General Dynamics Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems, and Technologies. The Aerospace segment produces and sells business jets; and offers aircraft maintenance and repair, management, aircraft-on-ground support and completion, charter, staffing, and fixed-base operator services. The Marine Systems segment designs and builds nuclear-powered submarines, surface combatants, and auxiliary ships for the United States Navy and Jones Act ships for commercial customers, as well as builds crude oil and product tankers, and container and cargo ships; provides maintenance, modernization, and lifecycle support services for navy ships; offers and program management, planning, engineering, and design support services for submarine construction programs. The Combat Systems segment manufactures land combat solutions, such as wheeled and tracked combat vehicles, Stryker wheeled combat vehicles, piranha vehicles, weapons systems, munitions, mobile bridge systems with payloads, tactical vehicles, main battle tanks, armored vehicles, and armaments; and offers modernization programs, engineering, support, and sustainment services. The Technologies segment provides information technology solutions and mission support services; mobile communication, computers, and command-and-control mission systems; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions to military, intelligence, and federal civilian customers; cloud computing, artificial intelligence; machine learning; big data analytics; development, security, and operations; and unmanned undersea vehicle manufacturing and assembly services. The company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.

General Dynamics выглядит как качественный оборонно-промышленный бизнес с устойчивой рентабельностью и умеренной долговой нагрузкой, но без явного запаса для агрессивного пересмотра оценки вверх. P/E на 13.8% ниже медианы отрасли поддерживает тезис о разумной оценке, однако P/S на 22.4% выше и P/B на 50% выше медианы указывают, что рынок уже платит премию за качество. P/FCF находится около отраслевого уровня, что не даёт сильного аргумента ни за переоценённость, ни за глубокую недооценку. ROE, ROA и ROI заметно выше медианы и в целом держатся стабильно по годам, что подтверждает хорошую эффективность капитала. При этом операционная маржа около медианы, а валовая маржа заметно ниже отрасли и ухудшилась относительно прошлых периодов, что ограничивает потенциал расширения прибыли. Выручка, чистая прибыль и операционная прибыль в целом растут по сравнению с прошлым годом, что является позитивным сигналом для качества бизнеса. Баланс выглядит достаточно консервативно: debt/equity существенно ниже медианы, долг не выглядит обременительным, а собственный капитал растёт. Ликвидность не идеальна, потому что quick ratio ниже отрасли и current ratio тоже немного слабее медианы, но уровни остаются приемлемыми для капиталоёмкой промышленной компании. Дивидендная доходность снизилась до нуля в последнем наблюдении, поэтому дивидендный фактор сейчас не поддерживает переоценку. В сумме фундаментал скорее подтверждает текущую цену как близкую к справедливой, чем даёт основание для заметного апсайда. Небольшая отрицательная корректировка отражает сочетание премиальных мультипликаторов по выручке и капиталу, слабой валовой маржи и отсутствия дивидендной поддержки при сохранении сильной, но уже хорошо оценённой операционной базы.

General Dynamics Corporation

Сильный индекс, значительно упал. Быки в растерянности.

Strong index, significantly down. The bulls are confused.

Сильный индекс, без изменений. Рынок на стороне быков.

Strong index, flat. The market is on the bulls' side.

Средний индекс, значительно вырос. Увеличился приток средств в лонги.

Medium index, significantly up. The inflow of funds into longs has increased.

GD остаётся качественной оборонной историей с сильной рентабельностью и низким долгом, но премия по P/B и P/S, слабая валовая маржа и нулевой дивиденд ограничивают апсайд.

Investors in General Dynamics Corp (Symbol: GD) saw new options begin trading today, for the June 2027 expiration. One of the key inputs that goes into the price an option buyer is willing to pay, is the time value, so with 372 days until expiration the newly trading contracts represent a potential opportunity for sellers of puts or calls to achieve a higher premium than would be available for the contracts with a closer expiration. At Stock Options Channel, our YieldBoost formula has looked up and down the GD options chain for the new June 2027 contracts and identified one put and one call contract of particular interest.
The put contract at the $340.00 strike price has a current bid of $26.50. If an investor was to sell-to-open that put contract, they are committing to purchase the stock at $340.00, but will also collect the premium, putting the cost basis of the shares at $313.50 (before broker commissions). To an investor already interested in purchasing shares of GD, that could represent an attractive alternative to paying $345.17/share today.
Because the $340.00 strike represents an approximate 2% discount to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the put contract would expire worthless. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 61%. Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change, publishing a chart of those numbers on our website under the contract detail page for this contract. Should the contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 7.79% return on the cash commitment, or 7.65% annualized — at Stock Options Channel we call this the YieldBoost.
Below is a chart showing the trailing twelve month trading history for General Dynamics Corp, and highlighting in green where the $340.00 strike is located relative to that history:
Turning to the calls side of the option chain, the call contract at the $360.00 strike price has a current bid of $30.00. If an investor was to purchase shares of GD stock at the current price level of $345.17/share, and then sell-to-open that call contract as a "covered call," they are committing to sell the stock at $360.00. Considering the call seller will also collect the premium, that would drive a total return (excluding dividends, if any) of 12.99% if the stock gets called away at the June 2027 expiration (before broker commissions). Of course, a lot of upside could potentially be left on the table if GD shares really soar, which is why looking at the trailing twelve month trading history for General Dynamics Corp, as well as studying the business fundamentals becomes important. Below is a chart showing GD's trailing twelve month trading history, with the $360.00 strike highlighted in red:
Considering the fact that the $360.00 strike represents an approximate 4% premium to the current trading price of the stock (in other words it is out-of-the-money by that percentage), there is also the possibility that the covered call contract would expire worthless, in which case the investor would keep both their shares of stock and the premium collected. The current analytical data (including greeks and implied greeks) suggest the current odds of that happening are 49%. On our website under the contract detail page for this contract, Stock Options Channel will track those odds over time to see how they change and publish a chart of those numbers (the trading history of the option contract will also be charted). Should the covered call contract expire worthless, the premium would represent a 8.69% boost of extra return to the investor, or 8.53% annualized, which we refer to as the YieldBoost.
The implied volatility in the put contract example, as well as the call contract example, are both approximately 26%.
Meanwhile, we calculate the actual trailing twelve month volatility (considering the last 251 trading day closing values as well as today's price of $345.17) to be 21%. For more put and call options contract ideas worth looking at, visit StockOptionsChannel.com.
Further GD Research:
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

GD June 2027 Options Begin Trading

Key Points
The U.S. Navy is growing, but slowly, and the Pentagon wants to speed that up.
A new 30-year shipbuilding plan shows the Battle Force rising to 355 ships by 2040, and nearly 400 ships by 2056.
President Trump came into office (the first time) calling for the construction of a 355-ship battle force for the U.S. Navy. A decade later, the actual "battle force" strength is just 291 ships. That's an improvement from the 275 ships in the fleet when he entered office in 2016.
But it's not good enough.
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It's not even technically legal, as the just-released U.S. Navy 30-Year Shipbuilding Plan points out. By law, the Navy requires a fleet of 355 ships. What's more, the plan laments: "Over the past two decades, the shipbuilding budget has doubled, yet we have no more ships now than in 2003. This is a persistent problem."
But as part of the president's call for a $1.5 trillion defense budget, this plan proposes to fix it.
A high-low mix for the high seas
Over the course of 60 pages, the plan describes how the Navy will rebuild itself, slowly, toward the goal of a 355-ship fleet, spending heavily on the high end for robust weapons platforms such as aircraft carriers, submarines, and battleships, while expanding its global presence at the low end with less capable but more numerous and budget-friendly frigates and littoral combat ships -- and supplementing all this with unmanned vehicles -- i.e., sea drones.
Aiming to curb cost overruns and prevent construction delays, the Navy proposes a whole-of-industry approach to boosting ship production rates. Rising from 10% today, 50% of future shipbuilding will be done not just at a handful of legacy shipyards, but distributed among sites all around the country. These sites will build modules for later assembly into whole ships at the big shipyards.
Facilities will be upgraded, production increased, and new workforces trained in shipbuilding. "Cutting-edge AI tools" will be leveraged to accelerate construction through more efficient scheduling.
Working on the assumption these efforts will succeed, the Navy has laid out a 30-year plan describing not only the battle fleet ships (i.e., warships) it intends to build but also auxiliary ships and unmanned vessels of medium size or above, yielding what is now called the "combined total naval vessel force."
What's the plan?
Looking out 30 years, it's immediately clear that there are issues with the Navy's plan -- first and foremost, the fact that, because of scheduled ship retirements, the battle force won't reach 355 ships before 2040!
Indeed, today's battle force will actually shrink a bit next year and not start growing before 2029.
The good news is that once the build-up is under way and gaining momentum, the Navy should chart a course to far more than 355 ships. Ultimately, the goal is to approach 400 ships by the end of the 30-year plan.
This goal seems realistic, too. Although a sizable 37% increase over 30 years, the Navy's only looking to build about a dozen ships per year, which seems manageable.
Who will build all these ships?
Which companies are most likely to benefit from this expansion of the combined total naval vessel force? That's hard to say.
A lot can change in 30 years, and today's forecasts for fleet needs in 2056 could be obsolete as technologies evolve and sea drones or even entire drone aircraft carriers, for example, become increasingly important in defense. In future decades, we could see one or more of these crewed ship types replaced by uncrewed surface and uncrewed underwater vessels (USVs and UUVs).
It's easier to forecast near-future trends. So let's take a quick look at the Navy's shipbuilding plans for just the next five years:
A couple of points demand clarification here. First, you may notice that if you add the numbers up left to right, they... don't seem to tally correctly in the final "FYDP" column. That's because FYDP refers to "future years" of shipbuilding, as in 2027 and beyond. Add up only the 2027-through-2031 numbers, and the tally is 75 crewed warships and 47 uncrewed vessels.
The second point, less important to investors but still important for context: As new vessels are added to the fleet, older vessels are constantly aging out and being retired. So the Navy Battle Force will grow a little over the next five years -- just not by 122 ships.
Now, how much will this all cost, and which defense contractors should you invest in to profit from it? Here's the Navy's official estimate for these same five years:
Again, focus on the FYDP column for total Navy shipbuilding spending on the Battle Force over the next five years. What you see here is $268.1 billion in spending. That covers just the Battle Force ships, for which General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) and Huntington Ingalls (NYSE: HII) are the primary builders.
A few vessels -- AS(X) submarine tenders and T-AGOS spy ships, for example -- may be built by smaller shipyards, and I'd expect that a fair number of the MUSVs mentioned in the above chart will as well. Likewise, 47 support ships, including hospital ships, fireboats, tankers, and landing craft, are planned, raising the Navy's investment to $305.7 billion over the next five years.
That figure represents a huge windfall of future business for U.S. shipbuilders. Even if General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls don't build literally all the ships the Navy is asking for, I still think they're your best bet to invest in a bigger U.S. Navy.
Should you buy stock in General Dynamics right now?
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

President Trump Wants a 355-Ship Navy -- and $306 Billion to Build It

General Dynamics announced today that its board of directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $1.59 per share on the company's common stock, payable August 7, 2026, to shareholders of record on July 2, 2026.
Sun Communities, a real estate investment trust that owns and operates, or has an interest in, manufactured housing and recreational vehicle communities today announced its Board of Directors declared a quarterly distribution of $1.12 per share of common stock for the second quarter of 2026. The distribution is payable on July 15, 2026 to shareholders of record on June 30, 2026.
W. R. Berkley announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a special cash dividend on its common stock of 50 cents per share to be paid on July 2, 2026 to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 23, 2026. In addition, its Board of Directors has voted to increase its regular quarterly cash dividend to 10 cents per share, representing an 11.1% increase from the present rate. This dividend will be paid on July 2, 2026 to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 23, 2026.
The board of directors of Johnson Controls International, a global leader in thermal management, mission-critical building systems, energy efficiency and decarbonization, has approved a regular quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share of common stock, payable on July 10, 2026, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 15, 2026. Johnson Controls has paid a consecutive dividend since 1887.
Nordson today announced that its Board of Directors declared a fiscal year 2026 third quarter cash dividend in the amount of $0.82 per common share, payable on July 6, 2026, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 18, 2026. This amount equals the $0.82 per common share dividend paid in the second quarter of fiscal year 2026.
VIDEO: Daily Dividend Report: GD,SUI,WRB,JCI,NDSN
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Daily Dividend Report: GD,SUI,WRB,JCI,NDSN

The Boeing Company’s BA shares have risen 9.1% in the past six months against the Zacks Aerospace-Defense industry’s decline of 1%. Boeing remains one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world in terms of revenues, orders and deliveries, particularly in the commercial aerospace industry.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Shares of other defense stocks, such as Lockheed Martin LMT and General Dynamics GD, have gained 17.2% and 1%, respectively, during the same time frame. Lockheed Martin continues to convert demand for key franchise programs into sizable awards, supporting revenue visibility over a multiyear horizon. General Dynamics maintains a strong backlog, supported by robust demand and order activity across its products and services portfolio, providing solid visibility into future growth.
Considering Boeing’s outperformance relative to its industry, investors may be wondering whether now is a good time to add the stock to their portfolios. Let’s examine the factors that have driven the share price gains and assess the company’s investment prospects to make a more informed decision.
Factors Acting in Favor of BA
Supported by steadily growing demand in the commercial aerospace market, the company, a leading jet manufacturer, has been witnessing strong delivery and order activity. During the first quarter of 2026, the company booked 140 net commercial airplane orders. Such solid order activities should continue to bolster revenue performance for Boeing’s commercial business over the long run.
Thanks to its diverse defense product portfolio and established footprint in the space technology industry, Boeing witnesses a solid inflow of contracts. Impressively, during the first quarter of 2026, the Boeing Defense, Space & Security unit booked $9 billion in orders, including contracts to continue E-7 Wedgetail development and additional international demand for KC-46 aircraft, which resulted in a solid backlog addition of $86 billion for the period ending March 2026.
The aviation services market, particularly the commercial segment, is set for significant growth in the coming years, fueled by technological advancements, shifting consumer preferences and geopolitical influences. Boeing forecasts a $4.7-trillion market opportunity for commercial aviation support and services in the 20-year period through 2044. If actual demand is even close to this number, the Boeing Global Services business unit will go places. Total backlog is currently sitting at $33 billion as of March 31, 2026, meaning that visibility is already excellent for the ensuing quarters.
Headwinds for BA Stocks
Production disruptions, regulatory scrutiny and the financial impact of the 737 MAX grounding forced Boeing to rely heavily on debt to support liquidity and maintain operations. As a result, the company still carries a substantial debt burden, which continues to limit its financial flexibility. In first-quarter 2026, consolidated debt stood at approximately $47.2 billion, although this was down from $54.1 billion at the end of 2025 after the company repaid nearly $6.9 billion of debt during the quarter. Because of this elevated debt load and the need to preserve cash for production stabilization, safety improvements, capital investments and the integration of Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing has not yet reinstated common stock dividends or share repurchase programs.
Estimates for BA Stock
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2026 earnings per share (EPS) indicates year-over-year growth of 98.59%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The consensus estimate for Lockheed Martin’s 2026 EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 29.24%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for General Dynamics’ 2026 EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 7.24%.
BA’s Earnings Surprise History
The company beat on earnings in two of the trailing four quarters and missed in the other two, delivering an average negative surprise of 77.71%.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BA Stock’s Poor ROIC
The image below shows that BA stock’s trailing 12-month return on invested capital (ROIC) not only lags the peer group’s average return but also reflects a negative figure. This suggests that the company's investments are not yielding sufficient returns to cover its expenses.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
BA Stock Trades at a Discount
In terms of valuation, Boeing’s forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) is 1.78X, a discount to the industry’s average of 2.6X. This suggests that investors will be paying a lower price than the company's expected sales growth compared with that of its peer group.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
What Should an Investor Do Now?
Boeing continues to benefit from strong demand in both its commercial aerospace and defense businesses, driving healthy order activity and a growing backlog. The company is seeing sustained momentum in commercial aircraft deliveries and orders, while its defense and space segment continues to secure major contracts, strengthening long-term revenue visibility. Boeing is also well-positioned to capitalize on the expanding aviation services market, supported by a substantial services backlog and favorable long-term industry growth trends.
Considering high debt levels and poor ROIC, new investors should wait and look for a better entry point. Investors who already hold this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock may consider retaining it, given the company’s price performance and strong earnings growth. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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BA Stock Outperforms Industry in 6 Months: Should You Stay Invested?

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for General Dynamics (GD). Shares have added about 1.4% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is General Dynamics due for a pullback? Well, first let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the recent catalysts for General Dynamics Corporation before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late.
GD Q1 Earnings Beat Estimates on Strong Orders and Cash Flow
General Dynamics posted strong first-quarter 2026 results, with earnings of $4.10 per share beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $3.68 by 11.41%. The bottom line also rose 12% from the year-ago quarter on solid operating execution.
Total Revenues of GD
Revenues of $13.48 billion topped the consensus mark of $12.70 billion by 6.15% and increased 10.3% year over year, supported by growth across all four operating segments and a sharp pickup in order activity that lifted quarterly book-to-bill to 2-to-1.
GD’s Segmental Performance
Marine Systems produced one of the sharpest improvements, supported by higher volume from Virginia- and Columbia-class submarine work and productivity gains across shipyards. The segment generated operating earnings of $316 million and improved operating margin to 7.3% in the quarter.
Aerospace delivered operating earnings of $493 million with a 15.0% margin, supported by improved performance and higher volume, and the business reported 38 Gulfstream aircraft deliveries in the period.
Combat Systems posted operating earnings of $310 million and a 13.6% margin, and the quarter included notable contract wins such as $730 million for various munitions and $450 million tied to the Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle competition pre-production development phase.
Technologies generated operating earnings of $339 million with a 9.5% margin, aided by growth across both GDIT and Mission Systems and solid order flow during the quarter.
GD Delivers Broad-Based Top-Line Growth
The company’s first-quarter revenue increase was supported by contributions from each of its operating businesses. Aerospace benefited from higher manufacturing and services volume, while Marine Systems advanced on higher shipyard volume tied to key submarine programs. Combat Systems and Technologies also registered year-over-year increases, reflecting demand across platforms, munitions and mission-focused services.
That breadth matters for investors because it reduces reliance on any single end market. With each segment expanding, GD entered 2026 with a more balanced growth profile and multiple drivers supporting the consolidated top line.
Operational Highlights of GD
Profitability advanced alongside sales growth. Operating earnings increased year over year to $1.42 billion, and operating margin improved to 10.5%, indicating that incremental revenues are translating into better earnings power.
Below the operating line, earnings before income taxes rose to $1.37 billion, aided by a lower net interest expense compared with the prior-year quarter. Net earnings climbed to $1.13 billion, reflecting both stronger operating performance and improved overall cost and financing dynamics during the period.
GD’s Backlog
Order activity was a highlight of the quarter. GD booked $26.6 billion of orders, driving a consolidated book-to-bill ratio of 2-to-1. The defense segments collectively posted a 2.2-to-1 book-to-bill, while Aerospace delivered a 1.2-to-1 ratio, underscoring healthy demand across the portfolio.
Backlog expanded meaningfully, ending the quarter at $130.84 billion. Total estimated contract value, which includes management’s estimate of additional value in unfunded IDIQ contracts and unexercised options, reached $188.44 billion. This elevated contract coverage provides clearer revenue visibility and positions the company to sustain production and service activity as 2026 progresses.
Financial Condition of GD
Cash generation was another notable strength. Net cash provided by operating activities totaled $2.16 billion in the quarter, equal to 192% of net earnings, reflecting strong cash conversion and working-capital performance. After $203 million of capital expenditures, free cash flow came in at $1.95 billion.
Management continued returning cash to shareholders while maintaining liquidity. The company paid $405 million in dividends and repurchased $217 million of common stock during the quarter. GD ended the period with $3.65 billion in cash and equivalents, and net debt of $4.36 billion, supporting financial flexibility alongside ongoing capital deployment.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?
Since the earnings release, investors have witnessed a upward trend in estimates review.
VGM Scores
Currently, General Dynamics has a great Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. Following the exact same course, the stock was allocated a score of B on the value side, putting it in the top 40% for value investors.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Estimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Interestingly, General Dynamics has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
Performance of an Industry Player
General Dynamics belongs to the Zacks Aerospace - Defense industry. Another stock from the same industry, RTX (RTX), has gained 1.6% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended March 2026.
RTX reported revenues of $22.08 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +8.7%. EPS of $1.78 for the same period compares with $1.47 a year ago.
RTX is expected to post earnings of $1.66 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +6.4%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +0.2%.
The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for RTX. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of C.
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RTX Corporation (RTX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Why Is General Dynamics (GD) Up 1.4% Since Last Earnings Report?

In trading on Friday, shares of General Dynamics Corp (Symbol: GD) crossed above their 200 day moving average of $233.02, changing hands as high as $233.20 per share. General Dynamics Corp shares are currently trading up about 1.7% on the day. The chart below shows the one year performance of GD shares, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, GD's low point in its 52 week range is $207.42 per share, with $256.86 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $232.82. The GD DMA information above was sourced from TechnicalAnalysisChannel.com
Click here to find out which 9 other dividend stocks recently crossed above their 200 day moving average »
Also see:
Oversold Dividend Stocks
Funds Holding MORF
NTRS Next Dividend Date
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

GD Crosses Above Key Moving Average Level

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the First Trust Indxx Aerospace & Defense ETF (Symbol: MISL) where we have detected an approximate $172.6 million dollar outflow -- that's a 18.4% decrease week over week (from 20,900,002 to 17,050,002). Among the largest underlying components of MISL, in trading today Boeing Co. (Symbol: BA) is up about 3%, Lockheed Martin Corp (Symbol: LMT) is down about 0.6%, and General Dynamics Corp (Symbol: GD) is up by about 0.4%. For a complete list of holdings, visit the MISL Holdings page » The chart below shows the one year price performance of MISL, versus its 200 day moving average:
Looking at the chart above, MISL's low point in its 52 week range is $33.40 per share, with $51.10 as the 52 week high point — that compares with a last trade of $45.38. Comparing the most recent share price to the 200 day moving average can also be a useful technical analysis technique -- learn more about the 200 day moving average ».
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Noteworthy ETF Outflows: MISL, BA, LMT, GD

Key Points
President Trump's first "Golden Battleship" was supposed to cost $9 billion.
Now it may cost nearly twice that -- and even more after it's built.
General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls have a giant revenue opportunity ahead of them.
When President Donald Trump first proposed that the U.S. Navy build a fleet of battleships, military analysts were skeptical. Although optimists predicted U.S. contractors might be able to build the lead ship of the class, USS Defiant, for as little as $9 billion, the defense and security experts at Janes thought $14 billion was more likely.
Turns out, they were both wrong -- Defiant will cost $17 billion.
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And building 15 Defiant-class warships might cost U.S. taxpayers an incredible $255 billion.
Military math
Actually, that's probably an overstatement, albeit an easy mistake to make. Working off defense analyst reports that the first Defiant would cost $17 billion, media outlets such as MSN.com consulted their calculators last week and concluded that 15 times $17 billion equals the entire fleet costing $255 billion.
According to the Department of Defense's fiscal year 2027 budget estimates, the U.S. Navy has requested $1 billion in fiscal 2027 to fund long-lead equipment acquisition needed to build the first Defiant-class vessel. Similar long-lead equipment purchases for the second and third vessels will total $2.5 billion, running from fiscal 2028 through 2031.
Those are just the down payments, however. A further $16.5 billion must be spent to complete the first Defiant-class warship in fiscal 2028, followed by $12.5 billion for the second (in 2030) and $11 billion for the third (in 2031).
Thus, the total money spent to build the first three Golden Battleships comes to $43.5 billion, or approximately $14.5 billion per battleship -- roughly the same amount it costs to build a Ford-class aircraft carrier -- and as more ships are built at prices below that of the very first ship, the average cost should slowly drift lower.
What it means for investors
Best case, we're still probably talking about more than $200 billion in total spending to build a fleet of 15 nuclear battleships. (Did I not mention that? In an evolution of earlier plans, it appears the Navy has shifted its wish list and now wants the Defiant-class battleships to run on uranium rather than diesel.)
$200 billion is still a lot of money, though. Plus, if you're an investor in either General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) or Huntington Ingalls (NYSE: HII), the two big defense contractors most likely to win battleship contracts, it's worth keeping in mind that purchase cost is just the start of the revenue opportunity. Defiant-class battleships may ultimately cost more to maintain and upgrade over their lifespans than it costs to buy them in the first place.
At the same time, so long as these companies stick to the budgets the Navy gives them, the fact that a battleship will cost no more than an aircraft carrier and that costs will fall over time should give this weapons program a fighting chance of surviving Congress long enough for the fleet to be built.
With both General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls trading around 21 times earnings and facing a big revenue opportunity ahead of them, it may be time to give these two defense stocks a closer look.
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Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

President Trump Wants $255 Billion to Build 15 Nuclear Battleships

Key Points
Rocket Lab will partner with RTX to build space-based interceptor missiles for the Golden Dome missile shield.
Rocket Lab is already a prime contractor on Golden Dome's predecessor program.
Rocket Lab also has rockets with which to put missile defense satellites in orbit.
By now you've heard the news: Golden Dome, President Trump's $151 billion plan to build a satellite-based missile shield over America, has been expanded with the award of a $3.2 billion umbrella contract to develop a system of "space-based interceptor" missiles, or SBIs, to shoot down hostile missiles.
All the big names in U.S. defense -- General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC), RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX) -- will compete for contracts under the umbrella contract. One of these four has a secret weapon, though:
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What's in it for Rocket Lab?
Concurrent with its earnings report last week, Rocket Lab announced Friday that it's partnering with RTX on the latter's bid for work under the SBI contract. Considering we know already that RTX has won a place under the SBI program, it follows that Rocket Lab has, too -- at least as a subcontractor.
The attractions for Rocket Lab here are obvious. With SBI worth up to $3.2 billion for the winners, this program is worth potentially as much as 4.7 times Rocket Lab's $680 million in trailing-12-month sales, depending on how successful RTX is with its bidding. Plus, RTX has already done the heavy lifting of winning this contract.
All Rocket Lab needs now is to do the work.
Rocket Lab: RTX's hired gun
RTX arguably has even more to gain. To win SBI contracts, it must outcompete Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman in particular, two companies that have already won "Golden Dome" contracts under Space Force's preexisting PWSA (Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture) missile detection-and-tracking program.
(RTX won a small number of similar contracts initially, but later withdrew from the PWSA competition.)
In Rocket Lab, however, RTX has found a partner that has won PWSA "tracking layer" satellite contracts in its own right, as a prime contractor. In a stark reversal of roles, the defense contractor is now riding the coattails of its space contractor partner.
Maybe even "riding," literally. Whereas Lockheed Martin has access to space through its joint venture with Boeing (NYSE: BA), and can launch satellites through United Launch Alliance, and Northrop Grumman can do similarly with its Antares, Pegasus, Minotaur, and soon its Eclipse rockets, RTX doesn't own a dedicated space rocket platform.
But Rocket Lab does. Its Electron rockets now send satellites into orbit several times a month. Once its Neutron rocket is ready, it'll be able to put entire satellite constellations in orbit with every launch.
This is the kind of partnership that can truly work out well for both parties involved.
Should you buy stock in Rocket Lab right now?
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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $472,205!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,384,459!*
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Rich Smith has positions in Rocket Lab. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Boeing, RTX, and Rocket Lab. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Rocket Lab Targets Missile Defense and Golden Dome as Its Next Growth Market

Key Points
Northrop Grumman had bigger revenue and EPS gains in the first quarter.
Lockheed Martin's larger backlog points to long-term sales growth.
Northrop Grumman is more competitively priced compared to its five-year average.
Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) are huge contractors that sit at the center of the aerospace and defense industries. Their shares have fallen by more than 20% during the past three months, despite the war in Iran and rising tensions in the Middle East.
Investors have pivoted away from pure-play aerospace and defense companies toward those with diverse revenue streams that include industrial and information technology exposure, such as Palantir (NASDAQ: PLTR) and General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). The chief reason for the drop for Northrop and Lockheed, though, is that the two are heavily tied to huge, fixed-price development programs. Both companies, though, are profitable, pay solid dividends, and remain good long-term investments. Which of these two is the better defense stock? Let's see.
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Northrop is ramping up production for the B-21 Raider
Northrop Grumman's B-21 Raider, the world's first sixth-generation stealth bomber, has moved past its most precarious financial hurdles. After years of absorbing the fixed-price development contracts, Northrop is now entering the more profitable production phase. The company said it is accelerating its production, with the first aircraft planned for delivery in 2027.
The Air Force plans to procure at least 100 B-21s, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is putting the number much higher, providing Northrop with an enormous, multidecade revenue stream. As production scales, the company's expect improved margins, turning a prestige project into a significant profit driver.
Market dominance in strategic deterrence
Northrop Grumman, meanwhile, is the sole prime contractor for the LGM-35A Sentinel program, the replacement for the aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles. This program represents the land leg of the U.S. nuclear triad and is seen as a critical defense priority. Although the program has faced scrutiny over rising costs, its crucial status ensures that Northrop will remain at the center of U.S. strategic defense for the next 50 years.
The program is in early prototypes, and production is expected to begin with the first test flights in 2027, with beginning capability expected early in the next decade. Combined, the two programs contribute to the company's order backlog of $95.6 billion.
Financial discipline and shareholder returns
Despite the capital intensity of its major programs, Northrop has maintained a strong commitment to its shareholders. The stock, at its current price, offers a dividend yield of about 1.7% and the company has a consistent history of raising payouts. As the development drag from the B-21 eases, the company's free cash flow should increase. The company often uses this cash for aggressive share repurchases, which helps bolster earnings per share (EPS) and provides a safety net for the stock price during periods of market volatility.
The company has increased its dividend payouts for 22 consecutive years, including an 11% increase in 2025. It appears well positioned to continue its increases. In the first quarter, it reported revenue of $9.8 billion, up 4% year over year, and EPS of $6.14, up 85% from the first quarter of 2025.
Lockheed has a record $186 billion backlog
The most compelling reason to own Lockheed Martin is the sheer visibility of its future revenue. As of the end of the first quarter of 2026, the company reported a backlog of $186.4 billion. This represents more than two full years of total production capacity.
Key drivers include a surge in orders for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), with new partnerships recently signed in Eastern Europe, and high demand for Lockheed's PAC-3 and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile interceptors, which remain at historic highs as nations prioritize air sovereignty. The U.S. government, in April, signed a $4.7 billion contract for PAC-3 missile segment enhancement with Lockheed. This follows a January deal to quadruple production of THAAD missile interceptors.
The F-35 moat and sustainment pivot
The F-35 Lightning II remains the central pillar of Lockheed's Aeronautics segment. The U.S. Defense Department budget for 2026 is calling for 85 new F-35s, up from 47 in fiscal 2026.
With roughly 1,300 F-35s now operational worldwide, Lockheed is transitioning from being just a manufacturer to a long-term service provider. As the fleet ages, the high-margin revenue from maintenance, software upgrades, and pilot training will likely provide a more stable and profitable earnings stream than initial hardware sales.
In the first quarter, Lockheed's sales were little changed, up less than 1% at $18 billion, and its EPS of $6.44 fell about 12% from the same period a year ago. Full-year projections for revenue were between $77.5 billion and $80 billion, up 5% at the midpoint, while full-year EPS was estimated to be between $29.35 and $30.25, up 39% at the midpoint.
Reliable shareholder returns and valuation
Lockheed Martin has raised its dividend for 23 consecutive years, including a 4.5% bump in 2025 to $3.45 per share, for a yield of 2.7% at its current share price. The stock is trading at 25 times earnings, higher than Northrop Grumman's 17, but still attractive considering management's projected EPS growth of 18% during the next three to five years.
The better stock depends on the investor
Lockheed Martin offers a higher dividend yield and a significantly larger backlog. However, its P/E ratio is higher than Northrop's, reflecting the market's growth premium for its F-35 dominance and expanding missile defense framework.
Northrop Grumman offers a compelling value alternative, with a lower P/E ratio, suggesting it may be undervalued relative to its historical performance and peers. Although its backlog is smaller than Lockheed's, Northrop boasts a superior net profit margin. Although its 1.67% dividend yield is lower than Lockheed's, Northrop's lower payout ratio of 29% and higher dividend growth rate (10% compound annual growth rate over three years) suggest more room for future aggressive payout increases.
Ultimately, Lockheed Martin appears better positioned for investors seeking stability and income, as its sheer scale and the moat of its missile programs provide a robust cushion against volatility. Northrop Grumman is likely the better choice for value-oriented investors focused on long-term appreciation, especially as it transitions its next-generation stealth and space platforms into more profitable production phases.
Should you buy stock in Northrop Grumman right now?
Before you buy stock in Northrop Grumman, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Northrop Grumman wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $472,205!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,384,459!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 999% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 208% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of May 15, 2026.
James Halley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Palantir Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

General Dynamics Corporation

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