Welcome to February 2026, where the “Art of the Deal” has apparently been renamed “The Art of Making Every Portfolio Manager in Manhattan Reach for the Extra-Strength Tums.” If you thought the market was volatile in the early 2020s, the current landscape is less of a financial chart and more of a heart rate monitor for someone running a marathon while eating a deep-fried Twinkie. Between $550 billion trade deals with Japan and 100% tariffs on foreign cinema, the S&P 500 is currently behaving like a cat on a ...

Redwire shares are powering higher. What’s fueling RDW momentum?Trump Administration Signals Military ActionU.S. defense stocks broadly moved higher on Wednesday after reports signaled the Trump administration is edging closer to possible military action, and prediction markets sharply increased the implied odds of a strike in the coming weeks.Vice President JD Vance further stoked jitters by warning that diplomacy with Tehran could be nearing its "natural end" and emphasizing that President Donald Trump st ...

Lockheed Martin 2026 Conference Summary Company Overview - **Company**: Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) - **Date**: February 18, 2026 Key Industry Insights Strategic Initiatives 1. **Defense Production System**: - Lockheed Martin is enhancing the resilience and scalability of its defense production system through a $6 billion ERP system initiative, which is 60% complete. This aims to improve efficiency and reduce quality concerns [7][8][9]. - Framework agreements with the U.S. government are being established to transition from short-term contracts to seven-year contracts, allowing for more commercial practices in defense programs [9][10]. 2. **Digital Technology Integration**: - The company is focusing on integrating AI and autonomy into defense missions, exemplified by the development of drone capabilities using F-22 aircraft [11][13]. - A fully autonomous Black Hawk helicopter is being utilized for various missions, enhancing operational safety and efficiency [13]. 3. **International Business Growth**: - Lockheed Martin's international sales are growing faster than domestic sales, with significant co-production initiatives in countries like Australia and Germany [14]. Financial Performance 1. **Quarterly Performance**: - The company anticipates a strong year, despite some peculiarities in the first quarter due to non-recurring events from the previous year and a new billing system causing potential negative cash flow [15][16]. 2. **Munitions Demand**: - There is unprecedented demand for munitions, with a year-over-year growth rate of 18% in the Munitions and Fire Control (MFC) segment. The company expects double-digit growth through the end of the decade [60][61]. 3. **Framework Agreements**: - The framework agreements are expected to provide long-term visibility for revenue growth and allow for significant investments in production capabilities [65][66]. Segment Updates 1. **Aeronautics**: - F-35 production is expected to continue at a rate of about 156 aircraft per year, with sustainment growth potentially approaching double digits [42][43]. - The F-35 program is critical for air dominance and will see continuous improvements over its lifecycle [50][51]. 2. **Munitions and Fire Control (MFC)**: - MFC is positioned for long-term growth with the potential for mid-teens growth in some years due to new framework agreements [60][61]. 3. **Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS)**: - RMS is ramping up production on the CH-53K helicopter and exploring autonomy investments to enhance legacy platforms like the Black Hawk [75][76]. Future Outlook 1. **Golden Dome Initiative**: - Lockheed Martin is heavily involved in the Golden Dome initiative, which focuses on integrated air and missile defense, leveraging advancements in space-based sensing and tracking [30][84]. - The company is adapting to new government demands for performance and accountability while maintaining flexibility in operations [39][40]. 2. **Capital Allocation**: - Lockheed Martin is committed to a disciplined capital allocation strategy, prioritizing investments that offer risk-adjusted returns while also considering shareholder returns [96][97]. 3. **Collaboration with Tech Companies**: - The company is collaborating with tech firms like NVIDIA and IBM to integrate advanced technologies into defense missions, enhancing operational capabilities [91][92]. Conclusion Lockheed Martin is making significant strides in enhancing its defense production capabilities, integrating advanced technologies, and expanding its international presence. The company is well-positioned for future growth, driven by strong demand for its products and strategic initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness in defense operations.

European stocks closed on a firm note on Wednesday, reacting to some encouraging earnings updates and economic data from the region, and on expectations of more monetary easing by a few central banks. Easing geopolitical tensions contributed as well to the positive mood in the .Soft inflation data from both France and the UK helped. Investors also reacted to reports of a leadership change at the European Central Bank. A Financial Times report said Christine Lagarde plans to leave the European Central Bank ...

PresentationGlobal Industrial Tech and Mobility Conference. We're very excited to have Chris Calio, RTX's Chairman and CEO, for a chat with us about a lot of different themes in aerospace and defense. Chris, if you have any initial comments, I want to pass it off to you, and then we'll hit it.Christopher CalioChairman & CEO Well, thanks, John, and great to be here this morning with everybody. Maybe just one housekeeping item, of course, may be making some forward-looking statements today, subject to all tho ...

The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange rose today. The Tel Aviv 35 Index rose 0.87% to 4,232.65 points - a new record, the Tel Aviv 125 Index rose 0.83% to 4,202.51 points - a new record; and the BlueTech Global Index rose 1.19% to 676.98 points. The All Bond corporate bond index fell 0.10% to 424.55 points. Turnover totaled NIS 4.84 billion in equities and NIS 6.39 billion in bonds. On the foreign exchange market, the representative shekel-dollar rate was set 0.225% lower from Tuesday, at NIS 3.098/$, and the repre ...

RTX (NYSE:RTX) 2026 Conference February 18, 2026 08:50 AM ET Company ParticipantsChris Calio - Chairman and CEOJon Godyn - Managing DirectorJon GodynGlobal Industrial Tech and Mobility Conference. We're very excited to have Chris Calio, RTX's Chairman and CEO, for a chat with us about a lot of different themes in aerospace and defense. Chris, if you have any initial comments, I want to pass it off to you, and then we'll hit it.Chris CalioWell, thanks, Jon, and great to be here this morning with everybody. M ...

In-Depth Modeling, Simulation of Hypersonic Environments Will Lead to a Robust Set of Hypersonic Test Setpoints to Enable Rapid Evaluation, Transition of Various Thermal Protection System MaterialsSAN DIEGO, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company in Defense, National Security and Global Markets, announced today that it has been awarded a contract through the Department of War’s Joint Hypersonics Transition Office to support test and e ...

Core Insights - Thematic ETFs have shown strong momentum in early 2026, adding $4 billion in January after a $23 billion increase in 2025 [1] - The VettaFi Thematic Rotation Index provides a disciplined approach to thematic investing, addressing challenges like timing and overlapping exposures [1] Thematic Investment Strategy - VettaFi's index encompasses a multi-sector approach, including trends in energy, financials, materials, and healthcare, beyond just technology [1] - The index is rebalanced quarterly, employing an equal-weighting strategy and capping individual company exposure at 8% to mitigate concentration risk [1] Sector Performance - The late December rebalance identified seven dominant sub-themes: Uranium, Semiconductors, Quantum Computing, GLP-1 Weight Loss Drug Manufacturers, E-Sports & Interactive Gaming, Defense, and Consumer Fintech [1] - Previously popular themes like Cloud Computing and Travel & Leisure have seen a decline in momentum [1] Benchmark Overlap and Returns - The VettaFi index has a low overlap with major benchmarks, at 21% with the S&P 500 and 23% with the Nasdaq 100, including 185 companies with a median market capitalization of $18 billion [1] - The index achieved a 24% return over the 12 months ending January 2026, outperforming the Nasdaq 100 (20%) and S&P 500 (16%) [1] Geographic Diversification - The index primarily focuses on the U.S. market (60%) but also includes companies from Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, and Japan, providing necessary cross-border diversification [1]

If you want full access to all our reports, data and investing ideas, join The Aerospace Forum , the #1 aerospace, defense and airline investment research service on Seeking Alpha, with access to evoX Data Analytics, our in-house developed data analytics platform.Safran SA ( SAFRF , SAFRY ), a key supplier in the commercial aviation and defense sectors, rallied 13.6% since my last report , outperforming the S&P 500’s 1.3% gain. The company reported its full-year earnings in February along with an update toD ...