Theme IntelligenceUpdated May 6, 2026

Defense & Military Stocks: The Aerospace and Defense Screener and Research Hub

Track prime contractors, defense IT, specialty components, and next-gen military tech in one place. Compare backlogs, margins, dividends, and valuations across the defense sector.

Investment Thesis

A research-first view of defense equities for comparing government-backed revenue visibility, program execution, and capital returns.

DefenseIndustrialsTechnology
Anish Das
Research by Anish DasFounder and Editor

Performance Dashboard

How the Defense theme has traded against the market

Use the basket chart to see whether the move is broad-based or being carried by a narrow set of names.

Defense Basket +54.1%SPY +29.5%QQQ +41.6%
Equal-weight Defense basketS&P 500QQQ

Live Screener

Rank the Defense Stocks with live market and fundamental data

Scan the leaders, compare returns against growth and valuation, then open the full screener when you want to refine the universe.

32 stocks foundUpdated 2026-05-06T14:45:45.168Z
Open Full Screener →
TickerCompanyMkt CapYTDRev G TTMOp MarginP/E
Palantir Technologies Inc.$311.44B-19%67.7%31.6%215.7
RTX Corporation$232.8B-7.7%10.6%10%34.9
The Boeing Company$176.88B-1.5%32.7%-6.1%90.5
Honeywell International Inc.$132.47B6.7%-6.3%17.5%28.4
Lockheed Martin Corporation$117.31B2.4%4.6%10.3%23.7
Howmet Aerospace Inc.$97.3B14.6%11.1%25.8%65.4
General Dynamics Corporation$94.42B1.7%9.3%10.2%22.6
Northrop Grumman Corporation$79.34B-4.6%5%10.2%19.2
TransDigm Group Incorporated$67.28B-12.3%11.7%47.2%37.1
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.$56.53B-0.6%5.8%10%35.5
Rocket Lab USA, Inc.$45.35B3.6%38%-38%-212.9
Elbit Systems Ltd.$39.53B43.8%18.4%8.8%69.0
Axon Enterprise, Inc.$30.54B-32.4%33.5%0%250.5
Curtiss-Wright Corporation$27.05B27.4%9.5%18.2%56.6
HEICO Corporation$23.35B-15.8%16.1%22.7%56.6
Woodward, Inc.$21.8B17.6%19%14.3%50.9
BWX Technologies, Inc.$18.88B13.4%21.4%10.1%57.4
Leidos Holdings, Inc.$17.34B-25.2%2.3%12.3%12.3
Textron Inc.$15.95B5.3%9.5%8.4%17.9
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.$12.84B-6.8%12.1%4.9%21.2
CACI International Inc$10.91B-8.1%9.6%8.9%22.1
Leonardo DRS, Inc.$10.56B14.1%10.5%9.5%38.5
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.$10.02B-25.2%18.5%2.1%456.2
Viasat, Inc.$8.54B74.2%2.1%-2.2%-14.6
Joby Aviation, Inc.$8.53B-39.6%39183.1%-1346.9%-7.7
AeroVironment, Inc.$8.32B-34.9%116.9%5%107.5
Parsons Corporation$5.33B-19.9%-6.9%6.6%22.6
Mercury Systems, Inc.$4.98B9.1%9%-2.2%-127.6
Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc.$4.64B-1.3%-28.3%-2.2
Archer Aviation Inc.$4.35B-28.2%-243100%-5.9
See all 32 stocks →

Valuation Pulse

Are Defense Stocks cheap or expensive right now?

Aggregated DCF intrinsic value and Wall Street analyst consensus across the theme universe — see where the opportunities and risks sit before you commit capital.

DCF Intrinsic Value

22 of 32 stocks with a DCF view

Median -27%

5

Undervalued

5

Fair Value

12

Overvalued

Wall Street Consensus

32 stocks with analyst coverage

Median +22%
Buy (25)Hold (7)

78%

Buy or Strong Buy

+22%

Median Target Upside

Biggest DCF Upside

Stocks the DCF model flags as most undervalued in this theme

CompanyPriceDCF ValueUpside
LDOS

Leidos Holdings, Inc.

$137.19$292.73+96%
SAIC

Science Applications International Corporation

$95.59$166.41+74%
CACI

CACI International Inc

$494.04$695.08+35%
TXT

Textron Inc.

$91.63$121.18+28%
HEI

HEICO Corporation

$277.33$329.83+23%

Daily Intelligence

What is driving the Defense theme today

Start with the daily narrative, then review the setups across the value chain with catalyst and valuation context before you act.

Today's Brief

Apr 10, 2026

BULLISH

Defense theme driven by U.S. missile and space contracts. Lockheed Martin secured $4.7B missile production and PAC-3 interceptor deals, boosting top-line. Rocket Labs Electron launch partnership expands, adding 3 new missions. Palantir data platform gains upside after analyst rally. Kratos faces short-term sell-off despite contract win, reflecting valuation pressure. RTX continues earnings streak, offering upside. Overall, defense spending remains high, but individual stocks show varied risk-reward profiles.

Top Drivers

Secured $4.7B missile production and PAC-3 interceptor contracts, lifting revenue.

New Electron launch deals add 3 missions, expanding launch capacity.

Analyst rally and trading signal lift stock, 70% upside potential.

Short-term sell-off despite contract win shows valuation pressure.

Maintains earnings surprise streak, attractive for growth investors.

Featured Setups By Segment

Featured names with catalyst and valuation context

These are the cards worth scanning first: current narrative, Street target, VCP DCF view, peer-multiple verdict, and forward estimates in one place.

Defense Primes & Aerospace

The large-scale platform builders that design, manufacture, and maintain major weapons systems — fighter jets, missiles, submarines, helicopters, and satellites — backed by multi-billion-dollar, multi-year government contracts and backlogs that stretch a decade or longer.

RTX logo
RTX

RTX Corporation

$172.87$232.8B1M -13%
BULLISH

RTX is benefiting from rising global defense spending, attracting defense ETF inflows, and solidifying its position as a patent leader; its Ray Therapeutics arm also secured PRIME designation for a retinal drug, boosting growth prospects.

Street

Buy

Target $224.89 • +30% • 26 analysts

VCP DCF

fair

-13% • FV $151.54

Peers

Fair

-3% • 87/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +7%

Base target $234.39 • 66/100 confidence

Defense ETFs to Buy as Global Military Spending Rises 2.9%

zacks.com • 2026-04-29 11:46

LMT logo
LMT

Lockheed Martin Corporation

$509.02$117.31B1M -20%
MIXED

Lockheed Martin shares are down 24% but analysts still recommend holding, citing a new $1.8 billion Space Force contract and a pending Canadian fighter‑jet purchase that could lift demand. Market sentiment is cautious, yet defense‑spending fundamentals support upside.

Street

Buy

Target $635.11 • +25% • 37 analysts

VCP DCF

fair

+3% • FV $529.50

Peers

Undervalued

+25% • 80/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +5%

Base target $679.30 • 75/100 confidence

1 Magnificent Industrial Stock Down 24% to Buy and Hold Forever

fool.com • 2026-04-29 15:18

Defense IT & Services

Software, data analytics, IT modernization, and professional services firms that support Department of Defense and intelligence community operations with higher margins, faster growth, and less capital intensity than hardware primes.

PLTR logo
PLTR

Palantir Technologies Inc.

$135.91$311.44B1M -8%
MIXED

PLTR fell 1.5% today as investors weighed a valuation stretch flagged by RBC, but the stock remains buoyed by strong Q1 expectations from commercial growth and a $4.38B deal pipeline that has spurred bullish calls ahead of earnings.

Street

Hold

Target $194.53 • +43% • 26 analysts

VCP DCF

DCF unavailable

DCF view unavailable

Peers

Overvalued

-57% • 72/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +33%

Base target $135.34 • 63/100 confidence

Why Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) Dipped More Than Broader Market Today

zacks.com • 2026-04-29 18:47

LDOS logo
LDOS

Leidos Holdings, Inc.

$137.19$17.34B1M -14%
BULLISH

Leidos (LDOS) is poised for a Q1 earnings release that analysts expect to beat estimates, driven by strong defense contracts supporting over 4.7 million service members and families. The company’s recent guidance and robust revenue growth from military services are key catalysts.

Street

Buy

Target $204.00 • +49% • 27 analysts

VCP DCF

undervalued

+96% • FV $292.73

Peers

Undervalued

+86% • 86/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +3%

Base target $152.27 • 68/100 confidence

Leidos Holdings to Report Q1 Earnings: Here's What to Expect

zacks.com • 2026-04-29 12:11

CACI logo
CACI

CACI International Inc

$494.04$10.91B1M -14%
BULLISH

CACI has secured AWS Managed Service Provider status, enabling it to offer secure, compliant hybrid cloud solutions on Amazon's platform. This expands its cloud services portfolio, positions it for higher-margin managed services contracts, and strengthens its competitive edge in the defense and commercial cloud market.

Street

Buy

Target $725.50 • +47% • 29 analysts

VCP DCF

undervalued

+35% • FV $695.08

Peers

Overvalued

-32% • 91/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +10%

Base target $686.38 • 77/100 confidence

CACI Achieves Amazon Web Services Managed Service Provider Status for its Secure, Compliant Hybrid Cloud Solutions

businesswire.com • 2026-04-27 16:15

Defense Components & Specialty

Specialized manufacturers of critical defense components — jet engine parts, flight control systems, nuclear propulsion, and electronic subsystems — often holding monopoly or duopoly positions on parts that every platform program requires.

HWM logo
HWM

Howmet Aerospace Inc.

$242.69$97.3B1M +3%
BEARISH

HWM’s shares fell more than the market on April 29, 2026, driven by weaker-than-expected earnings and concerns about future demand for its aerospace and defense products.

Street

Buy

Target $274.67 • +13% • 23 analysts

VCP DCF

overvalued

-68% • FV $76.27

Peers

Overvalued

-34% • 79/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +12%

Base target $334.76 • 62/100 confidence

Howmet (HWM) Declines More Than Market: Some Information for Investors

zacks.com • 2026-04-29 19:01

TDG logo
TDG

TransDigm Group Incorporated

$1191.33$67.28B1M +0%
NEUTRAL

TDG’s latest move is the appointment of Paul Geddes as Senior Vice‑President of Business Development and Strategy, signaling a push to expand its product portfolio and market reach. The company will also report Q2 results on May 5, which will determine short‑term valuation.

Street

Buy

Target $1617.88 • +36% • 39 analysts

VCP DCF

fair

-13% • FV $1009.35

Peers

Undervalued

+17% • 89/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +13%

Base target $1676.09 • 65/100 confidence

TDG Appoints Paul Geddes as Senior Vice-President Business Development and Strategy

globenewswire.com • 2026-04-28 07:00

Next-Gen Defense Tech

Companies building the technologies that are reshaping modern warfare — tactical drones, autonomous systems, electronic warfare, space launch, and law enforcement technology — with higher growth potential and higher risk than established primes.

KTOS logo
KTOS

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.

$59.31$10.02B1M -20%
BULLISH

Cathie Wood’s massive bet on KTOS has spurred buying interest, lifting the stock’s price as investors chase AI exposure.

Street

Buy

Target $110.58 • +86% • 22 analysts

VCP DCF

DCF unavailable

DCF view unavailable

Peers

Overvalued

-76% • 53/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +19%

Base target $36.06 • 65/100 confidence

Cathie Wood just made a massive bet on these two top AI stocks

finbold.com • 2026-04-29 06:27

AVAV logo
AVAV

AeroVironment, Inc.

$166.69$8.32B1M -12%
MIXED

AVAV’s focus on its new Halo_Shield tile‑based C‑UAS system and upcoming BofA conference presentation signals potential upside from defense contracts, but a legal investigation by Portnoy Law Firm and a sharp stock decline suggest downside risk.

Street

Buy

Target $343.60 • +106% • 28 analysts

VCP DCF

overvalued

-86% • FV $25.60

Peers

Overvalued

-45% • 51/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +18%

51/100 confidence

Here's Why AeroVironment (AVAV) Fell More Than Broader Market

zacks.com • 2026-04-29 19:15

AXON logo
AXON

Axon Enterprise, Inc.

$380.76$30.54B1M -8%
BULLISH

Analysts are recommending AXON as a high‑potential AI stock, driving up investor interest and search volume today.

Street

Buy

Target $726.71 • +91% • 21 analysts

VCP DCF

DCF unavailable

DCF view unavailable

Peers

Overvalued

-51% • 66/100 confidence

VCP Est.

FY+1 Rev +32%

Base target $380.76 • 79/100 confidence

Investors Heavily Search Axon Enterprise, Inc (AXON): Here is What You Need to Know

zacks.com • 2026-04-29 10:01

More Daily Summaries

Review the rest of the names in the theme that have fresh stock-level news coverage today.

ACHR logo
ACHR

Archer Aviation Inc.

BULLISH

Archer Aviation (ACHR) is poised for a pivotal Q1 2026 earnings release on May 11, with analysts weighing its growth against peers like EVTL; the eVTOL market is gaining traction from major players such as Uber and Joby, boosting expectations for Archer's commercial rollout.

BA logo
BA

The Boeing Company

BULLISH

Boeing posted Q1 earnings above estimates, driven by a strong 737 MAX order book—including new contracts with SCAT and Copa Airlines—and a strategic partnership with LightSolver to develop a laser‑based accelerator for large‑scale engineering simulation, boosting cash flow and future growth prospects.

HII logo
HII

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.

BULLISH

HII is driven by a strong contract pipeline, including a frigate lead yard support contract and a Pentagon deal on submarine teaming, while the company just declared a quarterly dividend. Analysts expect earnings to beat estimates, and the stock is ranked as a top value play, boosting investor confidence.

Earnings Calendar

Upcoming earnings across Defense Stocks

Earnings are the single biggest catalyst for theme stocks. Track which names report soon and prepare before the move.

No earnings in the next 30 days

No names in this theme are scheduled to report in the next month.

Dates can shift, so if you are tracking a specific stock, open its page for the latest earnings calendar and setup.

Theme Breakdown

How the Defense universe breaks down

These buckets separate the companies building, supplying, and monetizing the theme across the value chain.

01

Defense Primes & Aerospace

The large-scale platform builders that design, manufacture, and maintain major weapons systems — fighter jets, missiles, submarines, helicopters, and satellites — backed by multi-billion-dollar, multi-year government contracts and backlogs that stretch a decade or longer.

RTXLMTNOCGDBA
02

Defense IT & Services

Software, data analytics, IT modernization, and professional services firms that support Department of Defense and intelligence community operations with higher margins, faster growth, and less capital intensity than hardware primes.

PLTRLDOSCACISAICPSN
03

Defense Components & Specialty

Specialized manufacturers of critical defense components — jet engine parts, flight control systems, nuclear propulsion, and electronic subsystems — often holding monopoly or duopoly positions on parts that every platform program requires.

HWMTDGBWXTCWESLTDRSHEI
04

Next-Gen Defense Tech

Companies building the technologies that are reshaping modern warfare — tactical drones, autonomous systems, electronic warfare, space launch, and law enforcement technology — with higher growth potential and higher risk than established primes.

KTOSAVAVAXONRKLBMRCYACHRJOBY

How This Basket Is Built

  • Curated aerospace and defense ecosystem universeThe basket covers the full defense value chain — prime contractors building major weapons platforms, IT and services firms modernizing military networks, specialty component makers with sole-source positions, and next-gen technology companies bringing drones, autonomous systems, and space capabilities to the battlefield. Stocks qualify when US or allied defense spending can materially change revenue, margins, or the investment thesis.
  • Listed common stocks onlyThe page focuses on listed equities with enough liquidity, analyst coverage, and financial disclosure to support real research work. Private defense contractors and foreign-listed companies without US ADRs are excluded.
  • Equal-weight theme basket for performanceThe performance chart equal-weights the basket so RTX and Lockheed Martin do not dominate the read. This makes it easier to judge whether defense-sector strength is broad-based or concentrated in a few mega-cap primes.
  • Contract visibility and cash-flow quality alongside fundamentalsDefense companies derive revenue from long-term government contracts with multi-year backlogs. The table surfaces revenue growth, operating margin, free cash flow margin, and dividend yield so investors can judge both the growth trajectory from new contract wins and the cash-return quality of the business.
Quick Read

Why Defense Has the Most Visible Revenue in the Equity Market

Multi-year government contracts and backlogs stretching a decade give defense stocks a revenue visibility advantage that no other sector can match.

  • Top primes carry backlogs of $100B to $200B — years of contracted revenue already signed
  • The US defense budget is the single largest line item in federal discretionary spending, with bipartisan support
  • Contract wins and program ramps drive real revenue growth, not commodity cycles or consumer sentiment

Defense stocks offer contracted revenue visibility that stretches five to ten years. When Lockheed wins an F-35 contract or RTX books a Patriot order, that revenue is signed, funded, and scheduled — not speculative. The market pays premium multiples for this predictability. Use revenue growth and operating margin columns to see which companies convert backlog growth into expanding earnings.

Quick Read

What Actually Moves Defense Stocks

Defense stocks are driven by budget cycles, geopolitical shifts, and program milestones — not the same forces that move the rest of the market.

  • The annual defense authorization and appropriations cycle creates a predictable catalyst calendar
  • Geopolitical escalation — NATO spending pledges, Pacific deterrence — drives multi-year budget tailwinds
  • Program milestones like contract awards, production ramp-ups, and foreign military sales create stock-specific catalysts

Defense stocks do not move like the broader market — they are uncorrelated with consumer spending, rates, and the economic cycle. The annual budget process (February request, summer markup, fall appropriations) creates a predictable catalyst calendar. Layered on top are structural tailwinds: NATO 2% pledges, Indo-Pacific deterrence investments, and aging platform modernization.

Quick Read

How Next-Gen Technology Is Reshaping the Defense Industrial Base

Drones, autonomous systems, AI-enabled command and control, and commercial space are creating a new generation of defense companies alongside the legacy primes.

  • Tactical drones and autonomous systems from Kratos and AeroVironment are changing how wars are fought
  • Palantir and defense IT firms are winning large-scale AI and data analytics contracts across DoD
  • Commercial space companies like Rocket Lab are competing for military launch and satellite programs

The defense industrial base is bifurcating. Primes still dominate large platform programs, but tech-first companies like Kratos (drones), AeroVironment (tactical UAVs), and Palantir (military AI) are winning contracts in areas primes were slow to address. These names grow faster but trade at higher multiples with thinner margins. Use operating margin and P/E to see which are executing versus still burning cash.

Frequently Asked Questions

Companies whose revenue is primarily driven by government defense spending. The sector includes prime contractors (RTX, LMT, NOC), defense IT firms (PLTR, LDOS), specialty component makers (HWM, TDG), and next-gen tech companies bringing drones, AI, and space capabilities to the military.

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Move From Theme Narrative to Stock Selection

Start with the basket, verify the drivers, then screen the names that still fit your process.

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