Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT) Soars to 52-Week High, Time to Cash Out?

Company Performance - Elbit Systems (ESLT) shares have increased by 10.7% over the past month, reaching a new 52-week high of $433.18, and have gained 67.2% since the start of the year, outperforming the Zacks Aerospace sector (18.7%) and the Aerospace - Defense Equipment industry (19%) [1] - The company has consistently exceeded earnings expectations, reporting EPS of $2.57 against a consensus estimate of $2.3 in its last earnings report, with a revenue beat of 12.31% [2] Financial Projections - For the current fiscal year, Elbit is projected to achieve earnings of $10.85 per share on revenues of $7.77 billion, reflecting a 23.86% increase in EPS and a 13.84% increase in revenues [3] - In the next fiscal year, earnings are expected to rise to $13.65 per share on $8.54 billion in revenues, indicating a year-over-year change of 25.81% in EPS and 9.91% in revenues [3] Valuation Metrics - Elbit has a Value Score of D, with Growth and Momentum Scores of B, resulting in a VGM Score of B [6] - The stock trades at 39.8X current fiscal year EPS estimates, which is above the peer industry average of 37.6X, and at 34.9X trailing cash flow compared to the peer group's average of 22.6X [6] Zacks Rank - Elbit currently holds a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) due to favorable earnings estimate revisions from analysts, making it a suitable choice for investors looking for strong performance [7] Industry Comparison - Astronics Corporation (ATRO), a peer in the industry, also shows strong performance with a Zacks Rank of 1 (Strong Buy) and is expected to post earnings of $1.50 per share on revenues of $846.29 million for the current fiscal year [8][9] - The Aerospace - Defense Equipment industry is positioned in the top 16% of all industries, indicating positive market conditions for both ESLT and ATRO [10]