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Lockheed Martin Secures a Contract for HELLFIRE II Missiles & JAGM

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Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT - Free Report) recently secured a modification contract valued at $42 million to provide HELLFIRE II Missiles and Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM). The work related to this deal will be carried out in Orlando, FL, and is projected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2027.

The award has been provided by the U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL.

What’s Favoring LMT?

With countries worldwide enhancing their defense capabilities, spending on advanced military arms and ammunition has been rapidly increasing. This also includes growing investments in missiles and missile systems, which are crucial for warfare missions. Lockheed Martin, as a prominent manufacturer of missiles and missile defense systems, has thus been witnessing a steady flow of orders from the Pentagon and other U.S. allies. The latest contract win is an example of that.
 
Notably, Lockheed Martin’s HELLFIRE II missile provides precision-strike accuracy across multiple missions and targets. It offers maximum flexibility in combat. Its versatility ensures effective performance in a wide range of operational scenarios.

On the other hand, LMT’s JAGM combines the capabilities of the HELLFIRE and LONGBOW missiles into one system, providing multi-domain combat solutions. Its fire-and-forget feature enhances user survivability and allows for rapid attacks on multiple targets, thereby making it a crucial weapon against evolving global threats.

Such notable features of the aforementioned missiles of Lockheed Martin are likely to have been boosting their demand, which is further evident from the latest contract win.

LMT Stock’s Growth Prospects

Rising military conflicts, terrorism and border disputes have led nations to increase their focus on national security, particularly on missile defense systems, backed by the rapid development of advanced missile technologies over the last decade.
 
This is likely to have prompted Mordor Intelligence to forecast a compound annual growth rate of 5% for the missiles and missile defense systems market during the 2024-2029 time period.

This should benefit Lockheed Martin, with its Missile and Fire Control unit being a recognized developer of high-performance missiles. The unit also pursues business in more than 50 countries worldwide. Some of its major programs are the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense air and missile defense programs as well. Its prominent missiles include Precision Strike Missile, Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile and Long Range AntiShip Missile.

Prospects of LMT’s Peers

Other defense companies that are likely to enjoy the perks of the expanding missiles and missile system market have been discussed below.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC - Free Report) : Northrop Grumman provides high-speed, long-range strike weapons like the AARGM-ER, which is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system. It also develops and builds advance missile defense technology, ranging from command systems to directed energy weapons, advanced munitions and powerful sensors.

The company’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 8.7%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for NOC’s 2024 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 5.4%.

RTX Corporation (RTX - Free Report) : It is known for its missile defense systems like the Patriot and SM-6, which are in high demand globally. RTX also provides advanced sensors and interceptors to identify, track and defeat threats as part of a layered missile defense.
 
The company’s long-term earnings growth rate is 10.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RTX’s 2024 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 7%.

The Boeing Company (BA - Free Report) : It manufactures various missile defense systems, including the Ground-based Midcourse Defense, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense and Avenger. Boeing-built and supported air and missile defense systems have been protecting its customers for nearly 25 years against threats ranging from intercontinental ballistic missiles to hostile aircraft.

The company has a long-term earnings growth rate of 21.3%.  The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BA’s 2025 sales indicates year-over-year growth of 21.7%.

LMT Stock’s Price Movement

Shares of LMT have gained 25.3% in the past three months compared with the industry’s 7.3% growth.

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LMT’s Zacks Rank

LMT currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

 

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