Defense Giants lift 2025 Outlooks as Demand Surges

CNBC, Bloomberg, Reuters, and Investor’s Business Daily contributed to this report.

America’s biggest defense and aerospace names all turned in upbeat quarters and raised their 2025 views, signaling steady demand despite tariffs, a shutdown cloud, and broader macro noise.

GE Aerospace beat on revenue and profit and pushed its guidance higher, telling investors to expect “high-teens” adjusted revenue growth and $7.1–$7.3 billion in free cash flow. Defense deliveries jumped 83% from a year ago, while record LEAP engine shipments rose 40% as Boeing and Airbus keep ramping.

RTX also cleared estimates and nudged its full-year outlook up. Management now sees $6.10–$6.20 in adjusted EPS and $86.5–$87 billion in sales, citing a $251 billion backlog and healthy momentum across missiles, engines and commercial aero services even after earlier tariff headwinds.

Northrop Grumman’s profit easily topped forecasts at $7.67 a share, with defense systems sales up 14%. It lifted EPS guidance to $25.65–$26.05, even as timing on certain awards kept revenue a touch light versus estimates.

Lockheed Martin beat with $6.95 a share on $18.61 billion of revenue and lifted the low end of its sales and earnings ranges to $74.25–$74.75 billion and $22.15–$22.35, respectively. The company says it’s expanding capacity to meet “unprecedented” global demand for fighter jets, munitions and air defense.

Taken together, the quartet’s message was clear: order books are deep, execution is improving, and 2025 should be stronger — even as investors keep one eye on tariffs, Washington funding wrangles, and shifting geopolitics.