Starship V3 First Flight Seen as Key Confidence Test Ahead of SpaceX IPO
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: May 19 2026
0mins
Source: stocktwits
- Key Pre-IPO Test: SpaceX's upcoming Starship V3 first flight is viewed as a crucial confidence check ahead of its IPO, targeted for May 21, with success potentially impacting its $1.75 trillion valuation.
- Technological Upgrades for Future Missions: The upgraded design of Starship V3 aims to support missions to the Moon and Mars while advancing long-term goals like Starlink expansion and orbital data centers, showcasing SpaceX's ambitions under a high-risk engineering culture.
- Market Attention and Shareholder Notification: SpaceX plans to list on Nasdaq under the ticker 'SPCX' on June 12, having informed shareholders of a 5-for-1 stock split, which will lower the estimated fair market value per share from $526.59 to $105.32.
- Analyst Insights and Strategic Implications: Analysts from PitchBook describe this flight as the most significant pre-IPO catalyst on SpaceX's calendar, emphasizing its narrative and symbolic importance, which could influence investor confidence in the company's future.
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Analyst Views on NDAQ
Wall Street analysts forecast NDAQ stock price to rise
10 Analyst Rating
9 Buy
1 Hold
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Strong Buy
Current: 91.000
Low
101.00
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111.50
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123.00
Current: 91.000
Low
101.00
Averages
111.50
High
123.00
About NDAQ
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About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Nasdaq Rule Change: A new Nasdaq rule allows for rapid inclusion into the Nasdaq-100 index within 15 trading days post-IPO, potentially leading to a significant stock price surge on July 7, with estimated inflows of $22 billion to $27 billion from index funds.
- Overvaluation Risks: SpaceX's price-to-sales ratio is nearly 94, significantly higher than the historical range of 30 to 45 for hot IPOs, indicating potential overvaluation, compounded by substantial operating losses and a capital-intensive business model.
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- Record IPO Size: SpaceX is set to debut on June 12, aiming to raise approximately $75 billion and achieve a valuation of $1.75 trillion, marking the largest IPO in history; however, its high valuation raises market concerns.
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- Weak Sales Growth: Despite xAI's total addressable market of $26.5 trillion, its first-quarter revenue of $818 million reflects only a 12.5% year-over-year increase, indicating significant growth challenges in the highly competitive AI sector, which could impact investor sentiment.
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