BA vs LMT

For growth investors, The Boeing Company (BA) is the stronger pick with 34.

5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 5. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT). Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) offers the better valuation at 23. 7x trailing P/E (17. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate The Boeing Company (BA) a "Buy" — based on 54 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the cheapest at 23.

7x versus The Boeing Company at 90. 5x. On forward P/E, Lockheed Martin Corporation is actually cheaper at 17. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) delivered a total return of +47.

6%, compared to -1. 7% for The Boeing Company (BA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LMT returned +157. 1% versus BA's +89. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

12β versus The Boeing Company's 0. 97β — meaning BA is approximately 684% more volatile than LMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 10% for The Boeing Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The Boeing Company (BA) is pulling ahead at 34.

5% versus 5. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: The Boeing Company grew EPS 113. 5% year-over-year, compared to -3. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, BA leads at 10. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the more profitable company, earning 6.

7% net margin versus 2. 5% for The Boeing Company — meaning it keeps 6. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LMT leads at 10. 3% versus -6. 1% for BA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LMT leads at 10. 2%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) trades at 17.

0x forward P/E versus 4835. 8x for The Boeing Company — 4818. 8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LMT: 24. 8% to $635. 11.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) offers the highest yield at 2. 7%, versus 0. 2% for The Boeing Company (BA).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

12), 2. 7% yield, +157. 1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LMT: +157. 1%, BA: +89. 6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: BA is a mid-cap high-growth stock; LMT is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. LMT pays a dividend while BA does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.