Core Viewpoint - Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) presents a strong investment opportunity in the Aerospace Defense industry due to rising earnings estimates, robust return on equity (ROE), a solid backlog, and shareholder-friendly initiatives [1] Growth Forecast & Surprise History - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LDOS' 2025 earnings per share (EPS) has increased by 1.5%, while the estimate for 2026 EPS has risen by 0.7% over the past 30 days [2] - The total revenue estimate for 2025 is $17.11 billion, indicating a growth of 2.7% from 2024, and for 2026, the revenue estimate is $17.66 billion, suggesting a year-over-year increase of 3.3% [2] - LDOS has a long-term earnings growth rate of 7.4% and has surpassed expectations in the last four quarters with an average earnings surprise of 23.71% [3] Rising Backlog - Contract wins from the Pentagon and other U.S. allies for cost-effective military technologies are key revenue sources for Leidos, enhancing its bookings and backlog [4] - The backlog at the end of March 2025 was $46.30 billion, up from $43.55 billion in the prior quarter, indicating improved revenue-generating potential [4] Return on Equity - LDOS has a return on equity (ROE) of 32.62%, significantly higher than the industry average of 9.66%, indicating effective fund utilization [5] Solvency & Liquidity - The times interest earned (TIE) ratio for Leidos at the end of Q1 2025 was 10.1, suggesting the company can meet its interest payment obligations without difficulty [6] - The current ratio was 1.54, indicating the company can meet its short-term liabilities effectively [6] Shareholder-Friendly Initiatives - Leidos has consistently paid dividends, with a current quarterly dividend of 40 cents per share, leading to an annualized dividend of $1.60 [7] - In Q1 2025, the company paid dividends totaling $53 million, with a current dividend yield of 1.05%, surpassing the sector average of 0.95% [7] - The company repurchased $528 million worth of its shares in Q1, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 188.5% [8] Stock Price Performance - Over the past three months, LDOS shares have increased by 15.8%, outperforming the industry's rise of 7.6% [10]

Industry Overview - The Zacks Aerospace-Defense industry includes companies that design and manufacture military and commercial aircraft, combat vehicles, missiles, and space transportation vehicles [2] - It also encompasses cybersecurity firms providing IT services and C4ISR solutions, along with defense contractors offering spare parts and maintenance services [3] Key Trends - Improved air traffic outlook is boosting growth prospects, with global air passenger traffic revenue per kilometer increasing by 3.3% year over year to 738.8 billion [4] - The U.S. defense budget is projected to increase by 13% to $1.01 trillion for fiscal year 2026, which will benefit defense-focused companies [5] - Supply-chain disruptions continue to pose challenges, particularly affecting smaller suppliers in the commercial aerospace sector, with a projected drop in aircraft deliveries from 2,293 to 1,802 in 2025 due to these bottlenecks [6][7] Industry Performance - The Aerospace-Defense industry has underperformed compared to the Zacks S&P 500 composite and its own sector, with a collective gain of 7.2% over the past year, while the Aerospace sector grew by 11.9% and the S&P 500 by 8.3% [12] - The industry currently holds a Zacks Industry Rank of 92, placing it in the top 37% of over 250 Zacks industries, indicating positive near-term prospects [9] Valuation Metrics - The industry is trading at a trailing 12-month EV/Sales ratio of 2.82, compared to the S&P 500's 4.86 and the sector's 2.51 [15] Company Highlights - **Airbus Group**: Revenues improved by 6% year over year, with earnings per share increasing by 33%. The 2025 sales estimate is $82.57 billion, reflecting a 10.4% increase from the previous year [18][19] - **Leidos Holdings**: Revenues grew by 7% year over year to $4.25 billion, with adjusted earnings up by 30%. The 2025 sales estimate indicates a 2.7% improvement from 2024 [22][23] - **Huntington Ingalls Industries**: Received orders worth $2.1 billion in the first quarter, with a total backlog of $48 billion as of March 31, 2025. The 2025 sales estimate shows a 3.5% increase from 2024 [26][27]

Core Viewpoint - Defense stocks are currently considered too expensive for investment despite ongoing global tensions and increased defense spending [1][8]. Group 1: Current Valuation of Defense Stocks - The average price-to-sales (P/S) and enterprise-value-to-sales (EV/S) ratios for defense stocks remain elevated compared to historical norms, indicating that they are still overpriced [8]. - As of now, half of the ten major defense stocks are trading at higher valuations than in January, while the other half are slightly cheaper but overall valuations have not significantly changed [2][8]. - The average EV/S ratio for the defense sector is currently 2.15, compared to an average of 1.89 over the 2014-2023 period, suggesting a continued increase in valuation [7]. Group 2: Historical Valuation Data - Historical analysis shows that the average EV/S ratio for major defense companies has increased from 1.06 (2004-2013) to 1.89 (2014-2023) [5]. - Specific companies like Boeing and L3Harris Technologies have seen significant increases in their EV/S ratios, with Boeing at 2.46 today compared to an average of 1.36 over the last 20 years [5][7]. Group 3: Potential Investment Opportunities - Leidos Holdings is identified as a potential value option, trading at an EV/S of 1.4 and a P/S of 1.2, which is close to its historical fair value [9]. - Leidos operates in multiple sectors, including national security and healthcare, which may provide additional growth opportunities beyond defense spending [9].

Core Viewpoint - Leidos Holdings, Inc. reported strong financial performance in Q1 2025, with adjusted earnings per share significantly exceeding expectations and showing substantial year-over-year growth [1][2]. Financial Performance - Adjusted earnings per share for Q1 2025 were $2.97, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.47 by 20.2% and increasing 29.7% from $2.29 in the prior-year quarter [1] - GAAP earnings were $2.77 per share, up from $2.07 in the same quarter last year [1] - Total revenues reached $4.25 billion, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.08 billion by 4% and reflecting a 6.8% year-over-year increase [3] Operational Statistics - Cost of revenues increased by 4.5% year over year to $3.49 billion [5] - Adjusted operating income rose to $565 million from $456 million in the previous year [5] - Adjusted operating margin improved to 13.3% compared to 11.5% in the prior-year period [5] Backlog and Segment Performance - Total backlog increased to $46.30 billion from $43.56 billion at the end of Q4 2024, with $7.33 billion funded [4] - National Security and Digital segment revenues grew 4.7% year over year to $1.88 billion, while adjusted operating income slightly declined to $190 million [6] - Health & Civil segment revenues rose 7.7% to $1.29 billion, with adjusted operating income increasing to $305 million [7] - Commercial & International segment revenues reached $568 million, up 11.6% year over year, with adjusted operating income at $48 million [8] - Defense Systems segment revenues were $508 million, up 7.2%, with adjusted operating income increasing to $46 million [10] Financial Position - Cash and cash equivalents totaled $842 million, a slight decrease from $849 million at the beginning of the year [11] - Long-term debt increased to $5.01 billion from $4.05 billion [11] - Net cash flow from operating activities was $58 million, down from $113 million a year ago [11] 2025 Guidance - Leidos reaffirmed its 2025 guidance, expecting adjusted earnings in the range of $10.35-$10.75 per share, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate at $10.51 [12] - The company anticipates revenues between $16.90-$17.30 billion, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate at $17.09 billion [12] - Expected cash flow from operating activities for 2025 is approximately $1.45 billion [13]

Financial Performance - Leidos reported revenues of $4,245 million for the three months ended April 4, 2025, representing a 6.8% increase from $3,975 million for the same period in 2024[93]. - Operating income increased by 27.7% to $530 million for the three months ended April 4, 2025, compared to $415 million for the same period in 2024[93]. - Net income attributable to Leidos common stockholders was $363 million, a 27.8% increase from $284 million in the prior year[93]. - The Health & Civil segment saw a revenue increase of 7.7% to $1,291 million, with operating income rising by 34.7% to $299 million[96]. - The Defense Systems segment reported revenues of $508 million, a 7.2% increase, with operating income up 61.9% to $34 million[98]. - Revenues for the three months ended April 4, 2025, were $2,698 million, with an operating income of $235 million and a net income attributable to common stockholders of $32 million[126]. Government Contracts - The company generated approximately 87% of total revenues from U.S. government contracts, indicating a strong reliance on government spending[88]. Bookings and Backlog - Net bookings for the three months ended April 4, 2025, were estimated at $2.1 billion, down from $3.8 billion in the same period in 2024[106]. - Total backlog as of April 4, 2025, was $46,296 million, which includes $7,329 million in funded backlog[106]. Cash Flow and Liquidity - During the three months ended April 4, 2025, net cash provided by operating activities was $58 million, a decrease of $55 million compared to $113 million in the prior year quarter[117]. - Net cash used in investing activities increased by $10 million to $22 million for the three months ended April 4, 2025, primarily due to higher capital expenditures of $5 million[118]. - Net cash used in financing activities decreased by $118 million to $110 million for the three months ended April 4, 2025, mainly due to a net increase of $465 million in cash inflows from debt issuance[119]. - The company anticipates meeting liquidity needs for the next 12 months through cash generated from operations and available cash balances[116]. Debt and Liabilities - As of April 4, 2025, Leidos had $842 million in cash and cash equivalents and outstanding debt of $5.1 billion[108][109]. - Long-term debt, net of current portion, increased to $5,014 million as of April 4, 2025, compared to $4,052 million on January 3, 2025[125]. - Total liabilities increased to $11,416 million as of April 4, 2025, from $10,868 million on January 3, 2025[125]. Tax and Market Risk - The effective tax rate for the three months ended April 4, 2025, was 23.6%, an increase from 23.1% in the prior year[103]. - There were no material changes in market risk exposure compared to the previous annual report[131]. Stock Repurchase - The company made open market repurchases of common stock totaling $150 million during the three months ended March 29, 2024[115].

Leidos (LDOS) reported $4.25 billion in revenue for the quarter ended March 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 6.8%. EPS of $2.97 for the same period compares to $2.29 a year ago.The reported revenue represents a surprise of +4.03% over the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.08 billion. With the consensus EPS estimate being $2.47, the EPS surprise was +20.24%.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expec ...

Leidos (LDOS) came out with quarterly earnings of $2.97 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.47 per share. This compares to earnings of $2.29 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 20.24%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this security and engineering company would post earnings of $2.18 per share when it actually produced earnings of $2.37, delivering a surprise of 8.72%.Over the last four quarter ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q1 2025, organic revenue increased by 7% year over year, reaching $4.25 billion [24] - Adjusted EBITDA was $601 million, up 23% year over year, with adjusted EBITDA margin increasing by 190 basis points to 14.2% [24] - Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share rose by 30% to $2.97, reflecting a significant increase in profitability [5][24] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - National Security and Digital revenues increased by 5% year over year, with a non-GAAP operating income margin of 10.1% [25] - Health and Civil revenues grew by 8% year over year, with a non-GAAP operating income margin of 23.6% [25] - Commercial International revenues saw a 12% increase year over year, driven by strong performance in commercial energy and UK operations [26] - Defense Systems revenues increased by 7%, supported by activity in space sensing and hypersonic programs, with non-GAAP operating margins expanding by 110 basis points to 9.1% [27] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a total backlog of $46.3 billion, up approximately $3 billion from the previous quarter [34] - The first quarter generated $2.1 billion in net bookings, maintaining a solid 1.3 book-to-bill ratio on a trailing twelve-month basis [34] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focused on its North Star 02/1930 strategy, which includes five growth pillars: space and maritime, energy infrastructure, digital modernization and cyber, customized critical mission software, and managed health services [7][10] - The strategy aligns with the new administration's priorities, emphasizing smarter and more efficient government outcomes [11][12] - The company has accelerated its share buyback program, executing a $500 million accelerated share repurchase agreement [12][30] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the company's positioning to address customer challenges and capitalize on new opportunities presented by the administration [6][21] - The company reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, expecting revenue between $16.9 billion and $17.3 billion, with adjusted EBITDA in the mid to high 12% range [32] - Management noted that the current macro environment has had a negligible impact on revenue, estimating less than a 1% effect [40] Other Important Information - The company has made significant investments in R&D, particularly in cybersecurity, with over $75 million spent in the last five years [15] - The company is actively pursuing an acquisition to enhance its cyber capabilities, which is a key component of its growth strategy [14][16] Q&A Session Summary Question: How are larger contracts like NGEN performing under the current contracting environment? - Management indicated that while there has been some impact from macro actions, it is negligible, and they are seeing traction in the DoD for additional acquisitions and modernizations [40][41] Question: Can you provide insights on the Health and Civil segment's decline? - Management explained that the segment did not benefit from large single award IDIQs and highlighted upcoming opportunities, including the follow-on to MHS Genesis [42][43] Question: What is the company's outlook on the GSA request for proposals? - Management expressed excitement about engaging with the GSA and emphasized their focus on mission-critical work rather than consulting [48][50] Question: How does the company view the VA's EHR modernization work? - Management is optimistic about growth in the health business, anticipating increased volumes and opportunities to expand services for veterans [55][56] Question: What are the implications of the supplemental defense bill? - Management sees significant upside from the bill, particularly in FAA modernization and border security, aligning with their growth pillars [62][64] Question: How does the company plan to navigate potential funding limitations? - Management believes they are well-positioned with existing programs and franchises that can continue to generate revenue without needing new starts [69][70] Question: What is the company's stance on the FAA air traffic control modernization? - Management highlighted their active engagement with the FAA and the administration, positioning themselves as key technology providers for air traffic control solutions [75][76] Question: What are the drivers behind the commercial and international segment's growth? - Management attributed the growth to recovery in the UK operations, strong performance in security solutions, and opportunities in ports and border security [82][86]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q1 2025, organic revenue increased by 7% year over year, reaching $4.25 billion [25] - Adjusted EBITDA was $601 million, up 23% year over year, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 14.2%, an increase of 190 basis points [26] - Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share rose by 30% to $2.97, with non-GAAP net income at $391 million [26] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - National Security and Digital revenues increased by 5% year over year, with a non-GAAP operating income margin of 10.1% [26] - Health and Civil revenues grew by 8% year over year, with a non-GAAP operating income margin of 23.6% [27] - Commercial International revenues rose by 12% year over year, with non-GAAP operating margins at 8.5% [27] - Defense Systems revenues increased by 7% year over year, with non-GAAP operating margins expanding by 110 basis points to 9.1% [28] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company reported a total backlog of $46.3 billion, up approximately $3 billion from the previous quarter [35] - Net bookings for the quarter were $2.1 billion, resulting in a trailing twelve-month book-to-bill ratio of 1.3 [35] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is implementing its North Star 02/1930 strategy, focusing on five growth pillars: space and maritime, energy infrastructure, digital modernization and cyber, customized critical mission software, and managed health services [10][12] - The strategy aligns with the new administration's priorities, emphasizing smarter and more efficient government outcomes [13][14] - The company has accelerated its share buyback program with a $500 million agreement and announced a definitive agreement to acquire a cyber leader to enhance its capabilities [15][18] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the current geopolitical environment and the administration's focus on modernization and efficiency, which aligns with the company's capabilities [8][19] - The company reaffirmed its full-year 2025 guidance, expecting revenue between $16.9 billion and $17.3 billion, adjusted EBITDA in the mid to high 12% range, and non-GAAP diluted EPS between $10.35 and $10.75 [34] Other Important Information - The company generated $58 million in cash flows from operating activities and $36 million in free cash flow during the quarter [29] - The company ended the quarter with $5.1 billion in debt and $842 million in cash and cash equivalents [33] Q&A Session Summary Question: How are larger contracts like NGEN performing under the current contracting environment? - Management noted a negligible impact on revenue from macro actions, with a low 1% range effect, while also seeing opportunities in the DoD for additional acquisitions and modernizations [40][41] Question: Can you provide insights on the GSA request regarding potential contract offerings? - Management confirmed active engagement with the GSA, focusing on how to make government operations smarter and more efficient, emphasizing their mission-critical work [48][50] Question: What are the opportunities in the VA's EHR modernization work? - Management expressed optimism about growth in managed health services, anticipating increased volumes and opportunities to expand offerings in the future [54][56] Question: What are the implications of the supplemental defense bill? - Management highlighted significant opportunities in FAA modernization and border security, aligning with the company's growth pillars [62] Question: How does the company view the potential for revenue decline in the next three years? - Management does not envision a revenue decline, citing strong alignment of growth pillars with customer needs and administration priorities [110][112]

Financial Performance - Leidos' Q1 FY25 revenues increased by 6.8% year-over-year, reaching $4.245 billion compared to $3.975 billion in Q1 FY24 [22] - The adjusted EBITDA margin for Q1 FY25 was 14.2%, a 190 basis points increase from 12.3% in Q1 FY24 [22] - Non-GAAP diluted EPS for Q1 FY25 rose by 29.7% year-over-year, from $2.29 to $2.97 [22] - Operating cash flow was $58 million and non-GAAP free cash flow was $36 million [25] Segment Results - National Security & Digital segment revenue increased by 4.7%, from $1.793 billion to $1.878 billion [24] - Health & Civil segment revenue increased by 7.7%, from $1.199 billion to $1.291 billion [24] - Commercial & International segment revenue increased by 11.6%, from $509 million to $568 million [24] - Defense Systems segment revenue increased by 7.2%, from $474 million to $508 million [24] Capital Allocation and Guidance - Leidos executed a $500 million accelerated share repurchase [17, 25] - Leidos reaffirmed its FY25 revenue guidance of $16.90 - $17.30 billion [27] - The company reaffirmed its FY25 adjusted EBITDA margin guidance in the mid-high 12% range [27]