TLDR
- Lockheed Martin (LMT) gained 2.7% in intraday trading, reaching approximately $659, with trading volume 34% above the daily average.
- Fourth-quarter revenue exceeded estimates at $20.32 billion (vs. $19.84 billion expected), but earnings per share (EPS) missed at $5.80 vs. $6.33 expected.
- The U.S. Army successfully tested LMT’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) system, with a follow-up exercise scheduled for April 2026.
- The U.S. Navy awarded LMT an $18.8 million contract modification for the Trident II (D5) Life Extension 2 program, running through August 2030.
- LMT is up over 31% year-to-date, trading near all-time highs, and has declared a $3.45 quarterly dividend.
Lockheed Martin (LMT) rose 2.7% during intraday trading on Friday, peaking at $662.47 before settling around $659.24. The previous day’s closing price was $641.63.
Trading volume was also elevated: roughly 2.59 million shares changed hands, a 34% increase from the daily average of about 1.93 million.
This stock movement follows two separate military contract developments announced in the same week, reinforcing LMT’s position as a core defense contractor for the U.S. government.
The U.S. Army completed a prototype test of Lockheed’s Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) system with the 25th Infantry Division. The system connects sensor data directly to weapon systems, enabling soldiers to identify and engage targets faster.
This “sensor-to-shooter” capability is a key part of modern battlefield strategy. Insights from the recent test are already being used to refine the technology, and another evaluation is set for April 2026 during the “Lightning Surge 3” exercise.
On the Navy side, Lockheed Martin secured an $18.8 million contract modification tied to the Trident II (D5) Life Extension 2 program. This supports America’s sea-based nuclear deterrent, and the contract runs through August 30, 2030.
Most of the work will be carried out at Lockheed’s Huntsville, Alabama facility. While the dollar figure isn’t massive on its own, the long-term timeline and strategic nature of the program matter to investors.
Q4 Earnings: Revenue Beat, EPS Miss
Lockheed Martin’s most recent quarterly results, reported January 29, showed revenue of $20.32 billion against analyst estimates of $19.84 billion — a beat of roughly $480 million. Revenue was up 9.1% year-over-year.
Earnings per share came in at $5.80, missing the consensus estimate of $6.33 by $0.53. A year ago, the company posted $7.67 EPS for the same quarter.
Analysts expect full-year EPS of $27.15 for the current fiscal year.
Analyst Targets and Dividend
Several analysts have revised their price targets upward. Citigroup raised its target from $592 to $673, though it maintained a “neutral” rating. RBC lifted its target from $615 to $650 with a “sector perform” rating. Robert W. Baird set its target at $640 with an “outperform” rating.
The consensus from MarketBeat is a “Hold” with an average target price of $612.50 — below the stock’s current trading level.
Lockheed also declared a quarterly dividend of $3.45 per share, payable March 27 to shareholders of record as of March 2. The annualized dividend totals $13.80, giving a yield of roughly 2.1%. The payout ratio stands at 64.22%.
The stock’s market cap is $151.68 billion, with a P/E ratio of 30.68 and a beta of 0.23. The 50-day moving average is $578.05 and the 200-day is $508.04.
LMT is up more than 31% year-to-date and trading near all-time highs. Institutional investors hold 74.19% of the stock.
