We all know someone who still stares out the window on every flight like it’s the first one. If that’s you, here’s something to think about on your next trip. The jet was built by Boeing or Airbus, the engines most likely came from GE or Pratt & Whitney, the blades inside them may have been cast by Howmet, and a lot of the small parts were made by companies like TransDigm and HEICO that most people never heard of. And the Wi-Fi on the plane? There’s a decent chance it runs on Starlink, which belongs to SpaceX. Every one of these is a stock you can buy in the US.
A lot changed in 2026. SpaceX went public in June and is now the biggest aerospace company on the US market by a long way. Honeywell split its aerospace business off into its own stock, HONA, the same month. Boeing’s losses shrank to almost nothing. GE Aerospace raised its forecast twice. But the stocks haven’t all followed. Zacks put the aerospace sector down 11.2% for the year on November 5, while Howmet was up 4.2% and many space names sit well below their highs.
Below are the 15 biggest aerospace stocks in the USA by market cap, with what each company makes, how its last quarter went and what could go wrong. Prices are from the November 10, 2026 close.
Not financial advice. This article is for general information only. It isn’t a recommendation to buy or sell any stock. Stocks can lose value, and several of these have fallen 30% or more from their highs this year. Do your own research and, if you can, talk to a licensed financial advisor before you invest.
Top 15 US Aerospace Stocks at a Glance
Price, market cap, P/E and dividend yield come from StockVS at the November 10, 2026 close. Revenue is for the latest reported quarter, compared with the same quarter a year earlier.
| # | Company (ticker) | Group | Price | Market cap | P/E | Dividend yield | Latest quarter revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SpaceX (SPCX) | Space, satellites | $143.09 | $1.94T | n/a | None | $14.6B (+161%) |
| 2 | GE Aerospace (GE) | Engines | $337.91 | $350.6B | 38.6 | 0.56% | $14.1B (+16%) |
| 3 | RTX (RTX) | Engines, parts, missiles | $200.27 | $270.3B | 32.6 | 1.49% | $24.97B (+11%) |
| 4 | Lockheed Martin (LMT) | Defense jets, missiles | $603.12 | $139.3B | 21.4 | 2.45% | $20.71B (+11%) |
| 5 | Boeing (BA) | Passenger and military jets | $173.38 | $137.4B | 17.9 | None | $24.19B (+4%) |
| 6 | General Dynamics (GD) | Business jets, submarines | $367.44 | $99.3B | 21.6 | 1.76% | $14.57B (+13%) |
| 7 | Howmet Aerospace (HWM) | Engine parts | $219.05 | $87.1B | 43.0 | 0.26% | $2.70B (+29%) |
| 8 | Northrop Grumman (NOC) | Bombers, space, missiles | $548.61 | $77.9B | 17.3 | 1.83% | $11.12B (+7%) |
| 9 | TransDigm (TDG) | Aircraft parts | $1,225.54 | $67.7B | 37.2 | None regular | $2.99B (+23%)* |
| 10 | Honeywell Aerospace (HONA) | Avionics, engines | $166.47 | $52.8B | 47.2 | 0.97% | $4.64B** |
| 11 | L3Harris (LHX) | Space, rocket motors | $275.96 | $51.4B | 25.7 | 1.84% | $6.1B (+7%) |
| 12 | HEICO (HEI) | Replacement parts | $345.09 | $48.2B | 57.5 | 0.07% | $1.41B (+23%)* |
| 13 | Rocket Lab (RKLB) | Rockets, spacecraft | $62.71 | $40.1B | Loss | None | $267.8M (+73%)** |
| 14 | Arxis (ARXS) | Electronic and mechanical parts | $50.84 | $21.9B | 282.4 | None | $564M (+36%) |
| 15 | Woodward (WWD) | Fuel and flight controls | $334.13 | $19.7B | 37.2 | 0.38% | $1.11B (+21%)* |
* Fiscal quarters: TransDigm ended September 30, HEICO ended July 31, Woodward ended June 30. ** Single source, see notes in each entry.
If you came here for drone makers like Kratos and AeroVironment, they have their own list: our top 15 drone companies in the USA.
Read Also: Top 11 Lithium Stocks in the USA for Late 2026
Where Did These Aerospace Tickers Go?
Older lists still rank for this search and a lot of them show companies that don’t trade anymore. Here is what happened to them.
- Spirit AeroSystems (SPR): Boeing bought it, and the deal closed in December 2025. Spirit built 737 fuselages, so Boeing took the work back in-house. SPR no longer trades.
- Aerojet Rocketdyne (AJRD): L3Harris bought it in 2023. Its rocket motors now sit inside L3Harris’s Missile Solutions unit.
- United Technologies (UTX) and Raytheon (RTN): They merged in 2020 to form Raytheon Technologies, which renamed itself RTX in 2023.
- Honeywell (HON): Still trades, but since June 29, 2026 it no longer holds the aerospace business. That’s now Honeywell Aerospace (HONA). HON holders got one HONA share for every two HON shares.
1. SpaceX (SPCX)
SpaceX launches most of the rockets that leave US soil, runs the Starlink satellite internet network, and now rents out computing power for artificial intelligence. It listed on Nasdaq on June 12, 2026 at $135 a share and opened at $150. Only a small slice of the company, around 3% to 4%, was available to trade at the start.
The third quarter was its first big profit as a public company. AP reported revenue of $14.6 billion, up 161%, and net profit of $4.4 billion, or 35 cents a share, after a $541 million loss in the second quarter. The AI business became its biggest by revenue. Starlink still makes the most profit, and it had about 12 million subscribers by mid-year, double a year earlier.
SpaceX is spending like no other company here. Capital spending was $19.6 billion in the quarter and it expects $35 billion to $40 billion in the fourth quarter alone. Starship’s next test, planned for November, will try to catch both the booster and the ship with mechanical arms.
Good for: Investors who want one stock that covers rockets, satellite internet and AI computing, and who are fine with big swings. The catch: At $143 it trades around 30% or more below its post-IPO peak, and it fell 9% in a single day on November 5. It pays no dividend. Musk said SpaceX and Tesla committees are discussing a possible merger, though he played down a deal happening soon. Only a small slice of shares traded at the IPO, so more supply can hit the market as insider lockups end.
2. GE Aerospace (GE)
GE Aerospace makes jet engines on its own and through CFM, its venture with Safran, which builds the LEAP engine on newer 737s and A320s. Most of its profit comes from fixing and servicing engines that already fly.
Third-quarter orders rose 49% to $19.0 billion and adjusted earnings per share rose 36% to $2.25. LEAP repair revenue grew more than 40%. GE raised its 2026 guidance for the second time this year. Reuters reported that repair demand is making up for the hit airlines are taking from higher jet fuel costs.
Good for: Investors who believe people will keep flying more and want the company that gets paid every time an engine goes in for work. The catch: A P/E near 39 means a lot of good news is already in the price. Our industrial stocks article has the full breakdown.
3. RTX (RTX)
RTX owns Pratt & Whitney (engines), Collins Aerospace (cockpit electronics, landing gear, seats) and Raytheon (Patriot and Stinger missiles). Sales rose 11% to $24.97 billion, and the backlog reached a record $340 billion, split almost evenly between commercial and defense.
Good for: People who want airlines and defense in one stock, with a dividend near 1.5%. The catch: Pratt & Whitney’s operating profit fell 19% after a charge tied to a customer bankruptcy, and its geared turbofan engines still need extra inspections. More detail in our industrial stocks article.
4. Lockheed Martin (LMT)
Lockheed builds the F-35, Black Hawk helicopters, PAC-3 missiles and many satellites. Third-quarter sales rose 11% to $20.71 billion and the backlog hit a record $292 billion, with $52.5 billion of it from one PAC-3 order. It plans to raise its dividend for a 24th year in a row.
Good for: Income investors. Its 2.45% yield is the highest on this list. The catch: Costs on the F-35 Lot 20 contract started running past the funding the government has approved. The stock also jumped from $512 on October 12 (Motley Fool) to $603 on November 10, so you’d be buying after a quick run. Full entry in our industrial stocks article.
5. Boeing (BA)
Boeing is the only big US maker of passenger jets. Its third quarter showed a company getting back on its feet: revenue $24.19 billion, 161 jets delivered, and a net loss of $116 million against $5.34 billion a year earlier. The backlog is a record $745 billion, including more than 6,300 commercial planes. The FAA certified the 737-10 in October, the 787 is steady at 8 a month, and the 737 is working toward a steady 47 a month. The Navy also picked Boeing for its next fighter, the F/A-XX.
Good for: Patient investors betting the turnaround keeps going. The catch: Free cash flow is still negative for the year at -$359 million, debt is $45.9 billion, and the 777X won’t deliver until 2027. Boeing hasn’t paid a dividend since 2020. More in our industrial stocks article.
6. General Dynamics (GD)
General Dynamics owns Gulfstream, which makes business jets, plus Electric Boat submarines and Abrams tanks. Revenue rose 12.9% to $14.57 billion, Gulfstream delivered 40 jets, and the backlog doubled in a year to $220.3 billion, mostly from submarine orders.
Good for: Investors who want a mix of private jets and long defense contracts, with a 1.76% yield. The catch: Free cash flow fell about 35% as spending on shipyards more than doubled. See our industrial stocks article.
7. Howmet Aerospace (HWM)
Howmet casts the turbine blades and rings inside jet engines and makes aerospace fasteners. Revenue rose 29% to $2.70 billion and gas turbine revenue jumped 45%, since power plants for data centers use the same kind of blades. Howmet raised its dividend 17% and was one of the few aerospace stocks up this year, 4.2% by Zacks’ count on November 5.
Good for: Investors who want a supplier selling into both airplanes and power plants. The catch: A P/E of 43 and a yield of 0.26%. Full entry in our industrial stocks article.
8. Northrop Grumman (NOC)
Northrop builds the B-21 stealth bomber, the Sentinel missile that will replace the Minuteman III, and a lot of space hardware including rocket motors and satellites. Sales rose 7% to $11.1 billion in the third quarter and diluted EPS came in at $7.89. The backlog hit a record $109.6 billion, up 15% since the start of the year, after $16.4 billion of new awards in the quarter, including $2.0 billion for Sentinel.
Cash is coming in better too. Adjusted free cash flow was $1.81 billion in the quarter, up 44%. Northrop raised its 2026 earnings forecast to $29.35 to $29.75 a share. CEO Kathy Warden said “our customers continue to turn to Northrop Grumman.”
Good for: Investors who want long defense programs at one of the lowest P/E ratios here, 17.3, with a 1.83% yield. The catch: Margins slipped, with operating margin at 11.4% against 11.9% a year ago. The B-21 already cost Northrop a $477 million loss provision in 2025. The stock was trading near $485 in mid-October, close to the bottom of a range that went as high as $774.
9. TransDigm (TDG)
TransDigm buys companies that make small, hard-to-replace aircraft parts like pumps, valves, seatbelts and cockpit displays, and is known for raising prices on them. Airlines pay because a plane can’t fly without the part and there’s often only one supplier. That’s why its profit margin looks unreal for a manufacturer.
It just closed fiscal 2026 on November 10. Full-year sales rose 20% to $10.56 billion and EBITDA As Defined came in at a 52.7% margin. Fourth-quarter sales rose 23% to $2.99 billion. It spent about $4.4 billion on acquisitions during the year, including Simmonds Precision Products and Prince & Izant, and bought back $2.8 billion of its own stock. For fiscal 2027 it expects $11.95 billion to $12.15 billion in sales and adjusted EPS of $47.09 to $47.94, about 15% growth.
Good for: Investors who want a business that earns money every time an airline fixes a plane. The catch: No regular dividend. TransDigm paid a $90 special dividend in fiscal 2025 but none in fiscal 2026. It carries heavy debt, including $3 billion of new notes issued in September at 6.75%. The stock was 16% below its 52-week high of about $1,463 on November 10.
10. Honeywell Aerospace (HONA)
Honeywell Aerospace started trading on Nasdaq on June 29, 2026, when Honeywell split itself in two. It makes cockpit avionics, navigation systems, auxiliary power units, small jet engines and flight controls. If you’ve flown on almost any airliner or business jet, there was Honeywell gear on board. It’s based in Phoenix and has more than 36,000 employees.
In its first full quarter on its own, it reported $4.64 billion of sales and a $19.3 billion backlog, and declared its first dividend of $0.40 a share. That works out to a yield of about 0.97% at the November 10 price.
Good for: Investors who owned Honeywell for the aerospace side and want it on its own, with a dividend. The catch: It has only been public for about four months, so there’s no long record to judge it by. The P/E of 47.2 is high for a parts supplier. The sales and backlog numbers come from a summary of the release, so check Honeywell Aerospace’s own investor page before you rely on them.
11. L3Harris (LHX)
L3Harris makes satellites, night vision, radios and, since it bought Aerojet Rocketdyne in 2023, the rocket motors that power missiles like THAAD and the PAC-3. That last part is booming. In the third quarter it signed a $6.3 billion THAAD propulsion contract and a $4.7 billion PAC-3 MSE propulsion contract, and its Missile Solutions unit had a book-to-bill of 11.8.
Revenue rose 7% to $6.1 billion (9% organic) and diluted EPS rose 33% to $3.28. Orders were $19.3 billion and the backlog hit a record $53.2 billion. Free cash flow nearly tripled to $1.3 billion. L3Harris raised its 2026 EPS forecast to $12.25 to $12.35. CEO Sam Mehta said “Our priority now is to convert that demand into results.”
Good for: Investors who want missile and space exposure with a 1.84% yield. The catch: Converting all those orders means building a lot more rocket motors, fast, and Aerojet had production delays before L3Harris bought it. The stock was at $237 in late September, near its 52-week low, before climbing back to $276.
12. HEICO (HEI)
HEICO makes replacement parts for jets that are approved by the FAA but cost less than the original maker’s version, and it repairs parts too. Airlines like it because it saves them money. It also owns electronics companies that sell to defense and space.
In its fiscal third quarter, which ended July 31, sales rose 23% to $1.41 billion, with 14% organic growth. Net income rose 33% to $235.4 million. The parts and repair side (Flight Support Group) grew 18%, and the electronics side grew 36%. HEICO spent about $1.02 billion on acquisitions in the first nine months of its year.
Good for: Long-term investors who want a steady compounder that buys smaller companies year after year. The catch: A P/E of 57.5 is the highest among the profitable big names here, and the yield is close to zero. HEICO also has two share classes. HEI.A gets one-tenth of a vote per share and usually trades cheaper than HEI, but pays the same dividend.
13. Rocket Lab (RKLB)
Rocket Lab launches small satellites on its Electron rocket and builds spacecraft and parts for other companies. It’s working on Neutron, a bigger rocket meant to compete with SpaceX for larger payloads.
According to Finsee’s review of the November 9 filing, third-quarter revenue rose 72.7% to $267.8 million. The backlog jumped 52% in one quarter to $3.57 billion, and it now has 117 launches on contract. Operating cash flow turned positive at $7.2 million. Rocket Lab expects $270 million to $290 million of revenue in the fourth quarter.
Good for: Investors who want a pure space stock that isn’t SpaceX. The catch: It still loses money, $79.7 million in the quarter on a GAAP basis. Neutron’s first launch slipped to no earlier than 2027. The stock was $62.71 on November 10, against a 52-week high of $151, and space stocks dropped when SpaceX listed in June as money moved into the bigger name.
14. Arxis (ARXS)
Arxis is the newest company on this list. It went public on April 15, 2026 at $28 a share and closed its first day at $38.75. It’s now at $50.84. Arxis makes connectors, sensors, bearings, seals, microwave parts and radar-absorbing materials that go into aircraft, missiles and satellites, plus medical and chip-testing equipment. It sells under 47 different brand names.
Third-quarter revenue rose 36% to $564 million, with 29% organic growth. Net income was $84 million, up from a $10 million loss. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 45.4%. Arxis raised its 2026 revenue forecast to $2.05 billion to $2.07 billion and expects $2.4 billion to $2.5 billion in 2027.
Good for: Investors who like the TransDigm model and want something smaller and newer. The catch: A trailing P/E of 282 is high partly because Arxis lost money a year ago, before its IPO, but it still means the price assumes a lot of growth. Private equity firm Arcline controls the company, so outside shareholders have little say.
15. Woodward (WWD)
Woodward makes fuel systems and flight control parts for jet engines, plus engine controls for trucks and power plants. In its fiscal third quarter, which ended June 30, sales rose 21% to $1.11 billion. Aerospace sales rose 19%, with parts for new planes up 34% and repair and spare parts up 24%. Adjusted EPS rose 43% to $2.52, and Woodward raised its full-year adjusted EPS forecast to $9.30 to $9.50.
Zacks had Woodward up about 8% for the year on November 5, one of the few aerospace stocks in positive territory.
Good for: Investors who want a smaller supplier that grows with both airplane production and power generation, with a small dividend of $0.32 a quarter. The catch: Defense parts sales fell 6% in the quarter. The P/E is 37.2. Woodward reports its fiscal fourth quarter later in November, so check for new numbers before you buy.
Aerospace ETFs If You Don’t Want to Pick
If you’d rather own all of them at once, three ETFs cover US aerospace and defense. These figures come from U.S. News, updated July 28, 2026.
| ETF | Fee | Assets | How it’s built |
|---|---|---|---|
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense (ITA) | 0.38% | $14.4B | Weighted by size. GE Aerospace and RTX made up more than 38% of the fund in late July |
| SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense (XAR) | 0.35% | $6.1B | Closer to equal weight, so smaller companies get more room. Top 10 are under a third of the fund |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense (PPA) | 0.58% | $8.4B | About 60 holdings. RTX, GE Aerospace and Boeing are the top three |
ITA is the biggest, but it’s heavy in two stocks. XAR gives you more of the smaller suppliers. For space companies there’s the Procure Space ETF (UFO), which holds launch and satellite companies. Check each fund’s own page for whether it added SpaceX after the IPO.
How to Pick an Aerospace Stock That Fits You
You don’t need all 15. Here is a simple way to narrow it down:
- Decide which part of flying you’re betting on. New planes being built points to Boeing, Howmet and Woodward. Planes already flying that need parts and repairs points to GE Aerospace, TransDigm and HEICO. Defense points to Lockheed, Northrop and L3Harris. Space points to SpaceX and Rocket Lab.
- Look at the backlog. Boeing has $745 billion of work signed. Northrop has $109.6 billion. A big backlog doesn’t guarantee profit, but it tells you customers are committed.
- Check what you pay. Northrop at 17.3 times earnings and Boeing at 17.9 are at the cheap end. HEICO at 57.5 and Arxis at 282 are priced for a lot of growth.
- Decide if you want income. Lockheed (2.45%), L3Harris (1.84%), Northrop (1.83%) and General Dynamics (1.76%) pay the most. SpaceX, Boeing and Rocket Lab pay nothing.
- Keep each stock small. SpaceX fell 9% in one day this month. Rocket Lab is less than half its high. A common rule is to keep any single stock under 5% of your portfolio.
For the bigger names covered in more detail, read our top 15 industrial stocks in the USA. If you want something less tied to the economy, see our piece on defensive stocks during the AI bull market. And for low-cost funds that hold most of these, check our top 10 mutual funds comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest aerospace stock in the USA?
SpaceX, with a market cap of about $1.94 trillion at the November 10, 2026 close. GE Aerospace is a distant second at about $350.6 billion, then RTX at about $270 billion.
Can you buy SpaceX stock?
Yes. SpaceX has traded on Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX since June 12, 2026. It priced at $135 a share and closed at $143.09 on November 10. You can buy it through any regular US brokerage account.
Is Honeywell Aerospace the same stock as Honeywell?
No. Honeywell Aerospace (HONA) split off on June 29, 2026 and makes avionics, engines and flight controls. Honeywell (HON), now called Honeywell Technologies, kept the building automation and industrial businesses. If you owned two HON shares before the split, you got one HONA share.
What happened to Spirit AeroSystems stock?
Boeing bought Spirit AeroSystems and the deal closed in December 2025. The SPR ticker no longer trades. If you owned Spirit shares, you received Boeing stock in exchange.
Does Boeing pay a dividend?
No. Boeing suspended its dividend in March 2020 and hasn’t brought it back. It still had negative free cash flow of $359 million for the first nine months of 2026.
Which aerospace stocks pay the best dividends?
On this list, Lockheed Martin had the highest yield at 2.45% on November 10, then L3Harris at 1.84%, Northrop Grumman at 1.83% and General Dynamics at 1.76%. Honeywell Aerospace started paying $0.40 a quarter after its spin-off.
What is the difference between aerospace and defense stocks?
Aerospace companies make planes, engines, parts and spacecraft. Defense companies sell weapons, ships and military systems to governments. Most big US names do both. Boeing sells airliners and fighter jets, and RTX makes airline engines and Patriot missiles. TransDigm, HEICO and Woodward lean toward airlines, while Northrop and L3Harris lean toward defense.
Why are aerospace stocks down in 2026?
Zacks had the aerospace sector down 11.2% for the year on November 5. Higher jet fuel costs have pushed airlines to cut flights, Boeing is still losing money, and the SpaceX listing pulled money away from smaller space stocks like Rocket Lab. Engine repair and parts suppliers like Howmet and Woodward held up better.
Pick One and Watch It for a Quarter
Next time you board a flight, look at the engine on the wing and the screen on the seat in front of you. Somebody on this list made them. Pick the company whose product you actually understand, whether that’s jet engines, spare parts, rockets or satellite internet, and follow it through one earnings report before you put money in.
