General Dynamics Corporation (GD)
General Dynamics is a massive American industrial giant that builds everything from nuclear-powered submarines and tanks to private business jets.
Is General Dynamics Corporation a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: General Dynamics is a massive American industrial giant that builds everything from nuclear-powered submarines and tanks to private business jets.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
Successful rollout of next-generation defence technology.
A prolonged global economic downturn hitting private jet sales.
What does General Dynamics Corporation do?
This company operates in two main worlds: defence, where it secures long-term government contracts for military hardware, and aerospace, where it manufactures high-end Gulfstream jets. It gets paid to deliver these complex, expensive machines to governments and wealthy corporate clients. Watch how well they work through their massive backlog of orders, since these projects take years to complete and demand steady, reliable execution.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on momentum and income, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 1.7% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 8% over the year
- ✓Low debt - a sturdier balance sheet
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 18%)
- Momentum screens high (70/100)
- Strong, long-term relationships with government clients
- Diverse business model spanning both defence and luxury aerospace
- Low volatility compared to the broader stock market
- Changes in international defence policy
- Supply chain disruptions for critical components
- Potential for project delays to hurt profit margins
What do General Dynamics Corporation's numbers mean?
How much money does General Dynamics Corporation make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does General Dynamics Corporation pay a dividend?
Yes - General Dynamics Corporation currently pays a dividend of about 1.7% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
When does General Dynamics Corporation report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
General Dynamics Corporation is next scheduled to report on about 2026-10-28 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-29 | $3.97 | $4.24 | Beat +7% |
| 2026-04-29 | $3.69 | $4.10 | Beat +11% |
| 2026-01-28 | $4.12 | $4.17 | Beat +1% |
| 2025-10-24 | $3.71 | $3.88 | Beat +5% |
| 2025-07-23 | $3.54 | $3.74 | Beat +6% |
| 2025-04-23 | $3.48 | $3.66 | Beat +5% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, General Dynamics Corporation came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Masco CorporationWhat are the scenarios for General Dynamics Corporation?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of General Dynamics Corporation?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Strong, long-term relationships with government clients
- Diverse business model spanning both defence and luxury aerospace
- Low volatility compared to the broader stock market
- Heavy reliance on government budgets and political decisions
- Complex, long-term projects are prone to cost overruns
- Aerospace division is sensitive to the health of the global economy
- Changes in international defence policy
- Supply chain disruptions for critical components
- Potential for project delays to hurt profit margins
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A major, permanent reduction in global defence spending
- A total collapse in the market for private business aviation
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-01 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.