According to a new report by the Financial Times, ‘The leading 15 defense contractors are forecast to log free cash flow of $52bn in 2026, according to analysis by Vertical Research Partners for the Financial Times – almost double their combined cash flow at the end of 2021.’
The FT reports the top 5 U.S. defense contractors are projected to earn $26 billion by the end of 2026, more than double than in 2021. Europe’s top producers are looking to net more cash by 40%.
Defense and Security Monitor provided a list of the top U.S. defense contractors in 2023, and their sales in 2023 versus the year prior.
| 2023 Rank | Prime Contractor | $ millions | 2022 Rank | $ millions |
| 1. | LOCKHEED MARTIN CORP | 68,590 | 1 | 46,214 |
| 2. | RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORP (now RTX) | 27,820 | 2 | 26,131 |
| 3. | GENERAL DYNAMICS CORP | 22,965 | 3 | 21,575 |
| 4. | THE BOEING CO | 21,790 | 5 | 14,802 |
| 5. | NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP | 15,094 | 6 | 13,767 |
| 6. | HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES INC | 9,130 | 9 | 5,358 |
| 7. | HUMANA INC | 7,780 | 7 | 7,740 |
| 8. | BAE SYSTEMS PLC | 7,530 | 10 | 5,089 |
| 9. | L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES INC | 6,373 | 8 | 6,748 |
| 10. | ATLANTIC DIVING SUPPLY INC | 4,424 | 12 | 3,044 |
| 11. | AMERISOURCEBERGEN | 4,392 | – | – |
| 12. | GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY | 3,845 | 16 | 2,542 |
| 13. | HEALTH NET FEDERAL SERVICES (Centene Subsidiary) | 3,601 | 15 | 3,550 |
| 14. | V2X | 3,146 | – | – |
| 15. | LEIDOS HOLDINGS INC | 2,919 | 11 | 4,081 |
These defense contractors are swimming in so much cash their stakeholders are not sure what to do with all of it, but it appears that more stock buybacks will be a big answer.
It’s the billion-dollar question for the industry: companies typically don’t like holding large amounts of cash on their balance sheets, so what do they do with all that money if acquisitions are not that straightforward? Share buybacks and dividends are one way.
Robert Stallard, analyst at Vertical Research, said
Earlier this month, The WinePress reported on the record profits for German metals and auto parts manufacturer Rheinmetall, which posted a 91% operating profit in its financial report for the first half of 2024, and a 555% increase for its shareholders.
Earlier this week it was revealed the United States approved the sale of advanced missiles to NATO members Norway and Romania worth nearly $1 billion.
To close out last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with the heads of top U.S. defense contractors during his visit to the United States. According to a blog post from Zelensky’s desk, these figures included:
BAE Systems President Tom Arseneault, Day & Zimmermann Chair and CEO Harold Yoh, Boeing President Theodore Colbert, CEO of Sierra Nevada Corporation Fatih Ozmen, Northrop Grumman Vice President Stephen O’Bryan, RTX Vice President Jeff Shockey, Lockheed Martin Vice President Raymond Piselli, General Dynamics Vice President Mark Roualet, D&M Holding CEO Daniel Powers, AeroVironment Vice President Charles Dean.
I want to thank all of you, as well as your partners. I would also like to say something important to your employees: you have done a lot for Ukraine. Without people like you, we would not be able to withstand and defend our land.
Zelensky said
Around that same time he sat down for an interview with Fox News, where he told Americans to send their money to Ukraine and not spend it on American infrastructure. “Us people are soldiers. What they need? Do this. Not build roads for today. Don’t do it. Spend all your money to the weapon, to the drones, to the society, to the pensions, and etcetera. And don’t cry, because you’re leaders, and that’s it,” he said.
Yesterday Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov at the Pentagon. Austin said, “Make no mistake, the United States will not waiver in our support for a free and sovereign Ukraine.”
Meanwhile today Zelensky’s government revealed that his delegation headed by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine Yuliia Svyrydenko, Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak met with U.S. military and security experts. ‘During the meeting, the prospects for cooperation on joint arms production were discussed,’ said the blog post. ‘The parties shared their perspectives and exchanged recommendations on further steps in this direction.’
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Psalm 68:30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.
Indeed, “war is a racket,” once said “two-time U.S. Medal of Honor recipient Major General Smedley Butler used to say.
SEE: Warhawk Lindsey Graham Admits The Ukraine War Is About Stealing Their Minerals And Wealth
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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Smedley only thought to stop it after he succcedd in their atrocities … Meaning he willingly did it and didn’t think to stop it during or before in acting those orders and for so many years.
Damage done! If he was a good man or cared he would have never gone through with it to perform it.
Sorry but I’ll stick to God and not look to anyan that only starts a movement after he has dunged all over the civilians after he made his money and made the wicked rich their money all for his shine medals.
This man is a shame to even mention.
Smedley was a sell out just like the bankers.
There’s nothing wrong with quoting something that is true. God can use anyone he wants to bring out truth, even Gen. Smedley. God controls everything imaginable:
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.
Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Proverbs 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.
For example, the Pope said this:
“Our life must be centered on what is essential, on Jesus Christ. Everything else is secondary.”
Obviously, all saved people know exactly what sneaky Jesuit Pope Frankenstein is all about, and that the Catholic “Christ” is the coming antichrist and the lost Jews’ false Messiah.
But for the saved, is that quote true or not?
It’s up to us to sift the facts out of the mud via studying the King James Bible and doing other forms of research in secular facts, always checking to see if it aligns with the scriptures. And if saved, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth and give you discernment. This absolute truth will never fail, if you magnify God’s word:
John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
Zelensky owns houses and apartments in Miami, Costa Rica, Egypt, and Georgia the country not Georgia the State. His wife recently ordered and now owned a Bugatti luxury car. You funded this bankers Black-Rock Jfew War. They laughed at you being broke and poor while they laundry money in Ukraine ripping all riches and sucking the U.S. dry while this war going on. Good on you being good obedient order follower!
Nobody can save you but yourselves.
Proverbs 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
2 Corinthians 1:9 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: [10] Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
https://www.unz.com/pgiraldi/israel-will-bleed-america-dry-and-discard-it-like-an-old-shoe/