Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, defense contractor General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at General Dynamics' business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

General Dynamics facts

Headquarters (Founded) Falls Church, Va. (1899)
Market Cap $25.7 billion
Industry Aerospace and defense
Trailing-12-Month Revenue $32.1 billion
Management Chairman/CEO Jay Johnson
CFO L. Hugh Redd
Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years) 20%
Cash/Debt $1.5 billion / $4.1 billion
Dividend Yield 2.6%
Competitors Boeing
Lockheed Martin
Northrop Grumman

Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 95% of the 1,357 members who have rated General Dynamics believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.  

Just last month, one of those Fools, market8, tapped the stock as a solid way to play defense:

My recommendation for a stable cash company would be General Dynamics, which is getting negative press related to politics, but has solid long-term appeal. ... I am not worried about the political hammer on defense, albeit a negative at the margin. The growth rate will remain positive even if the slope flattens out on budget cutbacks. With this company you get very stable cash flows, but my favorite part of the company is the upside the Gulfstream brand provides. Time is a critical resource for the super wealthy and business jets should have strong global demand going forward as the rising elite seek to maximize the one resource they can't buy more of.

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