Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Cadre (NYSE: CDRE) and the best and worst performers in the aerospace and defense industry.
Emissions and automation are important in aerospace, so companies that boast advances in these areas can take market share. On the defense side, geopolitical tensions–whether it be Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or China’s aggression toward Taiwan–have highlighted the need for consistent or even elevated defense spending. As for challenges, demand for aerospace and defense products can ebb and flow with economic cycles and national defense budgets, which are unpredictable and particularly painful for companies with high fixed costs.
The 32 aerospace and defense stocks we track reported a very strong Q1. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 2.8% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 3.6% above.
Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 6.9% on average since the latest earnings results.
Cadre (NYSE: CDRE)
Originally known as Safariland, Cadre (NYSE: CDRE) specializes in manufacturing and distributing safety and survivability equipment for first responders.
Cadre reported revenues of $155.4 million, up 19.5% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, and overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and full-year EBITDA guidance exceeding analysts’ expectations.
“Following a year of meaningful financial and strategic progress, we began 2026 with significant momentum and delivered another quarter of strong performance,” said Warren Kanders, CEO and Chairman.
Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street’s published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts’ consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 6.1% since reporting and currently trades at $29.44.
Is now the time to buy Cadre? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Best Q1: Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB)
Becoming the first private company in the Southern Hemisphere to reach space, Rocket Lab (NASDAQ: RKLB) offers rockets designed for launching small satellites.
Rocket Lab reported revenues of $200.3 million, up 63.5% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 4.9%. The business had an incredible quarter with EBITDA guidance for next quarter exceeding analysts’ expectations and a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates.
Rocket Lab scored the highest guidance raise among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 27.5% since reporting. It currently trades at $100.19.
Is now the time to buy Rocket Lab? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.
Weakest Q1: AerSale (NASDAQ: ASLE)
Providing a one-stop shop that integrates multiple services and product offerings, AerSale (NASDAQ: ASLE) delivers full-service support to mid-life commercial aircraft.
AerSale reported revenues of $70.61 million, up 7.4% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 18.9%. It was a softer quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates and EPS in line with analysts’ estimates.
AerSale delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. As expected, the stock is down 10.4% since the results and currently trades at $6.57.
Read our full analysis of AerSale’s results here.
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT)
Headquartered in Maryland, Famous for the F-35 aircraft, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) specializes in defense, space, homeland security, and information technology products.
Lockheed Martin reported revenues of $18.02 billion, flat year on year. This print came in 0.9% below analysts’ expectations. Overall, it was a softer quarter as it also recorded a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income and EPS estimates.
The stock is down 2.1% since reporting and currently trades at $544.
Read our full, actionable report on Lockheed Martin here, it’s free.
Redwire (NYSE: RDW)
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Redwire (NYSE: RDW) is a provider of systems and components used in space infrastructure.
Redwire reported revenues of $96.97 million, up 57.9% year on year. This result lagged analysts’ expectations by 7.4%. It was a slower quarter as it also logged a significant miss of analysts’ EBITDA estimates and a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
The stock is up 17% since reporting and currently trades at $11.28.
Read our full, actionable report on Redwire here, it’s free.
Market Update
Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?
These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.
Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Growth Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.
