Lockheed Martin Stock Price, News & Analysis

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is set to host a live webcast of its fourth quarter and full year 2020 earnings results on Jan. 26, 2021, at 11 a.m. EST. The event will feature CEO James Taiclet, CFO Ken Possenriede, and VP of Investor Relations Greg Gardner, who will discuss financial results and key updates. Earnings results will be released before the market opens on the same day. An on-demand replay will be available until Feb. 9, 2021. Financial data will be accessible on the Lockheed Martin Investor Relations website.

Lockheed Martin has successfully completed assembly and testing of NASA's Orion spacecraft for its Artemis I mission to the Moon, officially transferring it to NASA's Exploration Ground Systems team. This spacecraft, designed for deep space exploration, will conduct a three-week uncrewed test mission to validate systems for future manned missions. The Artemis missions aim to explore the Moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars. Additionally, contracts for multiple Orion spacecraft have been secured, solidifying Lockheed Martin's role in future lunar explorations.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has been awarded a $1.28 billion Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) by the F-35 Joint Program Office to enhance the operations and sustainment of the F-35 fleet until June 30, 2021. This contract is essential for maintaining the readiness of over 600 F-35 aircraft, facilitating training, maintenance, and global operations. The UCA aims to support a future fleet of more than 3,000 aircraft and improve mission capability rates, which are currently above 70%.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) announced that Australia has declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for its F-35A fleet, becoming the seventh nation to do so. This milestone significantly enhances the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) air power, providing advanced combat capabilities. The F-35 program has benefited over 50 Australian companies, generating approximately $2.7 billion AUD in contracts and creating over 2,400 high-tech jobs. Currently, Australia operates 33 F-35As, with RAAF crews logging over 8,780 flight hours.

Lockheed Martin has successfully acquired the Hypersonics portfolio from Integration Innovation Inc. (i3), enhancing its ability to design and develop integrated hypersonic weapon systems. The acquisition is expected to bolster Lockheed's strategic capabilities in the hypersonic domain. Mike Wicks, former CEO of i3, will lead the Hypersonic Engineering & Accelerated Technologies program at Lockheed. This transaction signifies Lockheed's commitment to advancing hypersonic technologies and offers potential growth in defense capabilities.

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has announced a $750,000 investment in DarwinAI to support operationalizing their COVID-Net initiative, which diagnoses COVID-19 using chest X-ray scans. The funding, part of the Industrial Technological Benefits Policy, aims to make the technology accessible to healthcare professionals. The investment is linked to Lockheed Martin's obligations from a past aircraft purchase for the Royal Canadian Air Force. The COVID-Net project, initiated in response to the pandemic, is expected to facilitate better diagnostic tools in hospitals by year's end.

On Nov. 18, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and the U.S. government submitted a proposal for the F-35 to Switzerland as part of the New Fighter Aircraft competition. The offer includes up to 40 F-35A aircraft and a customized sustainment solution. Additionally, Swiss industries could benefit from direct production contracts and cyber security projects related to the F-35. Lockheed Martin emphasizes that its proposal provides a 5th generation fighter at the cost of a 4th generation aircraft, designed to enhance Swiss sovereignty.

The fourth Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)-built GPS III satellite, GPS III SV04, successfully launched from Cape Canaveral on November 5, 2020. After separation from the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the satellite is now autonomously ascending to its operational orbit of approximately 12,550 miles. It boasts significant enhancements, including three times better accuracy and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capabilities. This satellite is integral to the U.S. Space Force's modernization efforts, with GPS III SV05 ready for launch. GPS contributes an estimated $300 billion annually to the economy.