Howmet's Commercial Aerospace Strength Seems Firm: More Upside Ahead?

Howmet Aerospace Inc. HWM continues to gain momentum, with commercial aerospace emerging as its strongest growth engine. In the first quarter of 2025, revenues from the commercial aerospace market increased 9% year over year, marking a strong start to the year. It accounted for 52% of HWM’s total revenues.

The strength in air travel has led to rising demand for wide-body aircraft and encouraged original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to increase their spending levels. This uptick in air traffic has been positive for Howmet, as increased aircraft usage leads to higher demand for the engineered parts and products it produces. It also encourages airlines to invest more in new aircraft, further boosting HWM’s sales volume.

Increasing demand for fuel-efficient aircraft with lower carbon emissions and engine spares has contributed to the growth of commercial aerospace market as well.  Also, with a gradual production recovery of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Howmet is expected to witness increased demand for its products in the market.

While the commercial aerospace market has remained the major driver for the company, the defense aerospace market is also showing positive momentum. Increased demand for engine spares, especially for the F-35 program and rising military budgets, is fueling steady growth in this market.

HWM’s Peers in the Commercial Aerospace Market

Among its major peers, RTX Corporation RTX reported 8% organic sales growth in the first quarter of 2025. This growth was largely driven by strength in the commercial aerospace market, where RTX Corp. saw double-digit gains in aftermarket sales and low-single-digit growth in OEM sales. The improvement in commercial aerospace sales boosted RTX’s Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney segments. Rising aircraft utilization and demand for sustainable technologies are supporting RTX Corp.’s growth.

GE Aerospace GE is benefiting from the solid demand for LEAP, GEnx & GE9X engines and services within the Commercial Engines & Services business. This growth is supported by increasing air traffic, fleet renewal and expansion activities. During the first quarter of 2025, GE Aerospace signed new deals with three major customers. ANA Holdings ordered more than 75 LEAP engines and selected GE to supply GEnx engines for 18 new Boeing 787 aircraft. Malaysia Aviation Group placed an order for 60 LEAP engines and spare parts for its Boeing 737 MAX planes. 

GE Aerospace also received an order from Korean Air for GEnx and GE9X engines to power up to 50 wide-body Boeing jets. These contracts underscore GE’s role in driving the growth of the commercial aerospace market globally.

HWM's Price Performance, Valuation and Estimates

Shares of Howmet have surged 127.8% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 17.2%.

From a valuation standpoint, HWM is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 47.53X, above the industry’s average of 26.71X.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HWM’s earnings has been on the rise over the past 60 days.

The company currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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