4 Aerospace Stocks to Buy | The Motley Fool

4 Best Aerospace Stocks in 2025

By Lou Whiteman – Updated Jul 1, 2025 at 5:21 PM | Fact-checked by Frank Bass

Key Points

Aerospace industry, a $300 billion market, comprises firms making rockets, planes, and drones.
Demand for over 43,000 new airplanes anticipated in the next 20 years due to travel resurgence.
Top aerospace stocks include Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, TransDigm Group, and Kratos Defense.

Aerospace has come a long way since the Wright brothers first took flight in 1903. Today, aerospace is a $300 billion global industry that includes companies that make rockets, planes, drones, and other flying craft.

The aerospace industry is generally broken down into commercial and defense applications, although many of the largest companies serve both the airlines and the Pentagon.

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Jet engine on plane in clouds. — Image source: Getty Images.

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Ticker Information Table
Company name	Company ticker	Market cap	Industry
Lockheed Martin	NYSE:LMT	$113.7 billion	Aerospace and Defense
Northrop Grumman	NYSE:NOC	$85.4 billion	Aerospace and Defense
TransDigm Group	NYSE:TDG	$74.1 billion	Aerospace and Defense
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions	NASDAQ:KTOS	$14.2 billion	Aerospace and Defense

Data as of Oct 23, 2025.

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NYSE: LMT

Lockheed Martin

Today's Change

(0.19%) $0.91

Current Price

$488.05

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$114B

Day's Range

$486.52 - $493.98

52wk Range

$410.11 - $576.43

Volume

1.4M

Avg Vol

1.5M

Gross Margin

7.58%

Dividend Yield

0.03%

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NYSE: NOC

Northrop Grumman

Today's Change

(1.55%) $9.26

Current Price

$605.74

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$85B

Day's Range

$598.01 - $609.82

52wk Range

$426.24 - $640.90

Volume

649K

Avg Vol

756K

Gross Margin

19.42%

Dividend Yield

0.01%

Northrop Grumman (NOC +1.55%) is the company most closely tied to the U.S. nuclear triad -- a combination of missiles, bombers, and submarines that serve as the nation's primary defense against a nuclear strike. The triad is the Pentagon's top priority. And Northrop's role in making the B-21 bomber and refreshing the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile guarantees it billions in future sales.

Additionally, Northrop's Orbital ATK unit is one of two major U.S. manufacturers of the rocket engines needed to get to space. The company also has a large satellite and electronics division that supports the nation's space efforts.

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NYSE: TDG

TransDigm Group

Today's Change

(2.73%) $35.81

Current Price

$1350.00

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$74B

Day's Range

$1314.21 - $1351.72

52wk Range

$1107.45 - $1519.35

Volume

284K

Avg Vol

350K

Gross Margin

57.73%

Dividend Yield

N/A

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NASDAQ: KTOS

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions

Today's Change

(5.96%) $5.02

Current Price

$89.32

Key Data Points

Market Cap

$14B

Day's Range

$86.85 - $89.95

52wk Range

$22.69 - $112.57

Volume

2.4M

Avg Vol

4.4M

Gross Margin

22.84%

Dividend Yield

N/A

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About the Author

Lou Whiteman is a contributing Motley Fool industrials and financial services analyst covering aerospace, defense, transport, manufacturing, specialty finance, and bank stocks. Previously, Lou was a financial analyst and senior writer for TheStreet, a venture capital specialist for The Deal LLC, and a high school personal finance teacher. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Loyola University Maryland and completed a fellowship at the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking.

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@louwhiteman

Lou Whiteman has positions in Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Lockheed Martin, and TransDigm Group. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin and TransDigm Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.