U.S. Defense Stocks Surge Following Iran Attack
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy LMT?
Source: stocktwits
- Stock Surge: Shares of Lockheed Martin soared nearly 7% in after-hours trading following U.S. President Trump's and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's attack on Iran, with RTX Corp and L3Harris Technologies also seeing increases of nearly 6% and 5.3%, respectively, indicating strong market confidence in the defense sector.
- F-35 Upgrades: Lockheed Martin flight-tested an AI-enhanced Combat Identification capability integrated into the F-35, enabling pilots to identify threats faster and make quicker decisions, thereby reinforcing its leadership position in the global defense market.
- Missile Production Boost: RTX has signed five framework agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense to significantly increase production capacity for Tomahawk and AMRAAM missiles, with annual production expected to exceed 1,000 Tomahawks and at least 1,900 AMRAAMs, addressing the growing global demand for precision munitions.
- Market Sentiment Shift: Retail sentiment on Stocktwits for Lockheed Martin jumped from 'bullish' to 'extremely bullish', while RTX's sentiment shifted from 'bearish' to 'extremely bullish', reflecting strong investor optimism about defense stocks and expectations for future defense spending.
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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: 641.630
Low
430.00
Averages
535.50
High
605.00
Current: 641.630
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.
- Stock Surge: Shares of Lockheed Martin soared nearly 7% in after-hours trading following U.S. President Trump's and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's attack on Iran, with RTX Corp and L3Harris Technologies also seeing increases of nearly 6% and 5.3%, respectively, indicating strong market confidence in the defense sector.
- F-35 Upgrades: Lockheed Martin flight-tested an AI-enhanced Combat Identification capability integrated into the F-35, enabling pilots to identify threats faster and make quicker decisions, thereby reinforcing its leadership position in the global defense market.
- Missile Production Boost: RTX has signed five framework agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense to significantly increase production capacity for Tomahawk and AMRAAM missiles, with annual production expected to exceed 1,000 Tomahawks and at least 1,900 AMRAAMs, addressing the growing global demand for precision munitions.
- Market Sentiment Shift: Retail sentiment on Stocktwits for Lockheed Martin jumped from 'bullish' to 'extremely bullish', while RTX's sentiment shifted from 'bearish' to 'extremely bullish', reflecting strong investor optimism about defense stocks and expectations for future defense spending.
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- Escalation of Conflict: The U.S.-Israel military strikes against Iran have entered their third day, resulting in the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei, which triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks from Iran, leading to over 200 civilian deaths and increasing uncertainty in the global economy.
- Market Reaction: Concerns over potential oil supply disruptions have driven U.S. crude prices up more than 8% to $72.57 per barrel, while Brent crude rose about 9% to $79.41, with precious metals like gold and silver climbing around 2% as investors seek safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical tensions.
- Legal Controversy of U.S. Military Action: The U.S. Congress has not authorized military action against Iran, and a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group noted that President Trump's attack lacks legal justification, raising the risk for U.S. forces in the region due to its unprecedented scale.
- Global Reactions: China and Russia have strongly condemned the U.S. and Israeli military actions, calling for an immediate ceasefire, while U.S. allies expressed support for the strikes, emphasizing their right to defend their citizens and sovereignty, highlighting the international community's divided stance on the situation.
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- Market Volatility from War: The joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran, resulting in the death of Iran's supreme leader, has heightened concerns about the war's duration and severity, leading to anticipated challenges for the stock market on Monday, particularly for higher-risk stocks.
- Oil Price Surge: Fears that the war could disrupt global oil supplies have driven West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures up 5.5% to $70.73 per barrel, suggesting that oil stocks may benefit in the short term as investors seek safer assets.
- Defense Stocks Benefiting: With NATO countries increasing defense budgets, defense stocks were already attractive before the war, and the Global X Defense Tech ETF has returned 72.8% since last year, indicating strong market confidence in the defense sector.
- Gold and Silver Rise: Amid geopolitical conflicts, gold futures have increased by 2%, as investors may rotate out of higher-risk stocks into safe-haven assets like gold and silver, reflecting market reactions to uncertainty.
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- Military Action Impact: The US and Israel's joint operation, dubbed 'Operation Epic Fury,' resulted in the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei and several high-ranking officials, directly escalating tensions in the Middle East and expected to significantly impact global stock markets.
- Market Downturn Anticipated: On Monday, stock index futures fell across the board, with S&P 500 futures down 0.61% and Dow futures down 0.73%, indicating investor concerns about the potential duration and severity of the conflict, which may lead to increased market volatility.
- Oil Prices Surge: Fears of disruption to global oil supplies due to the conflict have driven WTI crude oil futures up by 5.5% to $70.73 per barrel, reflecting heightened market anxiety over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil export route.
- Defense Stocks Benefiting: With NATO countries ramping up defense budgets, defense stocks are likely to benefit, exemplified by the Global X Defense Tech ETF's impressive 72.8% return over the past 11 months, indicating sustained investor interest in the defense sector.
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- Market Reaction: Asia-Pacific markets tumbled on Monday as the conflict between Iran and the U.S.-Israel escalated, with Japan's Nikkei 225 index dropping nearly 2% at open, reflecting heightened investor concerns over the situation.
- Oil Price Surge: Following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei, oil futures jumped over 8%, with West Texas Intermediate and Brent trading at $72.52 and $79.04 per barrel respectively, indicating market anxiety over energy supply disruptions.
- Increased Gold Demand: As investors flocked to global safe-haven assets, gold futures rose by 2.3%, highlighting growing fears of uncertainty and a desire to protect investments amid geopolitical tensions.
- U.S. Stock Futures Decline: Following the weekend strikes in Iran, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell by 517 points, or 1%, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures also declining over 1%, showcasing the market's sensitivity to geopolitical risks.
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- Middle East Market Decline: Following the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, Middle Eastern stock markets faced significant declines on their first trading day, with Saudi Arabia's Tadawul, Oman's Muscat index, and Bahrain's exchange all trading in the red, reflecting investor anxiety over the escalating conflict.
- Oil Price Surge Anticipation: Traders are predicting that Brent crude prices will spike above $80 per barrel due to the airstrikes, despite OPEC's recent decision to increase output, indicating heightened volatility in the global oil market.
- Strait of Hormuz Closure: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led global shipping companies to suspend all vessel transit, increasing shipping times and costs, which further exacerbates oil price instability in the wake of retaliatory strikes by Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
- Air Travel Disruption: The airspace across the Middle East has been largely closed since the strikes, resulting in over 1,500 flight cancellations and more than 19,000 global flight delays, placing immense operational pressure on airlines as they work to reopen routes and arrange repatriation flights.
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