Aerospace & Defense Leaders Prioritize AI-Enabled Sourcing to Strengthen Domestic Supply Chains and Support Program Growth

Rhea-AI Summary

Xometry (NYSE:XMTR) released survey findings on Feb 3, 2026 showing aerospace & defense leaders plan near-term capacity and capability investments to support accelerating programs.

Key metrics: 41% expect significant acceleration in 2026; 85% prioritize AI-enabled sourcing; 90% cite reshoring as essential; 47% expect workforce upskilling and cite compliance as a supply-chain vulnerability.

Positive

• 41% of A&D leaders expect significant program acceleration in 2026
• 85% prioritize AI-enabled sourcing to improve procurement speed
• 90% view reshoring as essential to supply-chain resilience
• 47% expect workforce upskilling/reskilling tied to AI adoption

Negative

• 60% of organizations experienced significant supplier delays in the prior year
• 47% of leaders identify compliance as a primary supply-chain vulnerability
• Regulatory complexity (AS9100, ITAR, CMMC) creates a persistent production bottleneck

News Market Reaction

+4.99%

1 alert

+4.99% News Effect

On the day this news was published, XMTR gained 4.99%, reflecting a moderate positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Leaders expecting acceleration: 41% AI-enabled sourcing priority: 85% General industry AI focus: 63% +5 more

8 metrics

Leaders expecting acceleration 41% A&D leaders anticipating significant acceleration in 2026

AI-enabled sourcing priority 85% A&D leaders prioritizing AI-driven sourcing solutions

General industry AI focus 63% General industry prioritizing AI-driven sourcing solutions

Workforce upskilling 47% Expected share of A&D workforce to be upskilled or reskilled

Leaders citing reshoring 90% A&D leaders viewing reshoring as essential to success

Supplier delays 60% Organizations that experienced significant supplier delays in prior year

Compliance vulnerability 47% Leaders citing compliance as primary supply chain vulnerability

Market cap $2,927,778,587 XMTR market capitalization pre-news

Market Reality Check

Price: $61.85 Vol: Volume 442,203 is below t...

low vol

$61.85 Last Close

Volume Volume 442,203 is below the 20-day average of 668,459 (relative volume 0.66x). low

Technical Price $58.91 is above the 200-day MA of $46.45 and 14.94% below the 52-week high of $69.26.

Peers on Argus

XMTR gained 3.12% while peers showed mixed, smaller moves (e.g., AMSC +0.3%, ATS...

XMTR gained 3.12% while peers showed mixed, smaller moves (e.g., AMSC +0.3%, ATS -1.2%, EPAC +2.12%, SXI +1.85%, CXT +0.66%), pointing to a stock-specific reaction rather than a broad sector shift.

Previous AI Reports

4 past events · Latest: Sep 08 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 4 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Sep 08	AI trend report	Positive	+4.3%	Manufacturing outlook report showing AI and reshoring as key 2026 trends.
Nov 20	AI marketplace growth	Positive	-0.5%	Update on AI‑driven marketplace scale, including 4,200 active suppliers.
Mar 28	AI collaboration tools	Positive	+0.1%	Launch of enhanced Teamspace features to speed AI marketplace order management.
Mar 21	AI platform expansion	Positive	-2.4%	European AI marketplace upgrades, new finishes, and knowledge hub launch.

Pattern Detected

AI‑tagged announcements have produced modest moves, with an even split between aligned and divergent price reactions.

Recent Company History

Recent Xometry news shows recurring emphasis on its AI‑powered marketplace, supplier expansion, and platform enhancements. AI‑tagged releases since March 2024 have highlighted global supplier growth, new collaboration tools and multilingual capabilities, and trend reports underscoring AI as a core growth driver. Today’s AI‑focused survey on aerospace and defense sourcing fits this pattern of positioning Xometry at the center of AI‑enabled manufacturing and supply‑chain readiness themes.

Historical Comparison

AI

+1.8 %

Average Historical Move

Historical Analysis

AI‑tagged XMTR news has averaged a 1.79% move. Today’s 3.12% gain on another AI‑and‑readiness update sits moderately above that pattern.

Typical Pattern

AI‑tagged releases show ongoing expansion of Xometry’s AI‑driven marketplace, supplier base, and collaboration tools across geographies.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement underscores Xometry’s role in AI‑enabled sourcing and supply‑chain resilience for ...

Analysis

This announcement underscores Xometry’s role in AI‑enabled sourcing and supply‑chain resilience for aerospace and defense, citing high adoption rates for AI tools and reshoring initiatives. It echoes prior AI‑tagged releases that highlighted marketplace expansion, supplier growth, and collaboration features. Investors may watch how effectively these capabilities translate into sustained demand from A&D customers, as well as future updates on execution, compliance readiness, and broader adoption across Xometry’s AI‑powered marketplace.

Key Terms

additive manufacturing, reshoring, itar, cmmc

4 terms

additive manufacturing technical

"A&D organizations are investing in AI-driven solutions, additive manufacturing and workforce upskilling"

Additive manufacturing, often called 3D printing, builds physical parts by laying down material layer by layer from a digital design, rather than cutting or molding from a solid block. It matters to investors because it can cut production time and waste, enable cheaper prototypes and customized products, and reshape supply chains—changes that can lower costs, speed new products to market, and create competitive advantages that affect a company's revenue and margins.

reshoring financial

"90% of A&D leaders cite reshoring as essential to their success"

Moving manufacturing, services, or business operations from foreign locations back to a company’s home country; think of it like bringing a workshop back into your own garage so you can oversee quality and timing more directly. Investors watch reshoring because it can change a company’s costs, supply-chain reliability, tax exposure and local hiring—factors that affect profit margins, risk levels and the speed at which a business can respond to problems or demand shifts.

itar regulatory

"standards including AS9100, ITAR, and CMMC, backed by end-to-end dimensional validation"

ITAR is a set of U.S. rules that control the export, import and sharing of military items, technologies and related technical data. For investors it matters because companies that make or handle controlled defense products can face strict licensing requirements, export bans, heavy fines, or lost contracts if they fail to comply—similar to a traffic cop that can stop or reroute a shipment, which can affect revenue, supply chains and company value.

cmmc regulatory

"standards including AS9100, ITAR, and CMMC, backed by end-to-end dimensional validation"

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a U.S. government program that sets required levels of cybersecurity for contractors handling sensitive government information. For investors, CMMC matters because it can determine whether a company is eligible to win or keep government contracts, affect compliance costs and cybersecurity investments, and influence operational risk — think of it like a safety inspection that can open or close doors to significant revenue streams.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Survey data from Xometry shows A&D organizations are investing in AI-driven solutions, additive manufacturing and workforce upskilling to accelerate programs in 2026

NORTH BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As aerospace and defense (A&D) programs accelerate and production demands increase, organizations across the defense industrial base are preparing for a period of rapid growth. To prepare, A&D leaders are investing in new capabilities to support speed, scale, and resilience, according to a new survey commissioned by Xometry – the global AI-powered marketplace connecting buyers and suppliers of custom manufacturing.

The survey found that 41% of A&D leaders anticipate significant acceleration in 2026, outpacing expectations across general industry. As programs scale and timelines compress, leaders are increasingly focused on aligning advanced technologies, supplier capabilities, and workforce skills to support program readiness and long-term resilience across the domestic supply base.

Trends Driving A&D Readiness
To support this growth, A&D organizations are adopting advanced technologies at a faster pace than other sectors:

• AI-enabled sourcing: 85% of A&D leaders are prioritizing AI-driven solutions to enhance pricing visibility, streamline sourcing workflows, and support faster, more informed procurement decisions – compared to 63% across general industry.
• Workforce evolution: Leaders expect nearly half (47%) of the A&D workforce to be upskilled or reskilled in response to increased use of AI-enabled tools, reflecting continued investment in both technology and talent.
• Expanding use of additive manufacturing: Additive manufacturing is expected to be the fastest-growing manufacturing process in 2026, as A&D programs expand their use of qualified additive suppliers for rapid prototyping, lightweighting, sustainment applications, and access to advanced materials.
  
  

Reshoring and Supply Chain Resilience Remain Strategic Priorities
An overwhelming 90% of A&D leaders cite reshoring as essential to their success, reflecting a continued emphasis on domestic capacity, sourcing flexibility, and resilient supply chains. Following a year in which 60% of organizations experienced significant supplier delays, leaders are increasingly focused on diversifying their supplier mix and improving visibility into qualified domestic manufacturing partners.

“The data is clear: as aerospace and defense programs scale, innovation and execution are increasingly intertwined,” said Randy Altschuler, Co-founder and CEO of Xometry. “Our role at Xometry is to provide a secure manufacturing platform that helps teams move faster, improve visibility into qualified suppliers, and adapt as requirements evolve – strengthening the domestic industrial base while supporting program agility.”

Compliance and Qualification as Enablers of Production Readiness
A&D leaders are prioritizing advanced quality assurance to meet performance demands, yet regulatory complexity creates a persistent bottleneck. With 47% of leaders citing compliance as a primary supply chain vulnerability, mission success now depends on a rigorous commitment to standards including AS9100, ITAR, and CMMC, backed by end-to-end dimensional validation and documentation.

“Xometry is uniquely positioned to bridge the A&D readiness gap. Our marketplace is ITAR-registered and CMMC Level 2-certified, providing instant access to AS9100D-certified facilities and full-scale quality assurance, including First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR) and hardware traceability,” said Mike Cavalieri, SVP of Marketplace Operations at Xometry.

Find out more about Xometry.

About Xometry
Xometry’s (NASDAQ: XMTR) AI-powered marketplace, popular Thomasnet^® industrial sourcing platform and suite of cloud-based services are rapidly digitizing the manufacturing industry. Xometry provides manufacturers the critical resources they need to grow their business and streamlines the procurement process for buyers through real-time pricing and lead time data. Learn more at xometry.com or follow Xometry on LinkedIn.

About the Survey Methodology
Xometry commissioned John Zogby Strategies to field an international interactive survey of 150 US and 150 EU manufacturing leaders from December 15–17, 2025. Aerospace and defense companies were oversampled (51% of the sample) to ensure high-fidelity sentiment data for the sector. The overall margin of sampling error is +/- 5.7 percentage points.

Media Contact
Lauran Cacciatori
VP Communications
773-610-0806
lauran.cacciatori@xometry.com

Investor Contact
Shawn Milne
VP Investor Relations
240-335-8132
shawn.milne@xometry.com

FAQ

What did Xometry say about A&D program growth expectations for 2026 (XMTR)?

A direct answer: 41% of aerospace and defense leaders expect significant acceleration in 2026. According to Xometry, that outpaces general industry expectations and is driving investments in sourcing, additive manufacturing, and workforce upskilling to meet compressed timelines.

How prevalent is AI-enabled sourcing among A&D leaders according to Xometry (XMTR)?

A direct answer: 85% of A&D leaders are prioritizing AI-driven sourcing solutions. According to Xometry, companies use AI to improve pricing visibility, streamline procurement workflows, and make faster, more informed supplier decisions.

What does Xometry report about reshoring and supply-chain resilience for A&D (XMTR)?

A direct answer: 90% of A&D leaders say reshoring is essential to success. According to Xometry, this reflects emphasis on domestic capacity, sourcing flexibility, and diversifying suppliers after widespread delays the prior year.

How much workforce change do A&D firms expect from AI adoption, per Xometry (XMTR)?

A direct answer: 47% of the A&D workforce is expected to be upskilled or reskilled in response to AI tools. According to Xometry, this indicates firms plan parallel investments in talent and technology to support program readiness.

What compliance and qualification challenges did Xometry identify for A&D supply chains (XMTR)?

A direct answer: 47% of leaders cite compliance as a primary supply-chain vulnerability. According to Xometry, meeting standards like AS9100, ITAR, and CMMC plus dimensional validation remains a material bottleneck for production readiness.