General Dynamics Corporation vs Lockheed Martin Corporation — how do they compare? General Dynamics Corporation trades at $367.17 (market cap $98.88B), while Lockheed Martin Corporation trades at $515.86 (market cap $118.62B). The key difference: Lockheed Martin Corporation is the larger of the two by market cap, and Lockheed Martin Corporation pays the higher dividend (2.68%). Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| GD | LMT | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $98.88B | $118.62B |
Sector | Industrials | Industrials |
52-Week High | $376.88 | $676.70 |
52-Week Low | $297.05 | $410.74 |
Enterprise Value | $105.06B | $137.42B |
Dividend Yield | 1.74% | 2.68% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
General Dynamics (GD) trades at $366.40, down 0.84% on the day, with strong technical momentum indicated by bullish moving averages and oscillators. The company demonstrates solid fundamentals with Q1 2026 EPS beating expectations at $4.10 versus $3.67, continuing a trend of earnings outperformance. Revenue growth has been consistent, reaching $52.55 billion in 2025 with an 8.07% net income margin. Analyst sentiment remains positive with a $395.83 consensus price target and 53% buy ratings.
The outlook for GD is favorable given strong defense spending tailwinds and a growing $130.8 billion backlog, particularly in marine systems. However, risks include execution challenges on large contracts and potential defense budget volatility. The stock's current valuation at 23x P/E appears reasonable relative to earnings growth prospects, positioning it as a core defense holding for long-term investors.
Lockheed Martin (LMT) trades at $515.75, up 0.15% on the day, with a bearish technical signal but strong analyst support. The stock shows robust fundamentals including a $75.05B revenue in 2025, a 6.38% net income margin, and a high ROE of 67.64%. Recent news highlights expansion into European venture capital and a $194B backlog, signaling long-term demand. However, earnings misses in Q4 2025 and Q1 2026 pose near-term execution challenges amid escalating defense spending trends.
The outlook for LMT is positive due to strong defense budgets and a massive backlog, but risks include earnings volatility and high debt levels. With 57% of analysts rating it Buy and a consensus price target of $614, the stock offers potential upside, though investors should monitor margin improvements and geopolitical developments affecting defense contracts.
Trailing returns across standard periods
Latest headlines on both assets
General Dynamics is a defense contractor and business jet manufacturer. The firm's segments include aerospace, combat systems, marine, and technologies. The company's aerospace segment creates Gulfstream business jets. Combat system produces land-based combat vehicles, such as the M1 Abrams tank. The marine subsegment creates nuclear-powered submarines, among other things. The technologies segment contains two main units, an IT business that primarily serves the government market and a mission systems business that focuses on products that provide command, control, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to the military.
Read more on GD →Lockheed Martin is the largest defense contractor globally and has dominated the Western market for high-end fighter aircraft since the F-35 program was awarded in 2001. Lockheed's largest segment is aeronautics, which is dominated by the massive F-35 program. Lockheed's remaining segments are rotary and mission systems, which is mainly the Sikorsky helicopter business.
Read more on LMT →