RK

Rocket Lab USA, Inc. stock research

Sep 30, 2023

FY2023 Q3

Rocket Lab USA (RKLB) Gross Margin — Quarter Ended Sep 30, 2023

Revenue increased compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year. Gross profit rose while cost of revenue grew at a slower pace than revenue, resulting in a gross margin that improved year-over-year but weakened slightly from the prior quarter.

Gross margin takeaway

Quarter ended Sep 30, 2023 · FY2023 Q3

Revenue increased compared to both the prior quarter and the same quarter last year. Gross profit rose while cost of revenue grew at a slower pace than revenue, resulting in a gross margin that improved year-over-year but weakened slightly from the prior quarter.

  • The year-over-year improvement in gross margin was the most notable change, driven by a larger increase in gross profit relative to cost of revenue. The sequential weakening in gross margin was modest, as cost of revenue grew slightly faster than revenue.
  • Compared to the prior quarter, revenue was higher and gross profit was higher, but cost of revenue increased more, leading to a slightly lower gross margin. Versus the same quarter last year, revenue was higher, gross profit was substantially higher, and cost of revenue was lower, resulting in a significantly improved gross margin.

Gross margin snapshot

The selected quarter's reported revenue, gross profit, direct costs, and margin comparisons.

Gross margin

22.1%

Gross profit

$15.0M

Revenue

$67.7M

Cost of revenue

$52.7M

Quarter-over-quarter change

-1.4 pts

Year-over-year change

+8.7 pts

Quarterly gross margin trend

A four-quarter view of the revenue and direct-cost bridge behind gross margin.

PeriodRevenueGross profitCost of revenueGross margin
Mar 31, 2023$54.9M$6.4M$48.5M11.6%
Jun 30, 2023$62.0M$14.6M$47.5M23.5%
Sep 30, 2023$67.7M$15.0M$52.7M22.1%

Quarterly comparisons

Compare the selected margin with the preceding quarter and the same fiscal quarter one year earlier.

Previous-quarter change

Jun 30, 2023

-1.4 pts

Year-over-year change

Sep 30, 2022

+8.7 pts

What the margin says

Filing-constrained interpretation of margin direction, comparisons, and what to monitor next.

The year-over-year improvement in gross margin was the most notable change, driven by a larger increase in gross profit relative to cost of revenue. The sequential weakening in gross margin was modest, as cost of revenue grew slightly faster than revenue.

Compared to the prior quarter, revenue was higher and gross profit was higher, but cost of revenue increased more, leading to a slightly lower gross margin. Versus the same quarter last year, revenue was higher, gross profit was substantially higher, and cost of revenue was lower, resulting in a significantly improved gross margin.

Monitor the trajectory of cost of revenue relative to revenue, as its growth rate influenced the sequential gross margin change.