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GD or HWM or LMT
Which Stock Would AI Choose? General Dynamics (GD) vs. Howmet Aerospace (HWM) vs. Lockheed Martin (LMT) Stock Comparison
Key Takeaways
- GD has shown steady gains with YTD returns around 8%, bolstered by strong Marine Systems growth and international defense orders.
- HWM leads in momentum, delivering over 20% YTD and 100% one-year returns, driven by commercial aerospace revenue surges up to 13%.
- LMT exhibits robust stability with nearly 30% YTD gains and a massive backlog from F-35 contracts amid rising geopolitical demand.
- All three benefit from aerospace and defense sector tailwinds, but HWM shows highest growth velocity while LMT offers defensive positioning.
- Recent market activity highlights HWM's outperformance in commercial segments versus peers' defense focus.
- Valuations reflect relative strengths: GD at a discount P/E, HWM premium for growth, LMT balanced with low beta.
Introduction
General Dynamics (GD), Howmet Aerospace (HWM), and Lockheed Martin (LMT) represent key players in the aerospace and defense sector, blending military contracts with commercial aviation exposure. This stock comparison analyzes their recent performance, business drivers, and market positioning amid heightened defense spending and air travel recovery. Traders seeking momentum in growth-oriented industrials or investors prioritizing stable defense backlogs will find value in evaluating relative performance, sector trends, and valuation sensitivities in today's volatile environment.
GD Overview and Recent Performance
General Dynamics (GD), headquartered in Reston, Virginia, is a diversified aerospace and defense firm specializing in business jets via Gulfstream, combat vehicles, munitions, shipbuilding, and IT systems. In recent market activity, GD shares have delivered YTD gains of approximately 8% and over 30% annually, trading around $363 with a market cap near $98 billion. Strong Q4 results featured 21.7% revenue growth in Marine Systems, new international orders for vehicles from Germany and others, and a $1.25 billion U.S. Army contract. Sentiment remains positive on defense demand and AI integration, though analysts note supply chain risks and moderated growth outlook, supporting a Hold rating with forward P/E of 22.
HWM Overview and Recent Performance
Howmet Aerospace (HWM), based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, excels in engineered components like jet engine airfoils, titanium structures, and fastening systems for aerospace and transportation. Recent weeks have propelled HWM shares to YTD returns exceeding 23% and over 100% annually, with prices near $251 and a $100 billion market cap. Q4 commercial aerospace revenues rose 13% year-over-year, comprising over half of sales, fueled by air travel demand and fuel-efficient engine parts. Engine Products grew 19.7%, complemented by a $1.8 billion acquisition. Optimism persists with a Strong Buy consensus and 20%+ EPS growth projections, despite cash flow moderation.
LMT Overview and Recent Performance
Lockheed Martin (LMT), from Bethesda, Maryland, leads in advanced aircraft like the F-35, missiles, rotary systems, and space technologies for U.S. and international clients. In recent trading, LMT has achieved nearly 30% YTD and 45%+ annual returns, hovering around $667 with a $155 billion market cap. Key drivers include F-35 contracts, a robust backlog, and $328 million in infrared sensor awards amid geopolitical tensions. Proposed defense budget hikes to $1.5 trillion enhance visibility, though supply chain issues like rare earths pose challenges. Low beta of 0.20 underscores stability, with a Hold rating and P/E near 31.
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Head-to-Head Comparison
GD, HWM, and LMT operate in aerospace and defense but diverge in models: GD's diversification across marine, land systems, and jets contrasts LMT's focus on high-end platforms like F-35 and missiles, while HWM targets components with heavy commercial tilt (53% of sales). Growth drivers favor HWM's 13–20% revenue jumps from air travel versus peers' contract-dependent defense flows. Recent momentum peaks for HWM (100%+ yearly) over LMT (45%) and GD (30–40%). Risks include GD and LMT's supply chains versus HWM's cyclical commercial exposure. All share sector tailwinds from budgets and geopolitics, but LMT shows lowest beta for stability. Valuations: GD cheapest at 22x forward P/E, HWM premium for growth, LMT mid-range. Sentiment tilts bullish on HWM momentum, balanced for others.
Tickeron AI Verdict
Tickeron’s AI currently leans toward HWM based on superior trend consistency, explosive momentum from commercial aerospace catalysts, and relative outperformance in recent volatility. While GD offers value stability and LMT unmatched backlog security, HWM's growth positioning suggests higher probabilistic upside in the near term for momentum-focused portfolios.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer. Disclaimers and Limitations
Long-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a long-term outlook for a ticker by using Fundamental Analysis (FA) ratings. The rating of 1 to 100, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, is divided into thirds. The first third (a green rating of 1-33) indicates that the ticker is undervalued; the second third (a grey number between 34 and 66) means that the ticker is valued fairly; and the last third (red number of 67 to 100) reflects that the ticker is undervalued. We use an FA Score to show how many ratings show the ticker to be undervalued (green) or overvalued (red).
GD’s FA Score shows that 2 FA rating(s) are green whileHWM’s FA Score has 4 green FA rating(s), and LMT’s FA Score reflects 3 green FA rating(s).
- GD’s FA Score: 2 green, 3 red.
- HWM’s FA Score: 4 green, 1 red.
- LMT’s FA Score: 3 green, 2 red.
Short-Term Analysis
It is best to consider a short-term outlook for a ticker by using Technical Analysis (TA) indicators. We use Odds of Success as the percentage of outcomes which confirm successful trade signals in the past.
If the Odds of Success (the likelihood of the continuation of a trend) for each indicator are greater than 50%, then the generated signal is confirmed. A green percentage from 90% to 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bullish trend. A red percentage from 90% - 51% indicates that the ticker is in a bearish trend. All grey percentages are below 50% and are considered not to confirm the trend signal.
GD’s TA Score shows that 3 TA indicator(s) are bullish while HWM’s TA Score has 5 bullish TA indicator(s), and LMT’s TA Score reflects 3 bullish TA indicator(s).
- GD’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 5 bearish.
- HWM’s TA Score: 5 bullish, 4 bearish.
- LMT’s TA Score: 3 bullish, 6 bearish.
Price Growth
GD (@Aerospace & Defense) experienced а +0.34% price change this week, while HWM (@Aerospace & Defense) price change was +1.20% , and LMT (@Aerospace & Defense) price fluctuated -3.51% for the same time period.
The average weekly price growth across all stocks in the @Aerospace & Defense industry was +4.81%. For the same industry, the average monthly price growth was +11.73%, and the average quarterly price growth was +29.52%.
Reported Earning Dates
GD is expected to report earnings on Apr 29, 2026.
HWM is expected to report earnings on May 07, 2026.
LMT is expected to report earnings on Apr 23, 2026.
Industries' Descriptions
@Aerospace & Defense (+4.81% weekly)Aerospace & Defense is one of largest industries in the U.S., mainly comprising the following areas: commercial airliners, military aircraft, missiles, space, and general aviation. Focused heavily on research & development, it is also one of the fastest growing industries. Military aircraft has the largest market share in the industry’s sales, followed by space systems, civil aircraft, and missiles. Aerospace exports, directly and indirectly, support more jobs than the export of any other commodity, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation and General Electric Company are some of the most prominent players in this space.
| GD | HWM | LMT | |
| Capitalization | 91.1B | 102B | 136B |
| EBITDA | 6.43B | 2.27B | 8.73B |
| Gain YTD | 0.764 | 24.786 | 23.082 |
| P/E Ratio | 21.77 | 68.92 | 27.56 |
| Revenue | 52.6B | 8.25B | 75B |
| Total Cash | N/A | 742M | 4.12B |
| Total Debt | 9.79B | 3.21B | 21.7B |
GD | HWM | LMT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
OUTLOOK RATING 1..100 | 61 | 17 | 53 | |
VALUATION overvalued / fair valued / undervalued 1..100 | 15 Undervalued | 73 Overvalued | 13 Undervalued | |
PROFIT vs RISK RATING 1..100 | 16 | 3 | 35 | |
SMR RATING 1..100 | 48 | 31 | 14 | |
PRICE GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 58 | 14 | 49 | |
P/E GROWTH RATING 1..100 | 54 | 22 | 33 | |
SEASONALITY SCORE 1..100 | 65 | 75 | 50 |
Tickeron ratings are formulated such that a rating of 1 designates the most successful stocks in a given industry, while a rating of 100 points to the least successful stocks for that industry.
LMT's Valuation (13) in the Aerospace And Defense industry is in the same range as GD (15) in the Aerospace And Defense industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for HWM (73) in the null industry. This means that LMT's stock grew similarly to GD’s and somewhat faster than HWM’s over the last 12 months.
HWM's Profit vs Risk Rating (3) in the null industry is in the same range as GD (16) in the Aerospace And Defense industry, and is in the same range as LMT (35) in the Aerospace And Defense industry. This means that HWM's stock grew similarly to GD’s and similarly to LMT’s over the last 12 months.
LMT's SMR Rating (14) in the Aerospace And Defense industry is in the same range as HWM (31) in the null industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for GD (48) in the Aerospace And Defense industry. This means that LMT's stock grew similarly to HWM’s and somewhat faster than GD’s over the last 12 months.
HWM's Price Growth Rating (14) in the null industry is somewhat better than the same rating for LMT (49) in the Aerospace And Defense industry, and is somewhat better than the same rating for GD (58) in the Aerospace And Defense industry. This means that HWM's stock grew somewhat faster than LMT’s and somewhat faster than GD’s over the last 12 months.
HWM's P/E Growth Rating (22) in the null industry is in the same range as LMT (33) in the Aerospace And Defense industry, and is in the same range as GD (54) in the Aerospace And Defense industry. This means that HWM's stock grew similarly to LMT’s and similarly to GD’s over the last 12 months.
| GD | HWM | LMT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSI ODDS (%) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Stochastic ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 61% | 2 days ago 54% | 2 days ago 45% |
| Momentum ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 35% | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 52% |
| MACD ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 35% | 2 days ago 76% | 2 days ago 38% |
| TrendWeek ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 45% | 2 days ago 72% | 2 days ago 49% |
| TrendMonth ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 44% | 2 days ago 70% | 2 days ago 54% |
| Advances ODDS (%) | 18 days ago 44% | 5 days ago 70% | 13 days ago 54% |
| Declines ODDS (%) | 3 days ago 33% | 3 days ago 51% | 2 days ago 47% |
| BollingerBands ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 63% | 2 days ago 53% | 2 days ago 55% |
| Aroon ODDS (%) | 2 days ago 26% | 2 days ago 42% | 2 days ago 52% |
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HWM and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, HWM has been closely correlated with GE. These tickers have moved in lockstep 72% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is a high statistical probability that if HWM jumps, then GE could also see price increases.
LMT and
Correlation & Price change
A.I.dvisor indicates that over the last year, LMT has been loosely correlated with GD. These tickers have moved in lockstep 49% of the time. This A.I.-generated data suggests there is some statistical probability that if LMT jumps, then GD could also see price increases.