Key Points It had an analyst's price target raise to thank for that. The optimistic pundit lifted his fair value assessment by a robust 38%. 10 stocks we like better than Kratos Defense & Security Solutions › A generous price target increase by an analyst was the development driving up the value of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions' (NASDAQ: KTOS) equity as the trading week neared its end on Thursday. The company's share price enjoyed a healthy lift of nearly 4% that day as a result, comparing fa ...

Kratos Latest Weapons-Configured Valkyrie will be On-Site Kratos MAKO Tactical Jet Drone, the First CCA to Demonstrate Manned-Unmanned Teaming in 2015, also to be Displayed SAN DIEGO, Sept. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global Markets and an industry-leading provider of high-performance, jet-powered unmanned aerial systems, will display tactical and target unmanned jet drones, including the la ...

Group 1: Industry Overview - Rising global security threats are driving higher defense spending, attracting investor focus towards major defense equipment providers like Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. (KTOS) and CurtissWright Corporation (CW) [1] - Both companies are capitalizing on the heightened demand for advanced defense technologies, including unmanned systems and mission-critical hardware [1] Group 2: Company Profiles - Kratos specializes in unmanned systems, tactical drones, hypersonics, space, and microwave electronics, while CurtissWright offers a diverse range of engineered products, including flight test equipment and nuclear power solutions [2] - CW has a strong foothold in critical industries like commercial aerospace and power, beyond defense, due to its diversified portfolio and established government ties [2] Group 3: Recent Achievements - Kratos has initiated altitude testing of the GEK800 small engine in partnership with GE Aerospace, aimed at powering next-generation unmanned aerial systems [4] - Kratos signed a five-year strategic manufacturing agreement with Elroy Air to be the exclusive U.S. manufacturing partner for the Chaparral hybrid electric autonomous VTOL cargo drone [5] - Kratos partnered with Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to unveil the Mighty Hornet IV Attack UAV, enhancing its global defense market presence [6] - CurtissWright announced a $200 million expansion of its share repurchase program, indicating strong commitment to shareholder value [9] - CurtissWright's UK-based nuclear business entered a strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce SMR to deliver critical safety systems for Small Modular Reactor technology [10] Group 4: Financial Stability - Kratos ended Q2 2025 with cash and cash equivalents of $784 million, a significant increase from $264 million at the end of Q1, and long-term debt of $233 million [7] - CurtissWright ended Q2 2025 with cash and cash equivalents of $0.33 billion, up from $0.23 billion at the end of Q1, and long-term debt of $0.96 billion [12] Group 5: Challenges - Kratos faces supply-chain constraints, limited access to raw materials, labor shortages, and rising material costs, which could pressure profit margins [8] - CurtissWright is challenged by labor shortages due to an aging workforce, reliance on complex manufacturing equipment, and supply-chain disruptions [13] Group 6: Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for KTOS' 2025 EPS indicates year-over-year growth of 4.1%, with revenue growth of 15.7% [14] - For CW, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 EPS implies year-over-year growth of 18.4%, with revenue growth of 9.6% [15] Group 7: Stock Performance and Valuation - KTOS has outperformed CW over the past year, with shares gaining 263.8% compared to CW's 59.4% growth [17] - KTOS shares trade at a forward Price/Sales multiple of 9.59X, while CW's is 5.45X, making CW more attractive from a valuation standpoint [18] - CW shows a better Return on Equity (ROE) compared to KTOS, indicating more efficient profit generation from equity [21] Group 8: Conclusion - Both Kratos and CurtissWright are well-positioned to capture growth from rising defense budgets and modernization efforts [22] - Kratos has a stronger financial position and better share price performance, while CurtissWright offers a diversified portfolio and favorable valuation for long-term reliability [22]

Key Points Elroy Air has hired Kratos to help it build the Chaparral VTOL military cargo drone. Production will begin in 2026. Kratos is a drone stock costing nearly 1,000 times trailing earnings. 10 stocks we like better than Kratos Defense & Security Solutions › Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (NASDAQ: KTOS), a leading manufacturer of drones for the U.S. military, gained 4.6% through 12:20 p.m. ET after announcing a new five-year strategic manufacturing agreement with Elroy Air. Image sourc ...

GEK800 Small Engine Designed to Power the Next Generation of Affordable Unmanned Aerial Systems and CCA-type Aircraft AFRL, GE Aerospace, Kratos Defense, and Purdue Zucrow Labs Collaborating on Extremely Tight Testing Timeline SAN DIEGO, Sept. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global Markets, and GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) announced that they have started altitude testing on its GEK800 small engine d ...

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a Technology Company in the Defense, National Security and Global Markets, today announced that Elroy Air, a leading developer of autonomous aerial cargo systems for middle-mile logistics and military resupply, has selected Kratos as Elroy Air’s exclusive U.S. manufacturing partner for the Chaparral in a new five-year strategic manufacturing agreement to accelerate expected high-volume production of the C ...

Core Points - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has appointed Brian Shepard as Chief Information Officer, responsible for all information technology aspects including security and compliance [1][2] - Eric DeMarco, President and CEO, highlighted Shepard's integral role since 2006 and his leadership in IT and cybersecurity initiatives, emphasizing the importance of his vision for the company's growth [2] - Shepard has over 30 years of IT experience, with 20 years at Kratos, where he previously served as Vice President of Information Technology [2][3] - Shepard expressed his commitment to modernizing systems and enhancing cybersecurity resilience to align technology investments with Kratos' mission [3] Company Overview - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. focuses on technology, products, systems, and software for defense, national security, and commercial markets [4] - The company emphasizes affordability in technology and aims to utilize proven approaches to reduce costs and risks, enabling rapid market entry with cost-effective solutions [4] - Kratos is recognized as an innovative change agent in the industry, specializing in designing products for successful rapid manufacturing, which serves as a competitive differentiator [4] - The primary business areas include virtualized ground systems, unmanned aerial drone systems, hypersonic vehicles, propulsion systems, and various electronic products for defense applications [4]

Core Points - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has been added to the S&P MidCap 400 Index, transitioning from the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, indicating the company's growth and market recognition [1][2] - The inclusion in the MidCap 400 reflects Kratos' leadership in unmanned systems, hypersonics, space, propulsion, and national security solutions, highlighting its expanding role in the U.S. defense industrial base [2][3] - Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of Kratos, emphasized that this milestone showcases the company's financial growth and the confidence in its strategy, attributing the achievement to the hard work of employees and trust from customers and partners [3] Company Overview - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. focuses on technology, products, systems, and software for defense, national security, and commercial markets, making internally funded investments to develop solutions that meet mission-critical needs [5] - The company aims to deliver affordable, high-performance systems and is recognized as an innovative change agent in the industry, specializing in rapid, large quantity, low-cost manufacturing [5] - Kratos' primary business areas include virtualized ground systems for satellites, unmanned aerial drone systems, propulsion systems, C5ISR products, and virtual & augmented reality training systems [5]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that U.S. small and mid-sized defense stocks have significantly outperformed large competitors due to increased demand for cost-effective and adaptable military systems driven by global conflicts and Pentagon priorities [1] - The NYSE Arca Defense Index rose by 34% in 2025, compared to a 12% increase in the S&P 500, highlighting the strong performance of companies like Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS.US), AeroVironment (AVAV.US), Astronics (ATRO.US), and Mercury Systems (MRCY.US) [1] - The Pentagon's proposed budget of $892.6 billion for fiscal year 2026 allocates nearly $6 billion for drone and counter-drone systems, nearly double the amount from the previous year, indicating a shift away from traditional projects like warships and fighter jets [1] Group 2 - Mergers and venture capital are increasingly flowing into the aerospace and defense sector, with U.S. startups in this field raising over $14 billion in 2025, the highest amount in at least a decade, as investors are optimistic about companies providing next-generation systems for modern battlefields [2]

Group 1: Ark Invest Trades - Ark Invest executed significant trades involving Bullish, Kratos Defense, Pony AI, and Robinhood [1] - Ark Invest added 36,328 shares of Bullish, valued at nearly $1.97 million, with the stock closing at $54.35, up 5.82% after positive Q2 earnings [2] - Ark Invest sold 131,177 shares of Kratos Defense, valued at nearly $9.9 million, with the stock closing at $75.74, down 0.8% [3] - Ark Invest purchased 88,335 shares of Pony AI, valued at $1.5 million, with the stock closing at $17.47, up 1.98% [4] - Ark Invest acquired 33,783 shares of Robinhood, valued at approximately $4 million, with the stock closing at $118.64, up 1.07% [6] Group 2: Company Highlights - Kratos Defense is collaborating with Taiwan's NCSIST to unveil the Mighty Hornet IV Attack UAV, enhancing Taiwan's military capabilities [4] - Pony AI is making rapid progress in its robotaxi business, with Goldman Sachs projecting a target price of $24.50, indicating over 50% upside potential [5] - UBS estimates that China's robotaxi market could reach $183 billion by the late 2030s, with global opportunities adding nearly $400 billion [5] - Robinhood recently released positive operating data for August and announced a new fund aimed at democratizing private market access [6]