Huntington Ingalls sets the tone for U.S. defense earnings, shares trade near record levels

Huntington Ingalls opens the U.S. defense reporting season with a Q1 earnings beat and solid revenue growth, as investors look to upcoming results from peers like General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin for confirmation of the sector trend.

By Anna Wagner, Analysts & Consensus desk. Reviewed prior to publication on 2026-06-26, 10:56.

Huntington Ingalls (US4464131063) anchors the coming U.S. defense earnings round on the NYSE after reporting a Q1 earnings beat and solid revenue growth in early May. Investors now watch how peers such as General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin will frame demand and margins for the rest of 2026.

What recent results showed

For the March quarter, Huntington Ingalls reported adjusted earnings of 3.79 dollars per share, above the Zacks consensus estimate of 3.70 dollars per share and flat versus 3.79 dollars a year earlier, on revenue that also came in ahead of expectations.Zacks Q1 earnings review Zacks highlighted that the current consensus for the coming quarter stands at 4.22 dollars EPS on 3.19 billion dollars revenue, with full-year 2026 estimates around 17.30 dollars EPS on 12.94 billion dollars revenue.

This positions Huntington Ingalls alongside larger contractors such as General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, which also benefit from sustained U.S. Navy and broader Pentagon demand, but face differing program mixes and capital allocation choices.Reuters sector overview on U.S. defense The stable year-on-year earnings combined with higher revenue show that volume growth currently offsets program and labor cost pressures.

Consensus view on the stock

On MarketScreener, the analyst consensus for Huntington Ingalls shows a predominance of Buy and Hold recommendations, with an average target price that implies modest upside from the latest NYSE close, reflecting the stock’s strong run over the past year.MarketScreener analyst consensus The implied valuation multiple, based on expected 2026 EPS, remains below some aerospace peers but in line with other defense-focused shipbuilders.

According to financial data collated by TradingKey, Huntington Ingalls closed the last session at 279.14 dollars per share, corresponding to a market capitalization of around 11.0 billion dollars and a trailing price-earnings ratio near 18.TradingKey quote and valuation data This places the shares among the stronger performers in the U.S. defense contractor group in 2026, alongside names like General Dynamics.

How Huntington Ingalls earns its money

Huntington Ingalls generates most of its revenue by designing, building and servicing complex ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard, including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers of the Nimitz and Ford classes and Virginia-class nuclear submarines. The company also expands its mission technologies business, which provides C5ISR, unmanned systems and defense IT services for U.S. government customers.

Where the stock trades today

The Huntington Ingalls shares (US4464131063) last traded on the NYSE at 279.14 U.S. dollars on 2026-06-25, 16:00 ET.

Key data on the Huntington Ingalls shares

• Company: Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.
• ISIN: US4464131063
• WKN: A1H8MU
• Ticker: HII
• Trading venue: NYSE
• Price (as of 2026-06-25, 16:00): 279.14 USD
• Market cap: 10.99 billion USD (as of 2026-06-25)
• Sector / industry: Industrials / Aerospace & Defense
• Index membership: S&P 500
• Next earnings date: 2026-08-01

This article provides general information and does not constitute investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell securities. All data are based on sources deemed reliable but cannot be guaranteed. Investors should conduct their own research and, where appropriate, consult a qualified financial advisor.