Lockheed Martin Corp. – Recent Developments

Stock performance and analyst sentiment

  • On 10 January 2026, Truist Securities upgraded Lockheed Martin (LMT) to a “Buy” rating. The upgrade was reiterated in a separate Truist Securities note issued on 9 January 2026, underscoring analyst confidence in the company’s outlook.
  • Despite the positive upgrade, the stock fell 4.82 % on 8 January 2026 after President Donald Trump publicly threatened to restrict dividends and buybacks for defense contractors. The move generated a sharp sell‑side reaction, with the price dropping to $542.92 by the close of the trading day.

Dividend policy and political context

  • Trump’s comment on 8 January 2026—that defense contractors should cut their dividends—raised concerns about future cash flows and shareholder returns for LMT. The statement was widely reported on financial outlets such as Bloomberg, Benzinga, and Investing.com, and sparked debate among investors about the sustainability of the company’s dividend policy.

Production milestone

  • Lockheed Martin announced on 8 January 2026 that it delivered 191 F‑35 fighter‑jets in 2025, a record that surpassed the previous year’s 142 deliveries. The announcement was covered by Defense Daily and Avanza, highlighting the company’s leading position in advanced fighter‑jet production and its ongoing contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.

Market environment

  • The broader defense sector benefited from President Trump’s proposal to increase the U.S. military budget. Bloomberg reported that defense stocks, including LMT, received a boost from the anticipated funding increase, reflecting investor optimism about future defense spending.

Summary Lockheed Martin Corp. experienced a mix of positive and negative market signals in early January 2026. The company’s record delivery of F‑35 aircraft underscored its production strength, while a political threat to reduce dividends introduced uncertainty about shareholder returns. Truist’s “Buy” upgrade suggested continued confidence in the company’s fundamentals, but the stock’s short‑term decline highlighted the sensitivity of defense‑sector equities to policy developments.