Velo3D Inc (NASDAQ:VELO) shares are trading lower on Thursday. The retreat follows a massive rally during Wednesday’s session. Investors appear to be locking in profits after a triple-digit run-up over the past six months.
The Nasdaq is up 0.97% while the S&P 500 has gained 0.96%.
• Velo3D stock is feeling bearish pressure. Why is VELO stock dropping?
Profit-Taking Follows 50% Surge
The metal additive manufacturing specialist saw its stock skyrocket over 50% on Wednesday. This move came after a strong first-quarter 2026 earnings report. As of Thursday, the stock is seeing a natural cooling period. Market data shows the share price surged 316.74% over the last half-year.
Q1 Earnings Top Wall Street Estimates
Velo3D reported a first-quarter loss of 20 cents per share. This significantly beat analyst estimates of a 48-cent loss. Revenue reached $13.82 million, up 48% year-over-year. This figure easily cleared the Street's expectation of $9.85 million. Management attributed the growth to higher system shipments and strong demand in aerospace and defense.
Management maintained its 2026 revenue guidance of $60 million to $70 million.
Short Interest Amplifies Volatility
High short interest likely acted as a catalyst for Wednesday's jump. Short interest exceeded 25% of the float. This created significant buying pressure as short sellers covered positions. The stock hit $21.38 during the peak of the rally.
Defense Contracts Anchor Future Outlook
The company's backlog rose to $30 million, up from $18 million last year. Velo3D recently secured an $11.5 million contract with a U.S. defense prime. It also signed a $9.8 million deal with the Defense Logistics Agency.
Critical Price Levels To Watch For Velo3D
From a trend perspective, VELO is still extended to the upside: it's trading 39.6% above its 20-day SMA of $14.11 and 54.9% above its 50-day SMA of $12.72, with price also well above the 200-day SMA of $9.65.
RSI is the cleaner momentum lens right now, sitting at 70.98.
The longer-term structure still leans bullish: the 20-day SMA is above the 50-day SMA.
- Key Resistance: $23.84
- Key Support: $14.11
VELO Stock Price Activity: Velo3D shares were down 7.04% at $19.53 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo by Michael Vi via Shutterstock
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