Lockheed Martin Corporation $LMT Position Trimmed by Willis Investment Counsel

Key Points

• Willis Investment Counsel cut its Lockheed Martin position by 15.9% in the third quarter, selling 15,334 shares and retaining 80,941 shares valued at approximately $41.2 million. Institutional investors collectively own 74.19% of LMT’s outstanding stock.
• Lockheed Martin reported quarterly earnings of $7.94 per share and revenue of $20.06 billion, exceeding analyst expectations, while revenue increased 10.5% year over year. The company raised its quarterly dividend to $3.60 per share, representing a 2.6% annualized yield.
• Defense-contract wins and production initiatives continue to support demand, including awards tied to THAAD, Javelin, Apache radar systems and expanded munitions capacity. Analysts maintain a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating with a $627.10 price target, though some have reduced their targets amid competitive and political risks.

Willis Investment Counsel lessened its holdings in shares of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT - Free Report) by 15.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 80,941 shares of the aerospace company's stock after selling 15,334 shares during the quarter. Lockheed Martin accounts for 1.8% of Willis Investment Counsel's portfolio, making the stock its 13th largest position. Willis Investment Counsel's holdings in Lockheed Martin were worth $41,219,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the business. IAG Wealth Partners LLC raised its holdings in Lockheed Martin by 4,800.0% in the first quarter. IAG Wealth Partners LLC now owns 49 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 48 shares in the last quarter. Burnham & Co LLC bought a new position in Lockheed Martin during the 2nd quarter valued at $25,000. Field & Main Bank acquired a new position in Lockheed Martin during the 2nd quarter worth $26,000. Kelleher Financial Advisors acquired a new position in Lockheed Martin during the 2nd quarter worth $29,000. Finally, Highland Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Lockheed Martin in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. 74.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Lockheed Martin Stock Performance

Shares of Lockheed Martin stock traded down $0.61 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $547.62. The company's stock had a trading volume of 776,004 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,438,079. Lockheed Martin Corporation has a one year low of $437.25 and a one year high of $692.00. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $540.85 and its 200 day simple moving average is $543.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.34, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.19. The stock has a market cap of $126.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.20, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.09.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, July 23rd. The aerospace company reported $7.94 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $7.22 by $0.72. Lockheed Martin had a net margin of 8.16% and a return on equity of 91.42%. The firm had revenue of $20.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.34 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.46 earnings per share. Lockheed Martin's quarterly revenue was up 10.5% on a year-over-year basis. Lockheed Martin has set its FY 2026 guidance at 29.950-30.650 EPS. As a group, analysts expect that Lockheed Martin Corporation will post 30.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Lockheed Martin Increases Dividend

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Thursday, December 31st. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 1st will be given a dividend of $3.60 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 1st. This represents a $14.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.6%. This is an increase from Lockheed Martin's previous quarterly dividend of $3.45. Lockheed Martin's payout ratio is presently 50.87%.

Lockheed Martin News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Lockheed Martin this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Lockheed Martin signed a seven-year, $218 million agreement with Karman Space & Defense to supply shrouds for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The deal supports longer-term production visibility for LMT’s missile-defense business. Karman Space & Defense Awarded $218 Million Long-Term Agreement to Support THAAD Production
• Positive Sentiment: A Lockheed Martin and RTX joint venture won a $215 million U.S. Army contract for Javelin launchers, while LMT separately secured a $117.1 million contract to support Apache helicopter radar systems. The awards reinforce demand for the company’s missile and electronic-warfare products. RTX, Lockheed Martin JV wins $215M US Army contract for Javelin launchers LMT Secures $117.1M Contract for Apache Helicopter Radar Support
• Positive Sentiment: Lockheed is working with Hadrian on an embedded manufacturing operation intended to increase munitions production. The initiative could improve capacity and help address growing U.S. and allied weapons demand. Inside the Lockheed-Hadrian deal promising more munitions
• Positive Sentiment: Ukraine’s president discussed accelerating Patriot deliveries with Lockheed Martin, potentially supporting demand for the company’s air-defense systems. LMT also continues to attract attention for its 6.9% trailing free-cash-flow yield, which may appeal to income-focused investors. Ukraine's Zelenskiy discusses speeding up supplies of Patriots with Lockheed Martin Why Is Everyone Ignoring Lockheed Martin Stock's High Cash Yield?
• Neutral Sentiment: Investors are focused on LMT’s upcoming third-quarter earnings, particularly F-35 deliveries, revenue conversion from its backlog and updated 2026 expectations. Lockheed Q3 Earnings on the Horizon
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts cite rising political uncertainty, increased competition and a chart pattern indicating continued weakness after LMT’s decline from its March peak. New 2027 requirements for non-Chinese rare-earth magnets could also raise sourcing costs, although potential eligibility for Norway’s sovereign wealth fund could provide an offset. Lockheed Martin stock flashes a risky pattern as two key threats emerge

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on LMT shares. Sanford C. Bernstein cut their target price on shares of Lockheed Martin from $629.00 to $564.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, October 14th. TD Cowen decreased their price target on Lockheed Martin from $600.00 to $570.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, October 9th. Wall Street Zen lowered Lockheed Martin from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday. Rothschild & Co Redburn initiated coverage on Lockheed Martin in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $650.00 price objective for the company. Finally, UBS Group restated a "buy" rating and set a $653.00 price objective on shares of Lockheed Martin in a research note on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have issued a Buy rating, ten have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $627.10.

About Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin Corporation is a global security and aerospace company headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. Formed in 1995 through the merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, the company develops and produces advanced defense, aerospace, and technology systems for government and commercial customers.

Its principal business areas include Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space. Products and services include military aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II, C-130 Hercules, and F-16 Fighting Falcon; missile-defense and precision-strike systems; helicopters and naval systems; command, control, communications, and intelligence technologies; satellites; space exploration systems; and other classified space and defense programs.

Lockheed Martin serves the U.S.

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