Defense prime contractors are ripping higher Thursday on beat-and-raise quarters that underscore resilient demand and record backlogs even as the broader market slides.
Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) jumped 11.23% and RTX (NYSE:RTX) climbed 7.7% after their Q2 2026 results set all-time backlog records, diverging from a big drop in the S&P 500. iShares U.S.
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Aerospace & Defense ETF (BATS:ITA) also rose and both Lockheed and RTX stocks remain up more than 30% over the past year.
Read Also: Lockheed Martin's Mega Missile Deal Signals New Defense Supercycle Lockheed Martin's Record Orders Lockheed Martin's Q2 results on Thursday revealed a record $230 billion backlog, driven by strong demand from the U.S. and allied nations, boosting its full-year outlook.
