Defense Stocks Rally Amid Geopolitical Tensions as RTX Leads Gains
RTX Corp surged 6.6% in premarket trading to $215.80 following coordinated U.S.-Israel strikes on Iranian targets over the weekend. The defense contractor outperformed broader markets as investors flocked to geopolitical SAFE havens.
Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman ROSE 6.9% and 5.8% respectively, with the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) tracking sector gains. The rally comes despite a 1% drop in U.S. stock futures as markets priced in prolonged Middle East instability.
RTX's momentum follows strong Q4 results, beating estimates with $1.55 EPS and $24.24 billion revenue. The company's bullish FY2026 guidance of $6.60-$6.80 EPS suggests continued defense spending tailwinds.