Lockheed Martin's Backlog Is Soaring: Time to Buy the Stock

Lockheed Martin's order backlog surged to $292 billion in Q3 from $194 billion at year start, with improvements in both quantity and quality. The company is securing higher-margin contracts like the $58.6 billion PAC-3 missile defense system and establishing more favorable long-term agreements with the Department of Defense that include fixed-price escalators, upfront payments, and cancellation protections. These developments reduce execution risk and suggest improving profit margins, making the stock attractive at 22x earnings.