Leonardo DRS(DRS) ZACKS·2025-01-07 14:06Core Viewpoint - Leonardo DRS, Inc. is positioned as a strong investment opportunity within the Zacks Aerospace Defense Equipment industry due to its robust backlog, increasing earnings estimates, and effective debt management [1] Growth Projections & Surprise History - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DRS' 2025 earnings per share (EPS) has risen by 0.9% to $1.07 per share over the past 60 days [2] - Total revenue for DRS in 2025 is projected at $3.43 billion, reflecting a year-over-year growth of 7.4% [2] - The company's long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 21.2%, with an average earnings surprise of 22.27% over the last four quarters [2] Debt Position - DRS has a total debt to capital ratio of 12.92%, significantly lower than the industry average of 54.03% [3] - The times interest earned (TIE) ratio for DRS at the end of Q3 2024 was 10.5, indicating strong capability to meet interest obligations [3] Liquidity - The current ratio for DRS at the end of Q3 2024 was 2.11, surpassing the industry average of 1.43, demonstrating the company's ability to cover short-term liabilities [4] Rising Backlog - DRS' total backlog as of September 30, 2024, increased by 75.1% to $8.26 billion compared to the same quarter last year, primarily driven by a multi-boat contract with the U.S. Navy for electric propulsion activities on the Columbia Class submarine program [5] Stock Price Performance - Over the past six months, DRS shares have increased by 27.2%, outperforming the industry's growth of 18.4% [6]