Leidos Outperforms Market YTD: Is it the Right Time to Buy the Stock?

Core Insights - Leidos Holdings Inc. (LDOS) has seen a year-to-date share price increase of 3.1%, outperforming the S&P 500's return of 0.1%, but underperforming the Zacks Aerospace-Defense industry's growth of 17.5% and the broader Zacks Aerospace sector's appreciation of 18.6% [1][2] Group 1: Stock Performance and Backlog - The company ended Q1 2025 with a backlog of $46.30 billion, up from $43.55 billion in the previous quarter, indicating strong demand for its products across various industries [4] - The improved backlog is expected to bolster future revenue generation prospects, enhancing investor confidence in the stock's profitability [5] Group 2: Financial Health - Leidos Holdings reported cash and cash equivalents of $0.84 billion and current debt of $0.12 billion at the end of Q1 2025, indicating a strong solvency position [6] - The current ratio of 1.54 as of April 4, 2025, suggests the company has sufficient capital to meet short-term debt obligations [6] Group 3: Growth Prospects - The macroeconomic and geopolitical environment is favorable for Leidos Holdings, with increased defense spending anticipated, including a proposed 13% increase in the defense budget to $1.01 trillion for fiscal 2026 [7] - The company is well-positioned to contribute to the "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative, which aligns with its advanced air and missile defense capabilities [9] Group 4: Earnings Estimates - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 and 2026 sales suggests improvements of 2.7% and 3.2% year-over-year, respectively [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for earnings per share for 2025 and 2026 has been revised upward by 1.8% and 1%, respectively, indicating growing analyst confidence in the stock's earnings growth capabilities [11] Group 5: Valuation - Leidos Holdings has a forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 13.49X, which is a discount compared to the industry average of 26.42X, suggesting a lower price relative to expected earnings growth [16] - Other industry peers, such as RTX and Northrop Grumman, are also trading at discounts to the industry average [17] Group 6: Investment Consideration - Investors may consider adding LDOS to their portfolio due to its discounted valuation, long-term growth prospects, and upward revisions in earnings estimates [18] - The company holds a VGM Score of A and a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating strong performance potential [20]