News

Lockheed Martin (LMT) reported $17.2 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2024, representing a year-over-year increase of 13.7%. EPS of $6.33 for the same period compares to $6.43 a year ago.

The reported revenue represents a surprise of +6.21% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $16.19 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $5.80, the EPS surprise was +9.14%.

While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.

As these metrics influence top- and bottom-line performance, comparing them to the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated helps investors project a stock's price performance more accurately.

Here is how Lockheed performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:

• Net sales- Aeronautics: $6.85 billion versus $6.61 billion estimated by five analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +9.2% change.
• Net sales- Rotary and Mission Systems: $4.09 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $3.72 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +16.5%.
• Net sales- Missiles and Fire Control: $2.99 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $2.66 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +25.3%.
• Net sales- Space: $3.27 billion versus the five-analyst average estimate of $3.07 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +10.5%.
• Operating Profit- Aeronautics: $679 million compared to the $647.44 million average estimate based on five analysts.
• Operating Profit- Space: $325 million compared to the $276.38 million average estimate based on five analysts.
• Operating Profit- Rotary and Mission Systems: $430 million versus $408.48 million estimated by five analysts on average.
• Operating Profit- Missiles and Fire Control: $311 million compared to the $290.05 million average estimate based on five analysts.

View all Key Company Metrics for Lockheed here>>>

Shares of Lockheed have returned +3.4% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -4.2% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.

Top 5 Dividend Stocks for Your Retirement

Zacks targets 5 well-established companies with solid fundamentals and a history of raising dividends. More importantly, they have the resources and will to likely pay them in the future.

Click now for a Special Report packed with unconventional wisdom and insights you simply won’t get from your neighborhood financial planner.

See our Top 5 now – the report is FREE >>

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.