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General Dynamics (GD) Laps the Stock Market: Here's Why

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General Dynamics (GD - Free Report) closed the most recent trading day at $246.97, moving +0.87% from the previous trading session. The stock's performance was ahead of the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.38%. At the same time, the Dow added 1.47%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 0.23%.

Shares of the defense contractor have appreciated by 0.88% over the course of the past month, underperforming the Aerospace sector's gain of 8.43% and the S&P 500's gain of 10.72%.

Investors will be eagerly watching for the performance of General Dynamics in its upcoming earnings disclosure. The company is forecasted to report an EPS of $4.21, showcasing a 17.6% upward movement from the corresponding quarter of the prior year. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $12.48 billion, up 15.02% from the year-ago period.

GD's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $12.58 per share and revenue of $42.99 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +3.2% and +9.1%, respectively.

It is also important to note the recent changes to analyst estimates for General Dynamics. Such recent modifications usually signify the changing landscape of near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.

Our research demonstrates that these adjustments in estimates directly associate with imminent stock price performance. Investors can capitalize on this by using the Zacks Rank. This model considers these estimate changes and provides a simple, actionable rating system.

The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 0.01% lower. As of now, General Dynamics holds a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).

In the context of valuation, General Dynamics is at present trading with a Forward P/E ratio of 19.46. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 17.62, which means General Dynamics is trading at a premium to the group.

Meanwhile, GD's PEG ratio is currently 2.17. The PEG ratio bears resemblance to the frequently used P/E ratio, but this parameter also includes the company's expected earnings growth trajectory. As of the close of trade yesterday, the Aerospace - Defense industry held an average PEG ratio of 1.9.

The Aerospace - Defense industry is part of the Aerospace sector. At present, this industry carries a Zacks Industry Rank of 50, placing it within the top 20% of over 250 industries.

The Zacks Industry Rank assesses the strength of our separate industry groups by calculating the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks contained within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.

Remember to apply Zacks.com to follow these and more stock-moving metrics during the upcoming trading sessions.


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