RTX Corporation

RTX
NYSEFree primer · Steps 1–3 of 21Updated May 12, 2026Coverage as of 2026-Q2
TTM ROIC
11.1%FY2025
Moat
Wide
Latest Q Revenue
$22.1B+10% YoYQ1 FY2026
Top Holder
Vanguard Group9.28%
Institutional
80.6%
Bull Case
Faster-than-expected P&W margin normalization, Golden Dome contract wins, and accelerating European rearmament could drive meaningful EPS upside beyond current consensus.
Bear Case
A larger-than-expected Airbus damages settlement and stalled P&W margin recovery could materially compress FCF and suppress earnings through 2028.

Business Model


ticker: RTX step: 01 generated: 2026-05-12 source: quick-research

RTX Corporation (RTX) — Business Overview

Business Description

RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies, renamed July 2023) is the world's largest aerospace and defense company by revenue. Formed in April 2020 via merger of Raytheon Company and United Technologies aerospace businesses. Three segments: Collins Aerospace (commercial + military avionics + systems), Pratt & Whitney (jet engines), and Raytheon (defense systems — missiles, radars, sensors, hypersonics). Total backlog $268-271B, the largest in industry. CEO Chris Calio (since 2024).

Revenue Model

  • Collins Aerospace (~32% of revenue): Avionics, interiors, structures, power & control systems — commercial + military
  • Pratt & Whitney (~30%): Commercial + military jet engines + aftermarket services (military ~60% of P&W revenue)
  • Raytheon (~38%): Defense systems — Patriot, Tomahawk, AMRAAM, Standard Missile, sensors, integrated air & missile defense

Products & Services

Collins Aerospace
  • Avionics (flight management, communications, navigation)
  • Aerostructures (nacelles, engine inlets, wings)
  • Cabin interiors (seats, lavatories, IFE)
  • Power & controls
  • Military avionics (helmet displays, escape systems)
Pratt & Whitney
  • Commercial engines: GTF (PW1000G) for A220, A320neo family, E2; PW4000 (legacy)
  • Military engines: F119 (F-22 Raptor), F135 (F-35 — 156 deliveries 2025 → 200 target by 2028), TF33
  • Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) for commercial + military
  • Aftermarket services: Maintenance, repair, overhaul (MRO)
Raytheon
  • Air & Missile Defense: Patriot system + missiles (recent $50B+ multi-year contract); NASAMS
  • Missiles & Defense: Tomahawk, AMRAAM, Stinger, Standard Missile (SM-2/3/6), Javelin (with Lockheed)
  • Hypersonics: Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (Army), HACM (Air Force), HALO (Navy)
  • Sensors: SPY-6 radar (Navy), AESA radars, RAIVEN Staring EO/IR sensor
  • Space: Satellite control + classified programs

Customer Base & Go-to-Market

  • Commercial aerospace (~50% commercial): Boeing, Airbus, airlines (engine + parts customers), business jet OEMs
  • US DoD (~30%): Largest customer overall — across all three segments
  • International defense (~20%): Allied governments — Patriot orders from Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine, Israel, Saudi Arabia
  • Geographic mix: ~55% US, ~45% International

Competitive Position

RTX is the global #1 in commercial aerospace systems (Collins) + #1 in air defense / missile defense (Raytheon) + #2 in jet engines (Pratt). Moats: (1) ~$268B backlog provides multi-year revenue visibility, (2) F-35 sole engine supplier through 2050s, (3) Patriot system dominance with 17+ countries, (4) decades of certified aerospace know-how. Competitors: Lockheed Martin (defense), GE Aerospace (engines), Boeing/Airbus (aircraft frames), Northrop Grumman, L3Harris, BAE Systems. Pratt & Whitney GTF powder metal defect has been a multi-year headwind.

Key Facts

  • Founded: 1922 (United Technologies); 1922 (Raytheon)
  • Headquarters: Arlington, VA (corporate); operational HQ Waltham, MA
  • Employees: ~185,000
  • Exchange: NYSE
  • Sector / Industry: Industrials / Aerospace & Defense
  • Market Cap: ~$180B (May 2026)
  • CEO: Christopher T. Calio (since May 2024, succeeded Greg Hayes)
  • Dividend: $2.52 annual ($0.63 quarterly)
  • 32+ consecutive years of dividend payments
  • Total backlog: $268-271B (commercial + defense)

Financial Snapshot


ticker: RTX step: 04 generated: 2026-05-12 source: quick-research

RTX Corporation (RTX) — Financial Snapshot

Income Statement Summary

Metric FY2023 FY2024 FY2025 YoY
Adj. Revenue $74.3B $80.8B $88.6B +10%
Revenue Growth (organic) +11% +11% +12%
Adj. Operating Margin 11% 13% 14% +100bps
Adj. Net Income $5.4B $7.2B $9.1B +26%
Adj. EPS $4.95 $5.02 $5.85 +17%
Free Cash Flow $4.7B $4.5B $7.0B +56%

Segment Revenue (FY2025)

Segment Revenue Op Margin
Collins Aerospace ~$28B ~17%
Pratt & Whitney ~$27B ~10% (GTF drag)
Raytheon ~$34B ~10%

Backlog (key metric)

Period Total Backlog
Q4 2024 $218B ($125B commercial + $93B defense)
Q3 2025 $251B
Q4 2025 $268B
Q1 2026 $271B (record)
Defense Backlog $107B
Commercial Backlog ~$160B

Major Defense Contracts

Program Value
Patriot multi-year $50B+ (DoD)
F-35 engines 156 deliveries 2025 → 200 by 2028
LRHW + hypersonics Multi-billion development
Tomahawk + Standard Missile Ongoing replenishment + EU orders
Replenishment for Ukraine/Israel/EU Multi-year

GTF Recall Status

Metric Value
Recall scope ~1,200 engines (powder metal defect)
2025 cash compensation $1B paid
2025 P&W aftermarket charges Cumulative ~$3-5B over 2023-2025
Status 2026 Groundings declining as maintenance ramps

Other Charges

Item Value
Missile settlement (Feb 2026) $1B
2026 Tariff exposure ~$850M
Patriot R&D investment Ongoing

Cash Flow & Balance Sheet (FY2025)

Metric Value
Operating Cash Flow ~$10B
Capital Expenditures ~$3B
Free Cash Flow $7.0B
Cash & Investments ~$10B
Total Debt ~$40B

Key Ratios (approximate, May 2026)

  • P/E (forward): ~21x | EV/EBITDA: ~14x | Dividend Yield: ~1.9%
  • ROIC: ~10%
  • FCF Margin: ~8%

Growth Profile

FY25 adj. revenue +10% to $88.6B; EPS $5.85 (+17%). Q1 2026 raised full-year outlook on record $271B backlog. 2026 capex stepping up from $2.6B to $3.1B for missile production capacity. GTF maintenance ramp + groundings declining. Defense spending tailwinds from Israel, Ukraine, Patriot orders.

Forward Estimates

  • FY2026E Adj Revenue: ~$96B (+8-9%)
  • FY2026E Adj EPS: ~$6.40-6.60 (consensus, +9-13%)
  • FY2027E EPS: ~$7.50-8.00
  • 2028 F-35 Engine Deliveries: 200 (ramped from 156)

Capital Return

  • Quarterly dividend $0.63 = $2.52 annual (~$3.3B paid)
  • 32+ consecutive years of dividend payments
  • Buybacks: ~$2-3B annual run rate
  • Total return: ~3-5% combined yield

Recent Catalysts


ticker: RTX step: 12 generated: 2026-05-12 source: quick-research

RTX Corporation (RTX) — Investment Catalysts & Risks

Bull Case Drivers

  1. Record $271B backlog — largest in defense + aerospace — Q1 2026 backlog hit $271B (vs $218B Q4 2024 = +25%). Defense backlog $107B; commercial backlog ~$160B. Provides 5-7 years of revenue visibility. Defense backlog accelerating as Patriot orders from Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Ukraine + replenishments compound. Multi-year $50B Patriot DoD contract is foundational.

  2. Geopolitical tailwinds — Europe + Middle East + hypersonics — Allied nations increasing defense budgets and prioritizing US platforms. Israel/Iran tensions driving missile replenishment urgency. Ukraine support continuing. Golden Dome missile defense initiative (~$185B over multi-year period) is a generational contract opportunity. RTX has the radar, missile, and integration capability for nearly every layer of any "Iron Dome for America" architecture.

  3. F-35 engine ramp + hypersonics future — Pratt & Whitney F-35 deliveries scaling from 156 (2025) → 200 (2028), with sole-supplier position through 2050s. Hypersonics programs (LRHW Army, HACM Air Force, HALO Navy) position RTX for $50B+ in potential future awards. Military engines (60% of P&W revenue) untouched by GTF recall.

  4. GTF recovery + commercial aerospace tailwind — GTF groundings declining as maintenance ramp continues. Pratt & Whitney aftermarket revenue strong. Collins Aerospace benefiting from commercial OEM ramp (Boeing 737 MAX/A320neo deliveries). FCF stepped up from $4.5B (FY24) to $7.0B (FY25) — recovering.

Bear Case Risks

  1. GTF powder metal saga ongoing — Cumulative ~$3-5B in charges/compensation since 2023. Airbus damages claim potential. SEC probe into disclosure. While groundings declining, residual costs continue through 2026-27. If powder metal issue resurfaces in newer batches, additional charges possible.

  2. $850M tariff exposure + missile settlement — 2026 tariff exposure ~$850M according to mgmt commentary. February 2026 $1B settlement on defective missile contract. These near-term cash outflows continue to weigh on FCF expansion despite operating growth.

  3. Trump administration pressure on defense pricing + dividends — Trump executive order in January 2026 threatened defense contractors on executive pay, stock buybacks, and slow production. Trump personally threatened to cut Raytheon's contract. While RTX committed to dividends, near-term policy uncertainty creates overhang. Cost-plus margin compression possible.

  4. GTF + missile settlement compress segment margins — Pratt & Whitney operating margin (~10%) materially below Collins (~17%) and historical P&W norms (~14%+). Full margin normalization requires GTF cycle completion — likely 2027-28. Bears worry that recurring charges + compensation reset what "normal" margin looks like.

Upcoming Events

  • Q2 2026 earnings (July 2026) — GTF cost progression; defense backlog conversion; tariff actual impact
  • Q3 2026 earnings (October 2026) — F-35 delivery cadence; Patriot deliveries
  • Golden Dome contract awards — Multi-year RFPs through 2026-27
  • Hypersonic milestones — Test results LRHW, HACM, HALO
  • GTF maintenance milestone — Critical for FCF acceleration

Analyst Sentiment

Sell-side consensus is Buy with average price targets in the $145-160 range vs. recent ~$135 trading levels (~7-19% upside). Bulls cite $271B backlog, defense spending supercycle, and FCF recovery. Bears focus on GTF residual costs, Trump-era pricing risk, and tariff exposure. Versus Lockheed Martin (defense pure-play), RTX offers commercial aerospace optionality via Collins + Pratt.

Research Date

Generated: 2026-05-12

Full Research Available

This primer covers steps 1–3 of 21. The full deep dive includes moat analysis, DCF valuation, bull/bear scenarios, management quality, earnings transcript analysis, competitive positioning, returns on capital, institutional/insider activity, and an investment memo.

View Investment MemoEach memo is $2. Coverage subscriptions for funds coming soon — join the waitlist.