Elbit Systems (NASDAQ:ESLT) Hits New 52-Week High on Strong Earnings

Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT) hit a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Tuesday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The company traded as high as $975.70 and last traded at $975.8760, with a volume of 121148 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $874.50.

The aerospace company reported $3.56 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $3.23 by $0.33. The business had revenue of $2.15 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.09 billion. Elbit Systems had a return on equity of 15.91% and a net margin of 6.73%.

Elbit Systems Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, April 27th. Shareholders of record on Monday, April 13th will be issued a dividend of $1.00 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, April 13th. This represents a $4.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.4%. This is a boost from Elbit Systems’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.75. Elbit Systems’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 22.87%.

Elbit Systems News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Elbit Systems this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 beat and strong full‑year results: Elbit reported EPS $3.56 vs. $3.23 consensus and revenue $2.15B vs. $2.09B; full‑year revenue $7.9B and order backlog of $28.1B, giving clearer revenue visibility. ELBIT SYSTEMS REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2025 RESULTS
• Positive Sentiment: Stronger profits driven by elevated defense demand: Reporting and Reuters coverage attribute a profit jump to wartime demand (Gaza war), supporting near‑term order flow and margins. Israel’s Elbit Systems 2025 profit jumps on Gaza war demand
• Positive Sentiment: Dividend hike: Company declared a quarterly dividend of $1.00 (33.3% increase vs prior $0.75), signaling cash returns and management confidence in cash flow. (Ex‑dividend April 13; payment April 27.)
• Neutral Sentiment: Management positioning and R&D posture: CEO emphasized proactive product development (not waiting for customers to define needs), which can support future wins but is longer‑term. Elbit CEO: We don’t wait for customers to define needs
• Neutral Sentiment: Regulatory/filing housekeeping: Company filed its Form 20‑F for FY2025 (routine disclosure) — improves transparency but no immediate market shock. Elbit Systems Announces the Filing of its Annual Report on Form 20-F for Fiscal Year 2025
• Negative Sentiment: Expectations vs. valuation risk: Analysts and commentaries warn expectations are elevated after the beat; some price targets sit well below the recent market price, and ESLT trades at a high P/E — leaving scope for profit‑taking if guidance or margin progression disappoints. Elbit Systems Execution Remains Strong But Expectations Run High

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded Elbit Systems from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, January 17th. Morgan Stanley began coverage on Elbit Systems in a research report on Thursday, December 11th. They issued an “equal weight” rating and a $531.00 target price for the company. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Elbit Systems from $530.00 to $580.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, December 19th. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Elbit Systems in a research note on Monday, December 29th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Elbit Systems has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $550.33.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Elbit Systems

A number of hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in ESLT. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. grew its holdings in Elbit Systems by 74.9% in the 4th quarter. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. now owns 990 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $572,000 after buying an additional 424 shares in the last quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC increased its position in Elbit Systems by 3.4% in the 4th quarter. Corient Private Wealth LLC now owns 3,676 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $2,123,000 after acquiring an additional 121 shares during the period. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd raised its stake in Elbit Systems by 875.0% during the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 234 shares of the aerospace company’s stock valued at $135,000 after acquiring an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. Vident Advisory LLC boosted its position in Elbit Systems by 13.8% during the 4th quarter. Vident Advisory LLC now owns 2,080 shares of the aerospace company’s stock worth $1,202,000 after acquiring an additional 253 shares during the period. Finally, State of Tennessee Department of Treasury acquired a new position in Elbit Systems during the 4th quarter worth $5,615,000. Institutional investors own 17.88% of the company’s stock.

Elbit Systems Stock Performance

The company has a market cap of $42.39 billion, a P/E ratio of 83.94, a PEG ratio of 3.08 and a beta of 0.22. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $757.25 and a 200-day moving average price of $594.02. The company has a quick ratio of 0.76, a current ratio of 1.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06.

About Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based defense electronics company that designs, develops and supplies a broad range of systems for military, homeland security and commercial aviation customers. The company focuses on integrated, platform-level solutions that combine sensors, communications, command-and-control software and weapons integration to support intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), force protection and mission management.

Its product and service portfolio spans unmanned aircraft systems, electro-optic and signal intelligence systems, electronic warfare and communications equipment, avionics and mission systems for military and commercial aircraft, and land and naval systems.