Lockheed Martin Corp.’s LMT steady inflow of orders for its diverse defense products is likely to boost its revenues. LMT also gains from its presence in the international defense market and solid backlog.

However, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company faces risks like the shortage of skilled labor.

Tailwinds Favoring LMT
 

In the fourth quarter of 2024, Lockheed kept up with its tradition of securing several significant contracts from the Pentagon and other American allies. These include a $11.8 billion contract to produce and deliver 145 F-35 jets and a $3.4 billion award to provide continued logistics support for delivered F-35 jets. Such contracts lead to a solid backlog count, which boosts LMT’s revenue generation prospects.

Lockheed Martin's products not only have an impressive domestic market presence but also gain international recognition. International customers have shown great interest in its Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, with 17 nations choosing the PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement to improve their capacity for missile defense.

Lockheed’s total backlog came in at a solid $176 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024. Such a consistent level of contract flows and subsequent backlog growth bolster its long-term revenue prospects. The company intends to recognize roughly 35% of its backlog in the next 12 months and 60% in the following 24 months.

Headwinds Faced by LMT
 

Industry participants like Lockheed continue to be at risk from the labor crisis, particularly with regard to skilled workers. These labor shortages may make it difficult for manufacturing companies like Lockheed to deliver finished products on schedule, which might affect its operating performance going forward.

In 2023, the China Ministry of Commerce declared that Lockheed had been placed on its list of "unreliable entities" in relation to certain foreign military sales made by the U.S. government to Taiwan involving LMT’s products and services. In 2024, China specifically banned the export of certain minerals to the United States. If China further restricts the export of certain materials, takes further actions to enforce the existing sanctions on Lockheed, imposes additional sanctions or levies sanctions on its suppliers, teammates or partners, the company’s business could be adversely affected.

LMT Stock Price Movement
 

In the past year, shares of LMT have fallen 3.2% compared with the industry’s decline of 5.1%.

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Stocks to Consider
 

Some better-ranked stocks from the same sector are HEICO Corporation HEI, Leidos Holdings, Inc. LDOS and Triumph Group, Inc. TGI, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

HEI delivered an average earnings surprise of 11.92% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HEI’s total revenues for 2025 stands at $4.29 billion, which indicates growth of 11.3%.

LDOS delivered an average earnings surprise of 28.34% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LDOS’ total revenues for 2024 stands at $17.09 billion, which calls for year-over-year growth of 3%.

TGI delivered an average earnings surprise of 159.38% in the last four quarters. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TGI’s fiscal 2025 earnings is pegged at 68 cents per share, which implies a massive rise of 1,233.3%.

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Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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