Lockheed Martin-built GPS III satellite launches into orbit
Lockheed Martin (LMT) announced the eighth GPS III space vehicle, designed and built by the company, successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, at 1:37 p.m. EDT. GPS III SV08 executed an accelerated launch call-up in just over three months. The company stated these GPS III satellites provide accurate and resilient positioning, navigation, and timing capabilities for civilian and military users. GPS III SV08 is now under operational control at Lockheed Martin's Denver Launch & Checkout Operations Center.
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a day ago
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RTX, NOC, and LMT: 3 High Caliber Defense Stocks in a Dangerous Market
While we all hope for a peaceful resolution to the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran—far more important than market movements—the conflict serves as a stark reminder of the strategic value of defense stocks. Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter I've written about the defense sector previously, and these picks have performed admirably since then. Let's take a look at three of the top aerospace and defense stocks, Lockheed Martin (LMT), RTX (RTX), and Northrop Grumman (NOC), to see where they stand today. Aerospace and defense companies often offer stable, long-term investment appeal. Their revenues are typically underpinned by multi-year contracts with governments and militaries, providing predictable cash flow. The industry also features high barriers to entry, given the critical nature of the work and the long-standing relationships required to secure contracts—governments are unlikely to entrust vital defense programs to unproven newcomers. Many of these companies are also mature, dividend-paying businesses, making them attractive holdings in uncertain geopolitical environments. Formerly known as Raytheon, RTX is one of the largest and most recognizable players in the aerospace and defense sector, with a market capitalization approaching $200 billion. The company was formed through a 2020 merger between Raytheon and United Technologies' aerospace and defense businesses. Today, RTX operates through three major segments. Firstly, Collins Aerospace, a leading provider of advanced aerospace and defense systems, generated $28.3 billion in revenue in 2024. Second, Pratt & Whitney, a leader in aircraft engines and power systems, generated $28.1 billion in revenue in 2024. Lastly, Raytheon, focused on defense technologies including cybersecurity, contributed $26.7 billion last year. With nearly equal revenue distribution across its divisions, RTX is a well-balanced industrial powerhouse. While the U.S. government is its largest customer, RTX also serves global allies, including Poland and the UAE, among others, thereby reinforcing its geopolitical relevance. The stock has gained almost 40% in the past year and now trades at 25x 2025 earnings estimates, slightly above the S&P 500's forward P/E of 21.5, but not excessively priced given the company's scale and stability. RTX also appeals to income investors. It offers a 1.8% dividend yield, modestly higher than the S&P 500's 1.3%, but where it truly stands out is in dividend growth. With 32 consecutive years of dividend increases, RTX has earned its place among Dividend Aristocrats, showcasing a long-standing commitment to returning value to shareholders. Turning to Wall Street, RTX earns a consensus Moderate Buy rating based on 11 Buys, five Holds, and zero Sell ratings assigned in the past three months. The average analyst RTX stock price target of $138.93 implies 4.7% downside potential from current levels. Formed in 1994 through the acquisition of Grumman Aerospace by Northrop Corporation, Northrop Grumman (NOC) has grown into a $72 billion cornerstone of the aerospace and defense industry. The company produces a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including advanced weapons, missile defense systems, and aircraft such as the B-21 Raider stealth bomber. It also maintains strong positions in space systems and mission solutions. In 2024, Northrop Grumman reported solid revenue across its diversified business units: Aeronautics ($12 billion), Space Systems ($11.7 billion), Mission Systems ($11.4 billion), and Defense Systems ($8.6 billion). This diverse revenue base highlights the company's broad capabilities and stable income streams. Like RTX, Northrop Grumman maintains a strong international footprint, serving clients in 25 countries, reinforcing its global relevance. The stock currently trades at 20x 2025 earnings estimates, making it cheaper than RTX and slightly below the S&P 500 average, positioning it as a solid, if not flashy, value play for investors. In terms of income, Northrop Grumman matches RTX with a 1.8% dividend yield. More importantly, it's a reliable dividend growth stock, having paid dividends for 35 consecutive years and increased its payout for 21 straight years, underscoring its consistency and shareholder focus. Turning to Wall Street, NOC earns a consensus Moderate Buy rating based on 10 Buys, five Holds, and zero Sell ratings assigned in the past three months. The average analyst NOC stock price target of $541.36 implies 9.4% upside potential from current levels. With a market cap of $112 billion, Lockheed Martin (LMT) stands as one of the most established and recognizable names in the aerospace and defense sector. The company is renowned for its iconic military aircraft, including the F-16 Falcon and the F-35 Lightning II, with its Aeronautics segment generating $28.6 billion in revenue in 2024. Lockheed Martin's operations are broad and well-diversified, including Missiles and Fire Control, which generated $12.6 billion in sales for 2024; Rotary and Mission Systems, featuring Sikorsky helicopters and maritime technologies, contributing $17.2 billion; and its Space segment, which brought in $12.4 billion for the year. Altogether, Lockheed Martin reported $71 billion in total revenue for 2024, showcasing the scale and balance of its business. Internationally, Lockheed maintains a robust global presence, working with over 50 countries, including Australia, Germany, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and South Korea, which provides meaningful geographic diversification. From a valuation standpoint, Lockheed Martin appears attractive, trading at just 17x 2025 earnings estimates—cheaper than the broader market and the least expensive stock among its peers in this comparison. Income investors will also find Lockheed compelling. With a 2.75% dividend yield, it offers more than double the S&P 500's average and is the highest-yielding stock among prominent U.S. defense names. The company has paid dividends for 29 consecutive years and raised its payout for 22 straight years. With a payout ratio of less than 50%, Lockheed has ample room to continue growing its dividend in the years ahead. LMT earns a consensus Moderate Buy rating based on seven Buys, eight Holds, and zero Sell ratings assigned in the past three months. The average analyst LMT stock price target of $521.07 implies 11.2% upside potential from current levels. I'm bullish on all three of these aerospace and defense stocks, each of which offers a durable business model, long-standing government relationships, diversified revenue streams across multiple segments, reasonable valuations, above-average dividend yields, and impressive records of dividend growth. Among them, I find Lockheed Martin the most compelling, thanks to its lowest valuation and highest dividend yield of the group, alongside a strong track record of consistent dividend increases. Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Lockheed Martin announces Greenville layoffs after federal contract ends
GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – Lockheed Martin announced on Friday that it will layoff employees from it's Greenville location after the Air Force ended a contract with the company. The U.S. Air Force ended its F-16 Depot Sustainment Program with Lockheed Martin in late April. The $900 million contract for the 10-year program provided depot facilities and maintenance for the F-16 aircraft in Greenville. It began in 2020 and was not renewed after five years. The company announced that they will be cutting 10% of their workforce in Greenville. The company did not give a specific number of jobs that would be cut, however Lockheed Martin said in 2024 that the Greenville facility employed more than 1,800 people. The number of jobs lost would likely be in the range of 180. 'As a result of the Air Force's decision not to extend the F-16 CONUS Depot contract, and to meet our customers' needs for affordability in a cost-competitive environment, we made the difficult decision to conduct a limited reduction in force at our Greenville site,' Lockheed Martin said in a statement. 'This decision was made with a great deal of consideration and careful evaluation, and we're committed to supporting affected employees with outplacement services and career counseling.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
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AI image of crashed jet falsely linked to Iran-Israel war
"The F-35 shot down by Iran. Much bigger than I thought," reads the Korean-language caption of an image shared on Threads on June 15, 2025. The image appears to show a massive fighter jet that has crashed in the desert and is missing its left wing. A crowd appears to have gathered around its nose. It circulated after Iranian state media said the country's forces had downed two Israeli fighter jets during a massive Israeli air raid on June 13 (archived link). An Israeli official rejected the report as "fake news" (archived link). The same image was shared on South Korean forum Aagag, and a wider crop appearing to show the plane next to a road surfaced in similar Threads and X posts as well as in other forums such as SVR Forum, Ruliweb, MLB Park and Inven. But the image has tell-tale signs of being AI generated, and the purported F-35 fighter jet does not match photos of the warplane. In the version that shows the plane next to a road, the people surrounding the aircraft appear to be as large as the buses and one vehicle appears to be fused to the road. Moreover, the shape and size of the purported crashed jet -- which according to manufacturer Lockheed Martin measures just under 16 metres (52 feet) -- differs from F-35s as seen in photos available in AFP's archives (archived link). An AFP photo of an Israeli F-35 also shows the symbol on its wing -- a Star of David on a circle -- is different to the symbol on the purported crashed jet's wing, which appears to be a star with a thick border. While generative AI technology is rapidly improving, visual inconsistencies persist and are the best way to identify fabricated content. The Iran-Israel conflict has triggered a wave of misinformation, which AFP has debunked here.
