These Stocks Just Crushed Earnings — AGAIN

Last Monday I blasted out an article talking up Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) stock. 

I said its earnings would beat estimates and touted the company’s space business in particular.

Not only that, but three weeks ago, I steered investors toward Lockheed Martin in The Wealth Advisory’s Top 10 Stocks to Own for the month of July.

And you know what?

I was right. 

Lockheed Martin came out Tuesday and reported blockbuster earnings. The company reported adjusted EPS of $7.11, beating estimates by $0.66. And revenue came in at $18.1 billion, roughly $1.1 billion higher than expected.

This wasn’t a given. A lot of analysts have been down on Lockheed due to hang-ups regarding the F-35. So I was in the minority.

Nevertheless, Lockheed Martin stock has shot up 11% this month, while the S&P 500 stayed relatively flat, leaving Wall Street playing catch-up. 

UBS raised its price target for Lockheed Martin stock from $511 per share to $538. Wells Fargo bumped its appraisal from $483 to $525. 

I’m not going to lie… It feels good to be right. 

But what feels even better is being right twice. 

Because Lockheed Martin isn’t the only stock I was right about. I was also right about RTX (NYSE: RTX).

If you’re a dedicated reader (or viewer), you know I spent months pounding the table about RTX. A product recall in its Pratt & Whitney division dropped the stock below $70 per share last October, making it a screaming buy. 

Well, last Thursday a bonkers earnings report pushed RTX stock 8% higher to a new 52-week high of $114. That’s a 63% gain, for those of you keeping track at home. 

RTX reported revenue of $19.7 billion, up from $18.3 billion a year ago and topping analyst estimates of $19.2 billion. EPS hit $1.41, beating analyst estimates of $1.30.

So why am I bringing this all up? To take a victory lap and placate my own ego? 

No. (Well, partly, yes.) 

Because I want you to take note of the trend. 

To be honest with you, I write these articles all the time. I’m constantly pushing the defense sector. And it’s not because I’m some kind of shill. I don’t get anything from these companies or the Pentagon. 

I do it because I firmly believe that they have the best, most consistent upside in the market. 

These stocks are recession-proof. More than that, they are catalyzed by trillions of dollars in government spending that isn’t going anywhere any time soon. 

Mark my words, America’s defense budget will top $1 trillion in the next presidential administration — regardless of who wins in November. 

Our allies in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia are spending like crazy too. U.S. foreign military sales are at a record high, as a result. 

Sales of American weapons, ammunition, and equipment to foreign countries climbed 55% last year to a record-high $81 billion.

That’s not just a blip. It’s a growing trend.

The threat to global security posed by Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran will persist. Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is just the beginning. The war between Israel and Hamas is inflammatory. Taiwan is just sitting there waiting for China to attack. We all are.

This is the world we live in. It’s not a pretty one. In fact, it’s downright scary. But if you play your cards right, it can also be profitable and rewarding. 

Even if you’re just looking for passive income, defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and RTX both kick out dividends north of 2% on top of their capital gains. 

In fact, I’ve got a whole report detailing defense sector income streams right here. It’s called “Pentagon Payouts” and it shows you how to rake in cash on a monthly basis. 

So check that out if you haven’t seen it yet.

And remember: Defense pays.

Fight on,

Jason Simpkins

Simpkins is the founder and editor of Secret Stock Files, an investment service that focuses on companies with assets — tangible resources and products that can hold and appreciate in value. He covers mining companies, energy companies, defense contractors, dividend payers, commodities, staples, legacies and more…

In 2023 he joined The Wealth Advisory team as a defense market analyst where he reviews and recommends new military and government opportunities that come across his radar, especially those that spin-off healthy, growing income streams. For more on Jason, check out his editor’s page.

Be sure to visit our Angel Investment Research channel on YouTube and tune into Jason’s podcasts.

Want to hear more from Jason? Sign up to receive emails directly from him ranging from market commentaries to opportunities that he has his eye on. 

@OCSimpkins on Twitter