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Top 10 Large-Cap Winners From Last Week: Rocket Lab, Micron, and CoreWeave Lead the Charge

MarketDash Editorial Team
4 hours ago
Last week's large-cap gainers included Rocket Lab, Micron, and CoreWeave, powered by successful launches, strong earnings momentum, and AI infrastructure plays. Here's what drove the rally for all ten stocks.

If you're looking for large-cap stocks that actually had a good week, here are ten names that stood out between December 22 and December 26. Some had clear catalysts. Others just rode the wave. Either way, they all ended the week comfortably in the green.

Rocket Lab Launches Into the Lead

Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB) topped the list with a 15.5% gain. The aerospace company announced it successfully launched its 21st Electron rocket of the year, deploying the latest satellite for repeat customer Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space. That's a lot of launches for one year, and Wall Street noticed. Needham analyst Ryan Koontz maintained a Buy rating and raised his price forecast from $63 to $90, which certainly didn't hurt the stock's momentum.

Semiconductor Stocks Ride the Wave

Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) jumped 12.9% as investors continued to rally around the semiconductor giant's blockbuster first-quarter earnings released the previous week. Sometimes good news takes a while to fully sink in, and Micron's guidance was strong enough to keep the party going.

Sandisk Corporation (SNDK) gained 12.75% this week, benefiting from similar tailwinds in the memory and storage space.

Astera Labs, Inc. (ALAB) soared 10.57%. Shares of broader chip stocks traded higher in possible sympathy with NVIDIA, which rose recently on reports suggesting the US is launching a review of advanced NVIDIA AI chip sales to China. The sector may also be continuing to gain following strong guidance from Micron. When the semiconductor tide rises, a lot of boats get lifted.

AI Infrastructure Gets Attention

CoreWeave, Inc. (CRWV) increased 7.82% this week. The rally appears primarily driven by the company's December 18 announcement that it has joined the Department of Energy's Genesis Mission. AI infrastructure continues to be a hot theme, and any partnership that sounds important tends to move stocks.

Biotech and Telecom Join the Mix

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) gained 9.68% this week. Truist Securities maintained a Buy rating on the stock and raised its price target from $80 to $100. Analyst upgrades with meaningful price target increases tend to get attention, especially in biotech where sentiment can shift quickly.

Ciena Corporation (CIEN) increased 8.84% this week. The networking equipment company joined the rally without any obvious single catalyst, though telecom infrastructure stocks have been getting more love lately.

The Rest of the Gainers

Lumentum Holdings Inc. (LITE) gained 14.76% this week, making it the second-best performer on the list. The optical and photonic products company didn't announce any major news, but sometimes stocks just have their moment.

Venture Global, Inc. (VG) gained 12.01% this week. The liquefied natural gas company has been on investors' radar as energy infrastructure plays continue to attract capital.

Karman Holdings Inc. (KRMN) increased 9.91% this week. In the recent past, Keybanc initiated coverage on the stock with an Overweight rating and announced an $80 price forecast. New analyst coverage with a bullish stance can provide a nice boost, especially for companies that might not have as many analysts covering them.

So there you have it: ten large-cap stocks that had a solid week. Aerospace launches, semiconductor momentum, AI infrastructure, biotech upgrades, and a few names riding sector tailwinds. Whether any of these make it into your portfolio depends on your strategy, but they were certainly the ones to watch last week.

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Top 10 Large-Cap Winners From Last Week: Rocket Lab, Micron, and CoreWeave Lead the Charge

MarketDash Editorial Team
4 hours ago
Last week's large-cap gainers included Rocket Lab, Micron, and CoreWeave, powered by successful launches, strong earnings momentum, and AI infrastructure plays. Here's what drove the rally for all ten stocks.

If you're looking for large-cap stocks that actually had a good week, here are ten names that stood out between December 22 and December 26. Some had clear catalysts. Others just rode the wave. Either way, they all ended the week comfortably in the green.

Rocket Lab Launches Into the Lead

Rocket Lab Corporation (RKLB) topped the list with a 15.5% gain. The aerospace company announced it successfully launched its 21st Electron rocket of the year, deploying the latest satellite for repeat customer Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space. That's a lot of launches for one year, and Wall Street noticed. Needham analyst Ryan Koontz maintained a Buy rating and raised his price forecast from $63 to $90, which certainly didn't hurt the stock's momentum.

Semiconductor Stocks Ride the Wave

Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) jumped 12.9% as investors continued to rally around the semiconductor giant's blockbuster first-quarter earnings released the previous week. Sometimes good news takes a while to fully sink in, and Micron's guidance was strong enough to keep the party going.

Sandisk Corporation (SNDK) gained 12.75% this week, benefiting from similar tailwinds in the memory and storage space.

Astera Labs, Inc. (ALAB) soared 10.57%. Shares of broader chip stocks traded higher in possible sympathy with NVIDIA, which rose recently on reports suggesting the US is launching a review of advanced NVIDIA AI chip sales to China. The sector may also be continuing to gain following strong guidance from Micron. When the semiconductor tide rises, a lot of boats get lifted.

AI Infrastructure Gets Attention

CoreWeave, Inc. (CRWV) increased 7.82% this week. The rally appears primarily driven by the company's December 18 announcement that it has joined the Department of Energy's Genesis Mission. AI infrastructure continues to be a hot theme, and any partnership that sounds important tends to move stocks.

Biotech and Telecom Join the Mix

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) gained 9.68% this week. Truist Securities maintained a Buy rating on the stock and raised its price target from $80 to $100. Analyst upgrades with meaningful price target increases tend to get attention, especially in biotech where sentiment can shift quickly.

Ciena Corporation (CIEN) increased 8.84% this week. The networking equipment company joined the rally without any obvious single catalyst, though telecom infrastructure stocks have been getting more love lately.

The Rest of the Gainers

Lumentum Holdings Inc. (LITE) gained 14.76% this week, making it the second-best performer on the list. The optical and photonic products company didn't announce any major news, but sometimes stocks just have their moment.

Venture Global, Inc. (VG) gained 12.01% this week. The liquefied natural gas company has been on investors' radar as energy infrastructure plays continue to attract capital.

Karman Holdings Inc. (KRMN) increased 9.91% this week. In the recent past, Keybanc initiated coverage on the stock with an Overweight rating and announced an $80 price forecast. New analyst coverage with a bullish stance can provide a nice boost, especially for companies that might not have as many analysts covering them.

So there you have it: ten large-cap stocks that had a solid week. Aerospace launches, semiconductor momentum, AI infrastructure, biotech upgrades, and a few names riding sector tailwinds. Whether any of these make it into your portfolio depends on your strategy, but they were certainly the ones to watch last week.