LDOS vs LMT

For growth investors, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is the stronger pick with 5.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 3. 1% for Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) offers the better valuation at 11. 8x trailing P/E (11. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) a "Buy" — based on 27 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, Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) is the cheapest at 11. 8x versus Lockheed Martin Corporation at 23. 8x. On forward P/E, Leidos Holdings, Inc. is actually cheaper at 11. 1x.

Over the past 5 years, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) delivered a total return of +46.

9%, compared to +33. 4% for Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LDOS returned +223. 8% versus LMT's +156. 2%. 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 Leidos Holdings, Inc. 's 0. 42β — meaning LDOS is approximately 243% more volatile than LMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 119% versus 3% for Lockheed Martin Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) is pulling ahead at 5.

7% versus 3. 1% for Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Leidos Holdings, Inc. grew EPS 20. 7% year-over-year, compared to -3. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, LDOS leads at 6. 1% 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.

Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 5% net margin versus 6. 7% for Lockheed Martin Corporation — meaning it keeps 8. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LDOS leads at 12. 3% versus 10. 3% for LMT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LDOS leads at 17. 7%, 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, Leidos Holdings, Inc.

(LDOS) trades at 11. 1x forward P/E versus 17. 1x for Lockheed Martin Corporation — 6. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LDOS: 55. 5% to $204. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) offers the highest yield at 2. 6%, versus 1. 2% for Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS).

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). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LMT: +156. 2%, LDOS: +223. 8%), 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 (LDOS (Technology) and LMT (Industrials)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: LDOS is a mid-cap deep-value stock; LMT is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. 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.