Investing IdeasBrowse All StocksMarkets
Have your own idea? Try our Stock Screener
Header cover image

U.S. Aerospace and Defense Industry Analysis

UpdatedAug 21, 2026
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies109
  • 7D-5.0%
  • 3M5.1%
  • 1Y21.0%
  • YTDn/a

Over the last 7 days, the Aerospace and Defense industry has dropped 2.3%, driven by General Electric declining 4.4%. In contrast, National Presto Industries has gained 9.4%. This takes the industry's 12 month performance to a gain of 26%. As for the next few years, earnings are expected to grow by 18% per annum.

Industry Valuation and Performance

Has the U.S. Aerospace and Defense Industry valuation changed over the past few years?

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Fri, 21 Aug 2026US$1.8tUS$546.3bUS$40.3b39.9x44.9x3.3x
Sun, 19 Jul 2026US$1.7tUS$532.9bUS$37.5b38.1x44.8x3.1x
Tue, 16 Jun 2026US$1.7tUS$530.2bUS$37.1b39.5x46x3.2x
Thu, 14 May 2026US$1.7tUS$528.9bUS$37.7b35.9x43.8x3.1x
Sat, 11 Apr 2026US$1.7tUS$511.7bUS$36.3b38.6x45.7x3.2x
Mon, 09 Mar 2026US$1.7tUS$511.1bUS$35.6b43.5x48.6x3.4x
Wed, 04 Feb 2026US$1.6tUS$509.4bUS$35.5b40.7x46.4x3.2x
Fri, 02 Jan 2026US$1.3tUS$410.0bUS$32.0b37.3x42.1x3.3x
Sun, 30 Nov 2025US$1.3tUS$409.5bUS$32.4b38.3x40x3.2x
Tue, 28 Oct 2025US$1.4tUS$406.7bUS$32.5b40.9x41.7x3.3x
Thu, 25 Sep 2025US$1.3tUS$395.8bUS$31.0b37.4x41.4x3.2x
Sat, 23 Aug 2025US$1.2tUS$394.0bUS$31.0b34.7x38.6x3x
Mon, 21 Jul 2025US$1.2tUS$389.2bUS$30.6b35.8x38.8x3.1x
Wed, 18 Jun 2025US$1.1tUS$386.9bUS$30.0b33.9x36.7x2.8x
Fri, 16 May 2025US$1.0tUS$386.7bUS$30.0b34.4x33.9x2.6x
Sun, 13 Apr 2025US$923.0bUS$377.4bUS$28.8b29.2x32.1x2.4x
Tue, 11 Mar 2025US$924.5bUS$376.7bUS$30.1b31.2x30.7x2.5x
Thu, 06 Feb 2025US$941.8bUS$375.7bUS$30.0b34x31.4x2.5x
Sat, 04 Jan 2025US$881.3bUS$403.7bUS$28.0b33.4x31.5x2.2x
Mon, 02 Dec 2024US$955.3bUS$403.8bUS$27.8b35.3x34.3x2.4x
Wed, 30 Oct 2024US$926.6bUS$402.9bUS$27.7b34.2x33.5x2.3x
Fri, 27 Sep 2024US$922.7bUS$388.9bUS$23.3b34.3x39.6x2.4x
Sun, 25 Aug 2024US$882.7bUS$388.4bUS$23.2b33.7x38x2.3x
Tue, 23 Jul 2024US$802.4bUS$381.3bUS$24.0b37.6x33.4x2.1x
Thu, 20 Jun 2024US$804.8bUS$381.1bUS$23.9b32.6x33.7x2.1x
Sat, 18 May 2024US$806.0bUS$380.8bUS$23.8b30.8x33.8x2.1x
Mon, 15 Apr 2024US$765.4bUS$371.9bUS$27.6b30.2x27.7x2.1x
Wed, 13 Mar 2024US$583.1bUS$303.9bUS$18.7b31.2x31.2x1.9x
Fri, 09 Feb 2024US$566.8bUS$302.8bUS$18.4b29.7x30.8x1.9x
Sun, 07 Jan 2024US$575.2bUS$302.1bUS$20.9b27.1x27.5x1.9x
Tue, 05 Dec 2023US$567.2bUS$301.6bUS$20.9b28.5x27.2x1.9x
Thu, 02 Nov 2023US$545.5bUS$300.4bUS$20.6b25.4x26.4x1.8x
Sat, 30 Sep 2023US$519.4bUS$306.0bUS$22.5b26.4x23x1.7x
Mon, 28 Aug 2023US$551.1bUS$305.7bUS$22.8b25.4x24.2x1.8x
Price to Earnings Ratio

24.2x


Total Market Cap: US$551.1bTotal Earnings: US$22.8bTotal Revenue: US$305.7bTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.S. Aerospace and Defense Industry Price to Earnings3Y Average 36.2x202420252026
Current Industry PE
  • Investors are optimistic on the American Aerospace and Defense industry, and appear confident in long term growth rates.
  • The industry is trading at a PE ratio of 46.0x which is higher than its 3-year average PE of 36.2x.
  • The 3-year average PS ratio of 2.6x is lower than the industry's current PS ratio of 3.4x.
Past Earnings Growth
  • The earnings for companies in the Aerospace and Defense industry have grown 21% per year over the last three years.
  • Revenues for these companies have grown 21% per year.
  • This means that more sales are being generated by these companies overall, and subsequently their profits are increasing too.

Industry Comparison

How does U.S. Aerospace and Defense compare with similar industries?

US Market-2.09%
Industrials-3.75%
Aerospace & Defense-4.98%
Aerospace and Defense-4.98%
Industry PEThere are no additional sub-industries under this industry.
Forecasted GrowthThere are no additional sub-industries under this industry.

Top Stock Gainers and Losers

Which companies have driven the market over the last 7 days?

CompanyLast Price7D1YValuation
NPK National Presto IndustriesUS$150.719.4%
+US$88.0m		43.4%PE25.1x
SWMR SwarmerUS$45.916.8%
+US$47.4m		n/aPS1788.5x
LOAR Loar HoldingsUS$74.370.5%
+US$35.6m		1.9%PE102.5x
SPAI Safe Pro GroupUS$5.2016.1%
+US$13.5m		2.6%PS36.7x
SIF SIFCO IndustriesUS$20.998.5%
+US$10.3m		207.8%PE33.6x

Latest News

HWM
US$273.64
Howmet Aerospace
7D
-3.2%
1Y
57.9%
Seeking Alpha • 21h

Howmet Aerospace: Q2 Results Reinforce The Buy Case

Summary Howmet Aerospace maintains strong earnings momentum, with Q2 2026 revenue up 24% and guidance raised across all key metrics. HWM's commercial aerospace and spares segments benefit from robust aircraft backlogs and aging fleets, supporting durable multi-year growth. Industrial gas turbines (IGT) are emerging as a significant multi-year driver, with visible demand and HWM holding over 50% of the global share in turbine blades. Despite a premium valuation, I remain comfortable with a buy rating, as strong demand visibility and earnings growth offset potential multiple compression. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
BA
US$215.10
Boeing
7D
-6.6%
1Y
-4.2%
LHX
US$270.44
L3Harris Technologies
7D
-6.2%
1Y
-2.1%
TDG
US$1,180.40
TransDigm Group
7D
-5.3%
1Y
-15.3%
RKLB
US$72.95
Rocket Lab
7D
-8.9%
1Y
75.7%
Narrative Update • Aug 18

RKLB: Defense Contract Execution Will Test Vertically Integrated Platform Narrative

Rocket Lab's updated analyst price target has moved higher to $70.66 from $66.70, as analysts point to expanding national security contracts, the planned Iridium acquisition, and progress on the Neutron launch vehicle as key supports for the revised valuation assumptions. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on Rocket Lab shows a broadly constructive view, with several firms lifting price targets and highlighting contract wins, backlog growth, and the planned Iridium acquisition.
SWMR
US$45.91
Swarmer
7D
6.8%
1Y
n/a
Seeking Alpha • Aug 18

Swarmer: Taking A Small Stake Here As The Growth Plan Becomes More Clear

Summary Swarmer is a high-margin SaaS play targeting the autonomous drone market, with a unique software-only business model. Despite a recent earnings miss, SWMR maintains strong growth prospects, aiming for $40 million in revenue by 2028 and 80%+ gross margins. SWMR’s flagship Trident OS has proven deployment in Ukraine, supporting recurring revenues and a $355 million near-term market opportunity. I rate SWMR a buy for its disruptive potential, scalable contracts, and robust balance sheet, despite near-term valuation and dilution risks. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
GE
US$344.64
General Electric
7D
-4.4%
1Y
28.3%
RTX
US$212.29
RTX
7D
-3.7%
1Y
35.8%
NPK
US$150.71
National Presto Industries
7D
9.4%
1Y
43.4%
SPAI
US$5.20
Safe Pro Group
7D
16.1%
1Y
2.6%
LMT
US$571.48
Lockheed Martin
7D
-4.4%
1Y
27.8%
SIF
US$20.99
SIFCO Industries
7D
8.5%
1Y
207.8%
LOAR
US$74.37
Loar Holdings
7D
0.5%
1Y
1.9%
Narrative Update • Aug 10

LOAR: Record Q2 Margins And Upgraded 2026 Outlook Will Drive Upside

Analysts have lifted the fair value estimate for Loar Holdings stock from $75.00 to $82.00, reflecting updated views on margins, revenue mix and sector risk after recent research that highlighted stronger Q2 profitability, higher 2026 guidance and a mixed but still constructive set of price targets from major firms. Analyst Commentary Recent research on Loar Holdings shows a mix of optimism around profitability and guidance, alongside a more cautious tone on valuation, stock volatility and near term execution risks.