We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Lockheed Secures $137M Deal to Offer F-35s at Lower Rate
Read MoreHide Full Article
Lockheed Martin Corp.’s (LMT - Free Report) Aeronautics business unit recently clinched a modification contract, under which the defense giant will provide additional funding for affordability-based cost reduction initiatives in support of low-rate initial production of the 9th lot of F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter.
Details of the Deal
Valued at $137.8 million, the deal was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD. Majority of the work related to this contract will be carried out in Fort Worth, TX; El Segundo, CA; Warton, UK; Orlando, FL, while the rest will be performed in varied locations across the world.
Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement funds will be utilized to finance this project, which is scheduled to be over by Dec 2020. 80% of the contract will be attributed to the Air Force, while 16.4% and 3.6% will be attributed to Marine Corps and the Navy, respectively.
A Brief Note on F-35
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation, single-seat, single-engine fighter jet. It offers a combination of advanced stealth as well as fighter speed and agility, fully-fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.
Along with Lockheed Martin as the primary partner, the F-35 program is being supported by an international team of leading aerospace majors like Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC - Free Report) , BAE Systems plc (BAESY - Free Report) and Pratt & Whitney — a unit of United Technologies .
Our View
We remind investors that despite offering superior air security and stability, the F-35 program has been facing some engine-related technical issues for the past few years and has been repeatedly criticized by President Trump on being an overtly expensive project. In this line, either forced by Trump’s intervention or to keep management’s earlier promise to cut down cost by 6–7%, Lockheed finally signed a $8.5 billion deal with Pentagon this February, with the intent of delivering 90 F-35s of the 10th Lot at a historically low rate.
Notably, compared to the 9th Lot’s production, the 10th Lot represented a reduction of $728 million in costs. Going ahead, Lockheed’s management has adopted a cost-saving initiative to lower sustainment costs for F-35 by 10% over the next couple of years. This will result in cost savings of $1 billion over a five-year period. We believe the recent contract win will enable the company to take a step toward achieving its goal to provide more of these combat aircraft at an efficiently reduced rate.
With the U.S. government expecting to spend approximately $400 billion in the upcoming decades to develop and purchase 2,443 F-35 jets, and Lockheed trying its best to effectively reduce the price of this program, the government may place larger orders. This, in turn, will boost the company’s profits.
Price Performance
Lockheed Martin’s stock has rallied about 13.8% in the last one year, underperforming the Zacks categorized Aerospace/Defense industry’s gain of 22.6%. This could be because the earlier budget cuts have put pressure on the top line, although the present defense budget is more in favor of the sector. We believe that budget deficits and political uncertainty might make future defense budgets vulnerable to cutbacks.
Before looking into the stocks mentioned above, you may want to get a head start on potential tech IPOs that are popping up on Zacks' radar. Imagine being in the first wave of investors to jump on a company with almost unlimited growth potential? This Special Report gives you the current scoop on 5 that may go public at any time.
Image: Bigstock
Lockheed Secures $137M Deal to Offer F-35s at Lower Rate
Lockheed Martin Corp.’s (LMT - Free Report) Aeronautics business unit recently clinched a modification contract, under which the defense giant will provide additional funding for affordability-based cost reduction initiatives in support of low-rate initial production of the 9th lot of F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter.
Details of the Deal
Valued at $137.8 million, the deal was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD. Majority of the work related to this contract will be carried out in Fort Worth, TX; El Segundo, CA; Warton, UK; Orlando, FL, while the rest will be performed in varied locations across the world.
Fiscal 2016 aircraft procurement funds will be utilized to finance this project, which is scheduled to be over by Dec 2020. 80% of the contract will be attributed to the Air Force, while 16.4% and 3.6% will be attributed to Marine Corps and the Navy, respectively.
A Brief Note on F-35
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation, single-seat, single-engine fighter jet. It offers a combination of advanced stealth as well as fighter speed and agility, fully-fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.
Along with Lockheed Martin as the primary partner, the F-35 program is being supported by an international team of leading aerospace majors like Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC - Free Report) , BAE Systems plc (BAESY - Free Report) and Pratt & Whitney — a unit of United Technologies .
Our View
We remind investors that despite offering superior air security and stability, the F-35 program has been facing some engine-related technical issues for the past few years and has been repeatedly criticized by President Trump on being an overtly expensive project. In this line, either forced by Trump’s intervention or to keep management’s earlier promise to cut down cost by 6–7%, Lockheed finally signed a $8.5 billion deal with Pentagon this February, with the intent of delivering 90 F-35s of the 10th Lot at a historically low rate.
Notably, compared to the 9th Lot’s production, the 10th Lot represented a reduction of $728 million in costs. Going ahead, Lockheed’s management has adopted a cost-saving initiative to lower sustainment costs for F-35 by 10% over the next couple of years. This will result in cost savings of $1 billion over a five-year period. We believe the recent contract win will enable the company to take a step toward achieving its goal to provide more of these combat aircraft at an efficiently reduced rate.
With the U.S. government expecting to spend approximately $400 billion in the upcoming decades to develop and purchase 2,443 F-35 jets, and Lockheed trying its best to effectively reduce the price of this program, the government may place larger orders. This, in turn, will boost the company’s profits.
Price Performance
Lockheed Martin’s stock has rallied about 13.8% in the last one year, underperforming the Zacks categorized Aerospace/Defense industry’s gain of 22.6%. This could be because the earlier budget cuts have put pressure on the top line, although the present defense budget is more in favor of the sector. We believe that budget deficits and political uncertainty might make future defense budgets vulnerable to cutbacks.
Zacks Rank
Lockheed Martin currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Zacks' 2017 IPO Watch List
Before looking into the stocks mentioned above, you may want to get a head start on potential tech IPOs that are popping up on Zacks' radar. Imagine being in the first wave of investors to jump on a company with almost unlimited growth potential? This Special Report gives you the current scoop on 5 that may go public at any time.
One has driven from 0 to a $68 billion valuation in 8 years. Four others are a little less obvious but already show jaw-dropping growth.Download this IPO Watch List today for free >>