KTOS vs. LMT: Which Defense Stock Is Better at Innovation?

Geopolitical instability around the world, especially conflicts in regions like Europe and the Middle East, has increased security concerns for many countries. In response, the United States and its allies are raising their defense budgets to strengthen military readiness, modernize equipment, and invest in new weapons and defense technologies. Rising government spending benefits major defense contractors, such as Kratos Defense & Security Solutions KTOS and Lockheed Martin LMT, boosting revenues through procurement and modernization programs.

The strategic alignment with priority defense initiatives makes them increasingly attractive to investors seeking exposure to long-term defense modernization and security-driven demand.

Both companies benefit from rising Pentagon spending on advanced aerospace and defense technologies, but they approach innovation differently. Lockheed Martin is a large, established defense prime that innovates through massive, long-term programs like fighter jets, missile systems, and space defense platforms, emphasizing scale, integration and reliability. Kratos Defense, on the other hand, is a smaller, more agile company focused on emerging technologies, such as unmanned systems, drones, and hypersonic testing, aiming to deliver faster and lower-cost solutions. 

Now, let’s see which model of innovation — big, system-level leadership or nimble, disruptive development — is better positioned for future defense needs.

The Case for KTOS Stock

Kratos Defense is experiencing strong growth in its unmanned systems business, supported by rising defense contracts and demand for cost-effective, high-performance drones. 

The company significantly benefits from Pentagon demand. It focuses on fast-growing technologies, such as unmanned aerial systems and hypersonic systems. The U.S. Department of Defense is shifting toward modern, autonomous, and relatively low-cost technologies to upgrade its military, rather than relying only on traditional, expensive platforms. Kratos Defense benefits from this shift because it specializes in innovative and affordable systems. Key wins, including the Valkyrie drone moving into production and major hypersonic testing contracts, are drawing substantial government funding and supporting strong revenue growth.

The Case for LMT Stock

Lockheed Martin remains one of the largest U.S. defense contractors with a steady order flow from the Pentagon and other U.S. allies. 

The company continues to secure big contracts from the Pentagon and other U.S. allies. Lockheed Martin was successful in clinching several notable deals in the third quarter of 2025. These include a $10.9 billion contract from the U.S. Navy to build up to a maximum of 99 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps over five years, as well as a $9.8 billion contract for the production of 1,970 Patriot Advanced Capability - 3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors and associated hardware. It also clinched a $720.1 million contract to produce Joint Air-to-Ground Missiles (JAGM) and Hellfire missiles. Such a consistent level of contract flows bolsters its long-term revenue prospects.

Let's compare the stocks' fundamentals to determine which one is a better investment option at present.

How Do Zacks Estimates Compare for KTOS & LMT?

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Kratos Defense’s 2025 and 2026 earnings per share (EPS) indicates an increase of 4.08% and 38.95%, respectively, year over year.
 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Lockheed Martin’s 2025 EPS indicates a decrease of 22.55% and the same for 2026 EPS implies an increase of 34.07% year over year.

Valuation for KTOS & LMT

KTOS shares trade at a forward 12-month Price/Sales (P/S F12M) of 8.74X compared with LMT’s 1.44X.

Debt Position of KTOS & LMT

Currently, total debt to capital for Kratos Defense is nil, while that of Lockheed Martin is 78.21%. 

The time-to-interest earned ratio for Kratos Defense and Lockheed Martin at the end of the third quarter of 2025 was 11.8 and 5.5, respectively. The ratio, being greater than one, reflects the company’s ability to meet future interest obligations without difficulties.

KTOS & LMT’s Price Performance

In the past six months, shares of Kratos Defense and Lockheed Martin have risen 102.3% and 5.1%, respectively.

KTOS or LMT: Which Is a Better Choice Now?

Kratos Defense is growing rapidly as rising Pentagon demand boosts its unmanned systems business, particularly cost-effective drones and hypersonic technologies. KTOS benefits from the U.S. military’s shift toward modern, autonomous, and affordable defense systems. Lockheed Martin continues to benefit from a steady flow of large defense contracts from the Pentagon and U.S. allies, reinforcing its position as a leading U.S. defense contractor. Recent wins support strong long-term revenue visibility and growth.

However, our choice at the moment is Kratos Defense, given its better earnings growth, better debt management and price performance than Lockheed Martin. 

Both stocks carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

 

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

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