KALU vs RTX vs LMT vs BA

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. 8x trailing P/E (17. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate RTX Corporation (RTX) a "Buy" — based on 26 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.

8x versus The Boeing Company at 93. 2x. On forward P/E, Lockheed Martin Corporation is actually cheaper at 17. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, RTX Corporation (RTX) delivered a total return of +120.

1%, compared to -1. 9% for The Boeing Company (BA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RTX returned +234. 7% versus BA's +94. 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 Kaiser Aluminum Corporation's 1. 71β — meaning KALU is approximately 1285% more volatile than LMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, RTX Corporation (RTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 59% 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: Kaiser Aluminum Corporation grew EPS 135. 9% 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.

RTX Corporation (RTX) is the more profitable company, earning 7.

6% net margin versus 2. 5% for The Boeing Company — meaning it keeps 7. 6% 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 — RTX leads at 20. 1%, 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.

1x forward P/E versus 4979. 1x for The Boeing Company — 4962. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for RTX: 27. 2% to $224. 89.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) offers the highest yield at 2. 6%, 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. 6% yield, +156. 2% 10Y return). Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (KALU) carries a higher beta of 1. 71 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LMT: +156. 2%, KALU: +135. 1%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (KALU (Basic Materials) and RTX (Industrials) and LMT (Industrials) and BA (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: KALU is a small-cap quality compounder stock; RTX is a large-cap quality compounder stock; LMT is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; BA is a mid-cap high-growth stock. KALU, RTX, LMT pay 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.