Defence & Space: 21 October 2026

• 01

  Northrop Grumman and RTX both reported third-quarter results, and RTX raised its full-year outlook.

  Two of the biggest US prime contractors are reporting rising sales and better full-year expectations, which supports the order books of the suppliers that feed them. Northrop shares closed 4.6% higher on the day, so the market rewarded it.

  Primes· NOC, RTX·Source 1·Source 2

  Screener matches in Primes and Components · Wednesday's close, 21 Oct

  • Lockheed MartinLMT

    All six checks pass, with the price 2.6% above a flat 200-day average.

    Shortlisted

  • Dassault AviationAM.PA

    All five checks on file pass, with the price 1.7% above a flat 200-day average. One check has no data.

    Shortlisted
• 02

  L3Harris won an $876 million Next Generation Jamming contract, and RTX secured $729 million in counter-drone LIDS contracts.

  Money is going to electronic warfare and counter-drone systems, two areas tied to the drone threat. That points to demand for the electronics and sensors inside these systems, and for the drone and autonomy firms on the other side of them.

  Primes · Electronics· LHX, RTX·Source 1·Source 2

  Closest to a screener match in Electronics, and Drones and autonomy · Wednesday's close, 21 Oct

  • SaabSAAB-B.ST

    One check short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • TeledyneTDY

    One check short of a pick.

    Not a match
• 03

  Karman Space & Defense was awarded a $218 million long-term agreement to support THAAD production, and its shares closed 3.3% higher.

  A multi-year supply agreement tied to a missile defence programme shows how work flows down from the primes to smaller component makers. It is a signal for the suppliers in that part of the chain.

  Space· KRMN·Source

  Closest to a screener match in Components and Space · Wednesday's close, 21 Oct

  • Howmet AerospaceHWM

    Two checks short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • HEICOHEI

    Two checks short of a pick.

    Not a match
• 04

  Iridium's shareholders approved its pending takeover by Rocket Lab, and Iridium completed its acquisition of Aireon.

  Shareholder approval moves the Rocket Lab deal forward and would fold a satellite communications operator into a launch and spacecraft group. Space remains a narrow part of the market, with few stocks strengthening, so this is a company-specific story and not a sector-wide lift.

  Space· IRDM·Source

  Closest to a screener match in Space · Wednesday's close, 21 Oct

  • KarmanKRMN

    Three checks short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • Planet LabsPL

    Two checks short of a pick.

    Not a match

Published 21/10/2026, 08:03 UTC · claude-sonnet-5-5