Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) Trading Up 2.3% – Here’s Why

Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT)’s share price shot up 2.3% on Wednesday . The company traded as high as $626.93 and last traded at $624.1050. 1,189,205 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 38% from the average session volume of 1,915,467 shares. The stock had previously closed at $610.17.

Key Stories Impacting Lockheed Martin

Here are the key news stories impacting Lockheed Martin this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Pentagon framework deals to ramp wartime production with Lockheed and other suppliers signal stronger near-term government orders and capacity expansion that should support revenue and utilization. Pentagon says it will ramp up war supplies with defense companies
• Positive Sentiment: Lockheed reported a new framework with the Department of War to quadruple Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) production, expanding volume on an existing multi‑billion dollar Army contract — direct upside to missile production revenue and margins. Lockheed Martin Answers the Nation’s Call and Quadruples Precision Strike Missile Production
• Positive Sentiment: Lockheed and Firefly tested rapid-launch capabilities in a U.S. Space Force exercise — a demonstration that can accelerate small-launch/space-launch service opportunities and position Lockheed on future launch logistics contracts. Lockheed Martin, Firefly test rapid-launch capabilities in U.S. Space Force exercise
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst bullishness: Susquehanna raised its LMT price target to $740 and kept a Positive rating, reflecting model updates tied to higher defense spending — supportive for sentiment and potential institutional demand. Susquehanna Lifts Price Target on Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) to $740, Keeps Positive Rating
• Positive Sentiment: Terran Orbital (a Lockheed Martin company) launched a star‑tracker product line at SATSHOW 2026, expanding Lockheed’s space-component portfolio and supporting longer‑term growth in small‑sat components and services. Terran Orbital Introduces New Star Tracker Product Line at SATSHOW 2026
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage and thematic pieces highlight broad defense winners as conflict persists (articles listing Lockheed among top defense stocks). These reinforce sector interest but are thematic rather than company‑specific catalysts. 3 Defense Stocks to Watch as War Drags On, Spending Set to Surge
• Neutral Sentiment: Palantir’s expanding role on the Golden Dome missile project increases program-level funding for missile defense software — helpful for the ecosystem but indirect for Lockheed unless formal supplier ties expand. Palantir’s Defense Role Is Quietly Expanding
• Negative Sentiment: Supply‑chain risk: a Chinese publication claimed the U.S. has limited rare‑earth supplies amid heavy weapons use — a potential medium‑term headwind if elemental shortages disrupt production or increase input costs. Chinese Publication Claims U.S. Has Two Months of Rare Earths Left
• Negative Sentiment: Recent intraday weakness and a prior session dip were noted in market wrap pieces — short‑term volatility remains possible as macro and geopolitical headlines move sentiment. Lockheed Martin (LMT) Stock Falls Amid Market Uptick: What Investors Need to Know

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

LMT has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Lockheed Martin from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Sunday. Morgan Stanley set a $675.00 target price on Lockheed Martin in a research report on Wednesday, February 4th. Susquehanna boosted their price target on Lockheed Martin from $725.00 to $740.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 18th. Truist Financial upped their price target on Lockheed Martin from $605.00 to $695.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, January 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised their price objective on Lockheed Martin from $540.00 to $630.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, February 1st. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, thirteen have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $623.16.

Lockheed Martin Stock Up 2.3%

The company has a current ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.05. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $630.73 and its 200 day moving average price is $534.41. The company has a market capitalization of $143.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 29.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.11 and a beta of 0.22.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, January 29th. The aerospace company reported $5.80 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.33 by ($0.53). Lockheed Martin had a net margin of 6.69% and a return on equity of 108.53%. The business had revenue of $20.32 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $19.84 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $7.67 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 9.1% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Lockheed Martin Corporation will post 27.15 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Lockheed Martin Announces Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 2nd will be issued a $3.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 2nd. This represents a $13.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.2%. Lockheed Martin’s dividend payout ratio is presently 64.22%.

Institutional Trading of Lockheed Martin

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of LMT. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Lockheed Martin by 107.3% during the fourth quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,293,823 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $625,784,000 after acquiring an additional 669,604 shares in the last quarter. Morgan Stanley grew its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin by 10.1% in the 4th quarter. Morgan Stanley now owns 5,728,551 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $2,770,729,000 after purchasing an additional 527,523 shares during the last quarter. Sanders Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of Lockheed Martin in the 3rd quarter worth about $252,699,000. Corient Private Wealth LLC increased its position in shares of Lockheed Martin by 203.3% during the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 560,363 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $271,031,000 after purchasing an additional 375,622 shares in the last quarter. Finally, First Trust Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Lockheed Martin by 286.1% during the 3rd quarter. First Trust Advisors LP now owns 503,428 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $251,316,000 after purchasing an additional 373,027 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.19% of the company’s stock.

About Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) is a global aerospace and defense company that designs, develops and manufactures advanced technology systems for government and commercial customers. Formed through the 1995 merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, the company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, and focuses on providing integrated solutions across air, space, land and sea domains. Its primary customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA and allied governments around the world.

Lockheed Martin’s product and service portfolio spans military aircraft, missile and fire-control systems, missile defense, space systems and satellite technologies, sensors and precision weapons.