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Lockheed Martin Expands Defense Manufacturing Capacity In Alabama

Benzinga·05/22/2026 12:07:59
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Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:LMT) on Thursday disclosed the groundbreaking of a new Munitions Production Center in Alabama.

This expansion is expected to nearly double the facility’s production space and create a significant number of new jobs.

The move reflects Lockheed Martin’s commitment to meeting the demand for munitions supporting America’s arsenal.

Lockheed Martin broke ground on a new facility in Troy, Alabama. It will add 87,000 square feet of production space for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors across nine U.S. sites and relies on nearly 750 suppliers across 42 states.

The company has invested over $1 billion in this expansion. This is part of a broader $9 billion investment strategy through 2030 to enhance munitions production capacity and upgrade more than 20 facilities to meet rising defense demand.

Lockheed Martin is also strengthening its supply chain through closer supplier collaboration and production-focused initiatives, alongside agreements to significantly scale output of PAC-3 MSE, THAAD, and PrSM programs.

LMT Technical Outlook: Key Levels And Momentum

The stock’s current price of $522.00 is 1.3% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $516.49, indicating a short-term bullish trend. However, it is 9% below the 50-day SMA of $575.34, suggesting potential resistance at that level. The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) is above its signal line, indicating that downside pressure is easing, which could support a bullish reversal in the near term.

  • Key Resistance: $575.34 — a significant level where the 50-day SMA lies, indicating potential selling pressure.
  • Key Support: $500.50 — a nearby level where buyers previously stepped in, reflecting a critical support zone.

LMT Earnings Preview And Wall Street Analyst Targets

Lockheed Martin Corp. is slated to provide its next financial update on July 21, 2026 (estimated).

  • EPS Estimate: $7.16 (Down from $7.29)
  • Revenue Estimate: $19.35 billion (Up from $18.16 billion)
  • Valuation: P/E of 25.3x (Indicates premium valuation)

Analyst Consensus & Recent Actions: The stock carries a Hold rating with an average price target of $614.45. Recent analyst moves include:

  • Citigroup: Neutral (Lowers Target to $571.00) (May 18)
  • Morgan Stanley: Equal-Weight (Lowers Target to $653.00) (April 24)
  • RBC Capital: Sector Perform (Lowers Target to $575.00) (April 24)

LMT ETF Exposure In Aerospace And Defense Funds

  • Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE:PPA): 7.53% Weight
  • Global X Defense Tech ETF (NYSE:SHLD): 9.25% Weight
  • iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF (NASDAQ:IDEF): 6.02% Weight

Significance: Because LMT carries such a heavy weight in these funds, any significant inflows or outflows for these ETFs will likely force automatic buying or selling of the stock.

LMT Stock Price Activity: Lockheed Martin shares were trading higher by 0.04% at $522.79 during premarket trading on Friday, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Photo via Shutterstock