Lockheed Martin Corporation’s LMT unit, Rotary and Mission Systems, recently clinched a modification contract involving the AEGIS combat system. The award has been provided by the Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C.
Details of LMT’s Deal
Valued at $82.3 million, the contract is expected to be completed by December 2025. Per the terms of the deal, Lockheed can exercise options for AEGIS development and test site operation and maintenance at the Combat Systems Engineering Development Site, SPY-1A Test Facility and Naval Systems Computing Center.
The work related to this deal will be executed in Moorestown, NJ. This contract includes foreign military sales to the governments of South Korea, Australia, Japan, Spain and Canada.
Significance of LMT’s AEGIS Combat System
The Aegis Combat System is an advanced naval defense system that combines sensors, weapons and command controls to detect and respond to threats. It can handle multiple missions, including defending against air and missile attacks, through its Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability.
Growth Prospects for LMT
Rising military conflicts, terrorism and border disputes, along with rapid technological advancements, have driven nations to enhance their naval defense capabilities, making naval combat systems a critical part of their defensive strategies. Fleet modernization programs by armed forces worldwide have also significantly increased the demand for new naval vessels equipped with advanced technologies.
This is likely to have prompted the Mordor Intelligence firm to forecast a compound annual growth rate of more than 2.5% for the global naval combat systems market during the 2025-2030 period. Such strong market prospects drive growth opportunities for Lockheed, which offers state-of-the-art naval combat systems in addition to Aegis.
LMT’s e Integrated Combat System has the capacity to connect sensors, networks and weapons across a distributed naval force afloat and ashore. On the other hand, its littoral combat ships are resilient, flexible warships, designed from the keel up to affordably take on new capabilities including advanced sensors, missiles and cutting-edge cyber systems.
Opportunities for Other Defense Stocks
Other defense companies that are likely to benefit from the expanding global naval combat systems market are discussed below:
RTX Corporation RTX: It provides advanced electronic and combat systems for the DDG 1000 warship program. Its offerings include a computing environment, modular enclosures, undersea warfare systems, vertical launching systems, advanced guns and integrated power systems.
RTX’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 10.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RTX’s 2025 sales indicates growth of 5.4% from the 2024 estimated figure.
Huntington Ingalls Industries HII: Through its Ingalls Shipbuilding segment, the company has been designing and building amphibious ships, guided missile destroyers and national security cutters for more than 85 years.
HII has a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HII’s 2025 sales indicates growth of 4% from the 2024 estimated figure.
Northrop Grumman Corporation NOC: Northrop delivers products like AQS-24B/C Minehunting, Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program Block III, Manta Ray and other navigation systems used in naval combat.
Northrop has a long-term earnings growth rate of 19%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NOC’s 2025 sales indicates growth of 3.4% from the 2024 estimated figure.
LMT Stock’s Price Movement
Shares of LMT have risen 3.5% in the past six months against the industry’s 0.9% decline.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
LMT’s Zacks Rank
LMT currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
