Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) closed out a year of "unprecedented demand" with fourth-quarter results that surpassed Wall Street expectations, driven by a surge in global orders for missile defense and fighter jets.
The Bethesda, Maryland-based defense giant reported fourth-quarter net income of $1.34 billion, or $5.80 per share.
On an adjusted basis, earnings reached $7.43 per share, comfortably beating the $6.24 analyst consensus.
Quarterly revenue rose 9.1% to $20.32 billion, fueled by growth across all business segments.
The Missiles and Fire Control unit led the expansion with an 18% jump in sales, following a landmark agreement to triple Patriot PAC-3 interceptor production.
For the full year, Lockheed reported a total profit of $5.02 billion on revenue of $75.05 billion.
This performance was achieved despite a $479 million pension settlement charge and prior losses on classified programs.
Looking ahead, Lockheed issued a bullish 2026 forecast that expects net sales to reach between $77.5 billion and $80 billion.
The company anticipates full-year 2026 earnings in the range of $29.35 to $30.25 per share, with free cash flow projected between $6.5 billion and $6.8 billion.