Lockheed Martin Stock Shines Amid Market Volatility
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 2 days ago
0mins
Should l Buy LMT?
Source: Fool
- Stock Performance: Lockheed Martin's shares have surged over 26% in 2026, significantly outperforming broader market indexes, highlighting its strong position amid market volatility and attracting investor interest.
- Financial Results: The latest quarterly report reveals a 6% year-over-year sales growth and free cash flow exceeding expectations, with a massive backlog of $194 billion, indicating strong revenue potential for the future.
- Defense Budget Increase: The Trump administration's proposal for a $1.5 trillion defense budget in 2027, a substantial increase from the $900 billion allocated for 2026, could generate a significant number of new contracts for Lockheed, further driving performance growth.
- Valuation Risks: Despite the optimistic outlook, the stock's P/E ratio nearing 30 and market capitalization rising from $104 billion to $144 billion suggest potential overvaluation risks, prompting investors to carefully assess its long-term investment value.
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Analyst Views on LMT
Wall Street analysts forecast LMT stock price to fall
12 Analyst Rating
4 Buy
7 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 627.330
Low
430.00
Averages
535.50
High
605.00
Current: 627.330
Low
430.00
Averages
535.50
High
605.00
About LMT
Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global aerospace and defense company. The Company is engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. Its segments include Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control (MFC), Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) and Space. Aeronautics segment is engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, sustainment, support and upgrade of advanced military aircraft. MFC segment provides air and missile defense systems, manned and unmanned ground vehicles, energy management solutions, and others. RMS segment designs, manufactures, services and supports various military and commercial helicopters, surface ships, sea and land-based missile defense systems, and others. Its Space segment is engaged in the research and design, development, engineering and production of satellites, space transportation systems, and strategic, advanced strike, and defensive systems.
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.
Lockheed Martin's Optimistic Outlook for 2026
- Strong Sales Growth: Lockheed Martin reported a 6% sales growth in Q4 2025 and anticipates similar growth in 2026, indicating robust performance amid market volatility and uncertainty.
- Massive Backlog: The company has a backlog of $194 billion, reflecting strong market demand that is expected to support future revenue growth, particularly with the anticipated increase in defense spending.
- Stable Dividend Yield: Lockheed's dividend yield stands at 2.2%, appealing to investors seeking stable growth and income, even though the recent rise in stock price has made shares more expensive.
- Valuation Risks Emerging: Despite the optimistic outlook, the stock's P/E ratio nearing 30 and market capitalization increasing from $104 billion to $144 billion suggest potential overvaluation risks, necessitating careful evaluation by investors.
See More
Lockheed Martin Corporation Stock Analysis
- Dividend Performance: Lockheed Martin has delivered dividends for 23 consecutive years, with a five-year growth rate of 36%, indicating the company's ability to provide stable long-term income supported by free cash flow, enhancing its appeal as a core investment.
- Financial Stability: Over the past decade, the company's revenue has grown from approximately $47 billion to $75 billion, with profits consistently ranging from $5 billion to $7 billion, and while debt levels are elevated, they remain stable, demonstrating financial strength without jeopardizing dividends.
- Valuation Analysis: With a current P/E ratio of around 30, above the 10-year average of 21.5, Lockheed Martin is not historically cheap; however, compared to peers, its valuation appears reasonable, reflecting market recognition of its quality and durability.
- Market Outlook: Although near-term price appreciation may be limited and the dividend yield slightly below historical averages, the company's long-term cash generation and policy-driven dividend growth make it an ideal choice for investors seeking stable income and exposure to the strategic aerospace and defense sector.
See More
Artemis II Astronauts Arrive in Florida for Historic Moon Mission
- Mission Readiness: Four astronauts arrived in Florida on Friday, preparing for the Artemis II mission, marking a significant milestone in humanity's return to lunar exploration.
- Launch Schedule: The astronauts are set to launch on April 1 aboard the Orion spacecraft, with the mission expected to last about 10 days, showcasing advancements in human spaceflight technology as they loop around the moon and return to Earth.
- Historic Achievements: This mission will see Victor Glover become the first Black astronaut to reach deep space, Christina Koch the first woman, and Jeremy Hansen the first Canadian astronaut, highlighting diversity and inclusion in space exploration.
- Significance of Artemis Program: Artemis II is a crucial step in the Artemis program, aimed at laying the groundwork for returning astronauts to the moon later this decade and establishing a sustained human presence there.
See More
Defense Stocks Performance Amid Geopolitical Conflict
- Strong Defense Stock Performance: Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, defense stocks have outperformed the S&P 500, primarily driven by backlogs resulting from the Ukraine conflict, NATO rearmament, and soaring U.S. defense budgets.
- Growing Backlogs: Recent framework agreements between the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and Honeywell to accelerate missile technology production, particularly Precision Strike Missiles for Iran, have further boosted revenue expectations in the defense sector.
- Margin Pressure: Despite Lockheed Martin's 46% EBIT growth over the past decade, the annual growth rate is only 3.9%, indicating structural challenges in profit growth for defense companies, particularly due to negotiating pressures on fixed-price contracts.
- Investor Caution Advised: While expectations for increased defense budgets due to the Iran conflict rise, investors should be wary of whether current valuations are justified, especially if profit growth remains limited to single digits in the industry.
See More
Defense Sector Faces Profit Pressure Amid Growth Opportunities
- Defense Contract Growth: As geopolitical tensions escalate, the U.S. government is leveraging its negotiating power to push companies like Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and Honeywell to accelerate production of Precision Strike Missiles, indicating a sustained demand for defense contracts.
- Profitability Challenges: Despite the growing backlog of orders, defense companies have struggled with profit growth rates averaging low single digits over the past decade, highlighting structural pressures on profitability, particularly under fixed-price contracts.
- Market Outperformance: Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, defense stocks have outperformed the S&P 500, primarily driven by the need to replenish equipment used in Ukraine and NATO's rearmament efforts.
- Investor Caution: While revenue expectations have risen due to conflicts with Iran, if margin pressures prove to be lasting, investors may need to carefully assess whether current valuations are justified, especially as the industry faces challenges in profit growth.
See More
NASA Revamps Space Exploration Plans Under Jared Isaacman
- Artemis Program Relaunch: NASA is set to implement the Artemis program over the next five years, with phase one costing $10 billion and involving at least 30 robotic lunar missions, culminating in a crewed moon landing in 2028, marking a significant return to lunar exploration for the U.S.
- Private Space Station Development: NASA plans to support private companies in building commercial space stations, with a government-owned core module to be attached to the existing International Space Station, ensuring safety before allowing independent operations, thus advancing the commercialization of low Earth orbit.
- Nuclear Spacecraft Initiative: NASA aims to launch the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, Space Reactor-1 Freedom, in 2028, equipped with a 25-kilowatt nuclear reactor to explore Mars, showcasing NASA's innovative direction in space technology.
- International Collaboration and Infrastructure: In phases two and three of the Artemis program, NASA will collaborate with international partners to build lunar infrastructure, with total costs projected to reach $20 billion, laying a solid foundation for future lunar exploration.
See More
Lockheed Martin's Optimistic Outlook for 2026
- Strong Sales Growth: Lockheed Martin reported a 6% sales growth in Q4 2025 and anticipates similar growth in 2026, indicating robust performance amid market volatility and uncertainty.
- Massive Backlog: The company has a backlog of $194 billion, reflecting strong market demand that is expected to support future revenue growth, particularly with the anticipated increase in defense spending.
- Stable Dividend Yield: Lockheed's dividend yield stands at 2.2%, appealing to investors seeking stable growth and income, even though the recent rise in stock price has made shares more expensive.
- Valuation Risks Emerging: Despite the optimistic outlook, the stock's P/E ratio nearing 30 and market capitalization increasing from $104 billion to $144 billion suggest potential overvaluation risks, necessitating careful evaluation by investors.
See More
Lockheed Martin Corporation Stock Analysis
- Dividend Performance: Lockheed Martin has delivered dividends for 23 consecutive years, with a five-year growth rate of 36%, indicating the company's ability to provide stable long-term income supported by free cash flow, enhancing its appeal as a core investment.
- Financial Stability: Over the past decade, the company's revenue has grown from approximately $47 billion to $75 billion, with profits consistently ranging from $5 billion to $7 billion, and while debt levels are elevated, they remain stable, demonstrating financial strength without jeopardizing dividends.
- Valuation Analysis: With a current P/E ratio of around 30, above the 10-year average of 21.5, Lockheed Martin is not historically cheap; however, compared to peers, its valuation appears reasonable, reflecting market recognition of its quality and durability.
- Market Outlook: Although near-term price appreciation may be limited and the dividend yield slightly below historical averages, the company's long-term cash generation and policy-driven dividend growth make it an ideal choice for investors seeking stable income and exposure to the strategic aerospace and defense sector.
See More
Artemis II Astronauts Arrive in Florida for Historic Moon Mission
- Mission Readiness: Four astronauts arrived in Florida on Friday, preparing for the Artemis II mission, marking a significant milestone in humanity's return to lunar exploration.
- Launch Schedule: The astronauts are set to launch on April 1 aboard the Orion spacecraft, with the mission expected to last about 10 days, showcasing advancements in human spaceflight technology as they loop around the moon and return to Earth.
- Historic Achievements: This mission will see Victor Glover become the first Black astronaut to reach deep space, Christina Koch the first woman, and Jeremy Hansen the first Canadian astronaut, highlighting diversity and inclusion in space exploration.
- Significance of Artemis Program: Artemis II is a crucial step in the Artemis program, aimed at laying the groundwork for returning astronauts to the moon later this decade and establishing a sustained human presence there.
See More
Defense Stocks Performance Amid Geopolitical Conflict
- Strong Defense Stock Performance: Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, defense stocks have outperformed the S&P 500, primarily driven by backlogs resulting from the Ukraine conflict, NATO rearmament, and soaring U.S. defense budgets.
- Growing Backlogs: Recent framework agreements between the U.S. government and Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and Honeywell to accelerate missile technology production, particularly Precision Strike Missiles for Iran, have further boosted revenue expectations in the defense sector.
- Margin Pressure: Despite Lockheed Martin's 46% EBIT growth over the past decade, the annual growth rate is only 3.9%, indicating structural challenges in profit growth for defense companies, particularly due to negotiating pressures on fixed-price contracts.
- Investor Caution Advised: While expectations for increased defense budgets due to the Iran conflict rise, investors should be wary of whether current valuations are justified, especially if profit growth remains limited to single digits in the industry.
See More
Defense Sector Faces Profit Pressure Amid Growth Opportunities
- Defense Contract Growth: As geopolitical tensions escalate, the U.S. government is leveraging its negotiating power to push companies like Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, and Honeywell to accelerate production of Precision Strike Missiles, indicating a sustained demand for defense contracts.
- Profitability Challenges: Despite the growing backlog of orders, defense companies have struggled with profit growth rates averaging low single digits over the past decade, highlighting structural pressures on profitability, particularly under fixed-price contracts.
- Market Outperformance: Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, defense stocks have outperformed the S&P 500, primarily driven by the need to replenish equipment used in Ukraine and NATO's rearmament efforts.
- Investor Caution: While revenue expectations have risen due to conflicts with Iran, if margin pressures prove to be lasting, investors may need to carefully assess whether current valuations are justified, especially as the industry faces challenges in profit growth.
See More
NASA Revamps Space Exploration Plans Under Jared Isaacman
- Artemis Program Relaunch: NASA is set to implement the Artemis program over the next five years, with phase one costing $10 billion and involving at least 30 robotic lunar missions, culminating in a crewed moon landing in 2028, marking a significant return to lunar exploration for the U.S.
- Private Space Station Development: NASA plans to support private companies in building commercial space stations, with a government-owned core module to be attached to the existing International Space Station, ensuring safety before allowing independent operations, thus advancing the commercialization of low Earth orbit.
- Nuclear Spacecraft Initiative: NASA aims to launch the first nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft, Space Reactor-1 Freedom, in 2028, equipped with a 25-kilowatt nuclear reactor to explore Mars, showcasing NASA's innovative direction in space technology.
- International Collaboration and Infrastructure: In phases two and three of the Artemis program, NASA will collaborate with international partners to build lunar infrastructure, with total costs projected to reach $20 billion, laying a solid foundation for future lunar exploration.
See More
