Lockheed Martin Raises 2026 Outlook to $77.5B-$80B

Lockheed Martin, the Maryland-based defense contractor, raised its financial outlook for 2026 on Thursday, projecting revenue of $77.5 billion to $80 billion and earnings per share between $29.35 and $30.25, both surpassing Wall Street expectations. The upward revision reflects sustained global demand for fighter jets and missile systems amid escalating geopolitical conflicts.

The company reported fourth-quarter revenue of $20.32 billion, a 9.1 percent increase from $18.62 billion in the same period a year earlier. Growth was led by the missiles and fire control segment, which saw sales rise 17.8 percent, driven by production of systems like the Patriot interceptor. The aeronautics division, responsible for the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, posted a 6.4 percent sales increase, making it the largest revenue contributor.

Executives attributed the strong performance to expanded U.S. government contracts. Earlier this month, Lockheed secured a seven-year agreement with the Department of Defense to ramp up production of Patriot PAC-3 missile interceptors to 2,000 units annually, more than tripling current output of 600 units. The company also plans to quadruple production of...