Is Huntington Ingalls Stock Outperforming the Dow?
Companies valued at $2 billion or more are typically classified as 'mid-cap stocks,' and HII fits the label perfectly, with its market cap exceeding this threshold, underscoring its size, influence, and dominance within the aerospace & defense industry. The company distinguishes itself as one of the largest military shipbuilders in the U.S. and the sole producer of U.S. Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Its deep expertise, skilled workforce, and multi-decade contracts provide long-term revenue visibility and national security alignment.
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This military shipbuilder is currently trading 19% below its 52-week high of $285.81, reached on Aug. 1, 2024. HII has soared 12.5% over the past three months, outpacing the Dow Jones Industrial Average's ($DOWI) 1.2% rise during the same time frame.
Moreover, on a YTD basis, shares of HII are up 22.6%, outperforming DOWI's 1.3% return. However, in the longer term, HII has declined 7.8% over the past 52 weeks, lagging behind DOWI's 9.3% uptick over the same time frame.
To confirm its bullish trend, HII has been trading above its 200-day moving average since late April, and has remained above its 50-day moving average since early March, with minor fluctuations.
HII's shares plunged 1.2% on May 1 following its mixed Q1 earnings release. Weaker performance across all three of its reportable segments led to a 2.5% year-over-year decline in the company's total sales and service revenue to $2.7 billion. This top-line figure fell short of the consensus estimates by 2.2%. However, on a positive note, while its EPS of $3.79 fell 2.1% from the same period last year, it topped the forecasted figure by a notable margin of 30.7%. The strong bottom-line outperformance was supported by higher segment operating income, aided by successful cost-saving initiatives.
HII has lagged behind its rival, General Dynamics Corporation's (GD) 5.9% drop over the past 52 weeks. However, it has outpaced GD's 6.7% uptick on a YTD basis.
Despite HII's recent outperformance, analysts remain cautious about its prospects. The stock has a consensus rating of "Hold' from the 10 analysts covering it, and the mean price target of $240.36 suggests a 3.8% premium to its current price levels.
On the date of publication, Neharika Jain did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com
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