Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) Shares Down 1.3% - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Lockheed Martin's stock dropped 1.3% to $507.51 during mid-day trading, with a trading volume 41% below the average.
• Analysts have been adjusting their price targets for the stock, with estimates ranging from $440.00 to $551.00 amid various ratings including "buy", "hold", and "outperform".
• The company recently announced an increase in its quarterly dividend from $3.30 to $3.45, reflecting a positive change in shareholder returns.

Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT - Get Free Report) dropped 1.3% during mid-day trading on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $503.81 and last traded at $507.51. Approximately 942,451 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 41% from the average daily volume of 1,605,228 shares. The stock had previously closed at $514.02.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

LMT has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Robert W. Baird boosted their price target on shares of Lockheed Martin from $500.00 to $550.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday. Sanford C. Bernstein set a $551.00 price target on Lockheed Martin and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research report on Monday, July 14th. Truist Financial downgraded Lockheed Martin from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and lowered their price target for the company from $554.00 to $440.00 in a research report on Wednesday, July 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered their price target on Lockheed Martin from $520.00 to $465.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 23rd. Finally, UBS Group lowered their price target on Lockheed Martin from $498.00 to $453.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating and fifteen have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $503.13.

Lockheed Martin Stock Down 1.3%

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.47, a quick ratio of 0.83 and a current ratio of 0.98. The firm's 50-day moving average is $463.21 and its two-hundred day moving average is $462.39. The stock has a market cap of $118.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.58, a PEG ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.28.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, July 22nd. The aerospace company reported $7.29 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.57 by $0.72. Lockheed Martin had a net margin of 5.85% and a return on equity of 107.60%. The firm had revenue of $18.16 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.59 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business earned $7.11 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was up .2% compared to the same quarter last year. Lockheed Martin has set its FY 2025 guidance at 21.700-22.000 EPS. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Lockheed Martin Corporation will post 27.15 earnings per share for the current year.

Lockheed Martin Increases Dividend

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, December 30th. Investors of record on Monday, December 1st will be paid a $3.45 dividend. This is a positive change from Lockheed Martin's previous quarterly dividend of $3.30. This represents a $13.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.7%. Lockheed Martin's dividend payout ratio is presently 74.32%.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Lockheed Martin

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. 49 Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Lockheed Martin by 3.4% during the 1st quarter. 49 Wealth Management LLC now owns 661 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $295,000 after buying an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. OMNI 360 Wealth Inc. lifted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 2.5% during the first quarter. OMNI 360 Wealth Inc. now owns 913 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $408,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. Tyler Stone Wealth Management lifted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 3.3% during the first quarter. Tyler Stone Wealth Management now owns 684 shares of the aerospace company's stock worth $306,000 after purchasing an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. Investment Advisory Services Inc. TX ADV lifted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 4.7% in the second quarter. Investment Advisory Services Inc. TX ADV now owns 486 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $225,000 after buying an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Broadway Wealth Solutions Inc. lifted its stake in Lockheed Martin by 4.5% in the second quarter. Broadway Wealth Solutions Inc. now owns 511 shares of the aerospace company's stock valued at $237,000 after buying an additional 22 shares during the last quarter. 74.19% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Lockheed Martin Company Profile

Lockheed Martin Corporation, a security and aerospace company, engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services worldwide. The company operates through Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space segments.

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