1.53, making it one of the day's worst performers. That's what happens when dilution meets disappointment.