General Dynamics

GD · NYSE · Industrials · Financials, fiscal 2016 to 2025

GD · Last close · October 26, 2026

$357.04

General Dynamics' revenue rose 10.1% to $52.5 billion in fiscal 2025. Its operating margin was 10.2%, up from 10.1% a year earlier. Free cash flow was $4.0 billion, up 23.9%. It paid out $2.2 billion in dividends and buybacks, 56% of free cash flow. The diluted share count fell 1.8%.

GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION Latest fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 10-K filed January 30, 2026 · 0000040533-26-000006 Updated October 9, 2026

Revenue

$52.5B

10.1%

Operating margin

10.2%

0.1 pts

Net income

$4.2B

11.3%

Free cash flow

$4.0B

23.9%

Return on capital

14.4%

0.8 pts

Market cap

$97.9B

Oct 26 close

P/E

23.1x

On $15.45 EPS, FY25

Operating margin is operating income as a share of revenue. Free cash flow is cash from operations minus capital spending. Return on capital is after-tax operating income as a share of the money invested in the business: debt plus equity, minus cash. Market cap is the last closing share price times the latest diluted share count, so it is approximate. P/E is the last close divided by diluted earnings per share over the last four quarters, or the latest fiscal year where the quarters aren't available; there is none when the company made a loss.

What General Dynamics does

General Dynamics is an aerospace and defense company. It builds Gulfstream business jets and services private aircraft through Jet Aviation; designs and builds nuclear submarines, destroyers and supply ships for the US Navy; makes wheeled and tracked combat vehicles, weapons and ammunition; and provides information technology services and communications and encryption equipment to the military, intelligence agencies and other government departments.

It reports four segments. In 2025 Marine Systems, the shipyards Electric Boat, Bath Iron Works and NASSCO, made up 32% of revenue; Technologies, the IT and defense electronics business, 26%; Aerospace 25%; and Combat Systems, the vehicles and munitions business, 17%. The US government accounted for 68% of revenue. It competes with other defense contractors in the US and abroad, and Gulfstream faces several rival jet makers. Its shipyards have one main competitor, which is also its partner on submarines.

Electric Boat leads the construction of the Navy's new Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines and builds Virginia-class attack submarines with a partner. The company has about 117,000 employees.

Its biggest risks, as it describes them

Its dependence on the US government, whose defense spending can change and whose funding can be delayed.
The government can end contracts at will, and it closely audits its contractors.
Cost overruns if its estimates for labor, materials and schedules on long contracts prove wrong.
Falling demand for business jets.
Its reliance on suppliers, sometimes only one or two, for key parts and materials.

From General Dynamics's annual report on Form 10-K, filed January 30, 2026, in our words; the 10-K has the full description and every risk factor. Updated with each new 10-K.

Charts show fiscal years, from the 10-K filings.

Revenue and margins

Revenue

US$ billions, fiscal years

Margins

Percent of revenue

GrossOperatingNetFree cash flow

Net income and earnings per share

From fiscal 2016 to 2025, earnings per share grew 7.2% a year and net income 5.6% a year, as buybacks cut the share count by 12%.

Net income

US$ billions, fiscal years; loss years in red.

Diluted earnings per share

US$ per share, fiscal years, restated for any stock splits; loss years in red.

Returns on capital

Return on capital and on equity

Percent. Return on capital is after-tax operating income over the money invested in the business (debt plus equity, minus cash); return on equity is net income over shareholders' equity. Both use the average of opening and closing balances.

Return on capitalReturn on equity

Cash flow

Free cash flow

US$ billions. Cash from operations minus capital expenditure; negative years in red.

Payouts and share count

Dividends and buybacks

US$ billions, cash paid in each fiscal year

DividendsShare buybacks

Diluted share count

Weighted-average diluted shares, millions

Valuation

Two ways to value General Dynamics yourself, both starting from its filings: a discounted cash flow model and the price-to-earnings method.

Discounted cash flow (DCF)

A discounted cash flow (DCF) model values a business as the cash it may generate in future, discounted back to today. The starting figures come from General Dynamics' 10-K (or, for net cash and shares, its latest 10-Q) and the assumptions are yours: start from one of three example scenarios, then change any figure to see what it implies for a share, and how that compares with the last share price.

Value per share on three example scenarios, from General Dynamics' fiscal 2025 free cash flow of $4.0B, net cash of −$6.1B at December 31, 2025 and 272 million diluted shares, from its filings. The scenarios are fitted to General Dynamics: the base scenario's growth in years 1 to 5 is its revenue growth over the last 3 years, 10.1% a year; the cautious and optimistic ones are lower and higher, and growth in years 6 to 10 is halfway to the long-run rate. The base scenario's discount rate is 9% for a business of moderate risk (Aerospace & Defense); the cautious and optimistic ones use a point more and a point less. Select one to load it into the calculator. These are the model's arithmetic on those assumptions, not a forecast or a price target.

From the filings

Starting free cash flow, US$ millions

Cash from operations minus capital spending in fiscal 2025.

Net cash, US$ millions

Cash and short-term investments minus debt and finance leases at December 31, 2025. Negative means net debt.

Diluted shares, millions

Weighted-average diluted shares in fiscal 2025.

Your assumptions

Start from

Fitted to General Dynamics's own revenue growth, as above. Cautious: growth of 5% then 3.5% a year, 2% after year 10, a 10% discount rate. Base: growth of 10% then 6% a year, 2.5% after year 10, a 9% discount rate. Optimistic: growth of 15% then 9% a year, 3% after year 10, a 8% discount rate.

Free cash flow growth, years 1 to 5 (% a year)

Free cash flow growth, years 6 to 10 (% a year)

Growth after year 10 (% a year)Long-run growth forever after year 10. Usually close to inflation, and always below the discount rate.

Discount rate (% a year)The yearly return an investor wants for the risk. A higher rate gives a lower value.

Value per share on these assumptions

—

Last close, October 26, 2026: $357.04
Value on these assumptions, against the last close: —

Cash flows in years 1 to 10, valued today: —
Everything after year 10, valued today: —
Plus net cash: —
Share of value from after year 10: —

Projected free cash flow

US$ billions. Each column is one year's projected free cash flow, split into what it is worth today and the part removed by discounting.

Value todayRemoved by discounting

How the value changes with two assumptions

Value per share in US$, with the growth rates above. The highlighted cell matches the current assumptions.

How the model works. Free cash flow grows at the first rate for five years and the second rate for five more, and each year is discounted at the discount rate. Everything after year 10 is valued as year-10 cash flow × (1 + growth after year 10) ÷ (discount rate − growth after year 10), discounted back ten years. Net cash is added and the total is divided by diluted shares. The result depends entirely on the assumptions. It is not a forecast, a price target or a recommendation. The last close is the consolidated US closing price, from Databento.

Price-to-earnings (P/E) method

Another common way to value a company is to multiply its earnings per share by a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple: the number of years of today's earnings an investor pays for a share. A higher multiple usually means investors expect earnings to grow. Choose a multiple, for example from similar companies, to see the value it gives.

Value per share on three example scenarios, from General Dynamics' earnings per share of $15.45 (in fiscal 2025). Each grows earnings for a year at the cash flow scenarios' rates and applies a multiple to next year's earnings: 26.7×, the middle of General Dynamics' own P/E today, its peers' median and its sector's median (the Industrials median) for the base scenario, 20% less and more for the cautious and optimistic ones. The price is brought back a year at 10%, 9% and 8%. Select one to load it into the calculator. These are the model's arithmetic on those assumptions, not a forecast or a price target.

Earnings per share, US$ Diluted earnings per share in fiscal 2025, from the 10-K.

P/E multiple

P/E today is the last close divided by the latest earnings per share, the four quarters' where available. Peers: GE Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, RTX.

Earnings growth in the years ahead (% a year) Starts at General Dynamics' revenue growth over the last 3 years, 10.1% a year, as the base scenario does.

Earnings per share in the years ahead, US$

Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5

Type your own estimate for any year; the years after it carry on at the growth rate.

Apply the multiple to earnings

A multiple on a future year's earnings gives the price then, brought back to today at the discount rate below.

Discount rate (% a year) The yearly return an investor wants for the risk, as in the cash flow model.

Value per share today at this multiple

—

Last close, October 26, 2026: $357.04
Value at this multiple, against the last close: —
General Dynamics' P/E at the last close: 23.1×

Company	Last close	Earnings per share	P/E today
GE AerospaceGE	$288.43	$8.66	33.3×
RTXRTX	$197.48	$6.16	32.1×
General DynamicsGD	$357.04	$15.45	23.1×
Lockheed MartinLMT	$635.20	$28.15	22.6×
Northrop GrummanNOC	$565.41	$31.67	17.9×

How the P/E method works. Value per share is earnings per share times the multiple. On a future year's earnings, that gives the price in that year, which is brought back to today at the discount rate: price ÷ (1 + discount rate) for each year ahead. It is quick and easy to compare across companies, but it ignores debt and cash, and earnings can swing with one-off gains and charges, so a multiple says most about steady, profitable businesses. Like the cash flow model, the result depends entirely on the assumptions you choose. It is not a forecast, a price target or a recommendation.

Balance sheet

Fiscal year end	FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Cash and short-term investments	1.6	1.2	1.9	1.7	2.3
Debt incl. finance leases	11.9	10.9	9.8	9.4	8.5
Net debt (negative means net cash)	10.3	9.6	7.9	7.7	6.1
Net debt to EBITDA	2.0x	1.9x	1.5x	1.4x	1.0x
Debt to equity	0.7x	0.6x	0.5x	0.4x	0.3x
Interest coverage	9.7x	10.8x	10.6x	12.5x	14.2x
Current ratio	1.4x	1.4x	1.4x	1.4x	1.4x
Quick ratio	1.1x	1.0x	0.9x	0.8x	0.9x

US$ billions unless stated, at each fiscal year end. Net debt to EBITDA is debt minus cash, divided by operating income before depreciation and amortization: roughly how many years of those earnings the net debt equals. Debt to equity is debt as a multiple of shareholders' equity. Interest coverage is operating income divided by interest expense. The current ratio is current assets over current liabilities; the quick ratio leaves out inventory.

Insider trades

Over the 12 months between October 27, 2025 and October 26, 2026, no insider bought General Dynamics shares on the open market, and 10 insiders sold $95.2 million.

Date	Insider	Trade	Shares	Price	Value	Filing
Sep 23, 2026	Robert K SteelDirector	Sold	7,440	$346.05	$2.6 million	Form 4
Aug 10, 2026	Peter A WallDirector	Sold	1,990	$396.43	$788,896	Form 4
Aug 5, 2026	Christopher J BradyVice President	Sold	6,320	$383.32	$2.4 million	Form 4
Aug 3, 2026	Phebe N NovakovicChairman and CEO, Director	Sold	51,568	$382.58	$19.7 million	Form 4
Jul 31, 2026	Marguerite Amy GillilandExecutive Vice President	Sold	43,180	$378.03	$16.3 million	Form 4
Jun 17, 2026	Mark MalcolmDirector	Sold	5,480	$365.00	$2.0 million	Form 4
May 12, 2026	Mark Lagrand BurnsExecutive Vice President	Sold	36,480	$345.29	$12.6 million	Form 4
May 11, 2026	Mark Lagrand BurnsExecutive Vice President	Sold	36,230	$343.49	$12.4 million	Form 4
Mar 11, 2026	Phebe N NovakovicChairman and CEO, Director	Sold	32,918	$354.09	$11.7 million	Form 4
Mar 11, 2026	Mark Lagrand BurnsExecutive Vice President	Sold	10,153	$354.95	$3.6 million	Form 4
Mar 11, 2026	Marguerite Amy GillilandExecutive Vice President	Sold	3,819	$353.50	$1.4 million	Form 4
Mar 11, 2026	Gregory S GallopoulosSenior VP, Gen. Counsel, Sec.	Sold	3,729	$354.35	$1.3 million	Form 4

The latest 12 of 15 trades. Open-market purchases and sales by officers, directors and 10% owners, from their Form 4 filings with the SEC: one row per person, day and filing, at the day's average price. Grants, option exercises and shares withheld for tax aren't counted. Insiders buy and sell for many reasons, such as taxes, spreading their savings or a plan set up months earlier, so a trade on its own says little about where a company is heading. For information only, not investment advice. Insider trades at all companies

Piotroski F-score

The F-score counts how many of nine simple tests of profitability, funding and efficiency a company passed in a year (Piotroski, 2000). The more tests passed, the stronger the year: 8 or 9 is strong, 0 to 2 weak. Companies that report no gross profit are scored on the other eight.

Test	FY23	FY24	FY25
Net income is positive	Pass	Pass	Pass
Cash from operations is positive	Pass	Pass	Pass
Return on assets rose	Fail	Pass	Pass
Cash from operations exceeds net income	Pass	Pass	Pass
Debt fell relative to assets	Pass	Pass	Pass
Current ratio rose	Pass	Fail	Pass
Share count didn't rise	Pass	Fail	Pass
Gross margin rose	—	—	—
Revenue rose relative to assets	Pass	Pass	Pass
F-score	7 of 8	6 of 8	8 of 8
Accruals ratio	−2.6%	−0.6%	−1.6%

The accruals ratio is net income minus cash from operations, over average total assets.

Compare

Put General Dynamics side by side with any other company we cover: revenue, growth, margins, cash flow and returns, with ten years of charts.

Similar companies

Company	Year	Revenue growth	Operating margin	Free cash flow margin	Return on capital	Net debt to EBITDA	F-score	Compare
General Dynamics	FY25	10.1%	10.2%	7.5%	14.4%	1.0x	8
GE Aerospace	FY25	18.5%	—	15.8%	35.8%	0.7x	5	Compare
Northrop Grumman	FY25	2.2%	10.8%	7.9%	13.5%	1.9x	6	Compare
Lockheed Martin	FY25	5.6%	10.3%	9.2%	27.1%	1.9x	5	Compare
RTX	FY25	9.7%	10.5%	9.0%	7.8%	2.2x	7	Compare

Each company's latest fiscal year. Fiscal years end in different months, so the periods don't line up exactly. Free cash flow margin is free cash flow as a share of revenue. Net debt to EBITDA is explained under the balance sheet, and the F-score above.

10 years of figures

Fiscal year	FY16	FY17	FY18	FY19	FY20	FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24	FY25
Income statement
Revenue	30.6	31.0	36.2	39.4	37.9	38.5	39.4	42.3	47.7	52.5
Revenue growth	−3.8%	1.4%	16.9%	8.7%	−3.6%	1.4%	2.4%	7.3%	12.9%	10.1%
Gross profit	5.7	6.2	6.7	7.1	—	—	—	—	—	—
Research and development	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Operating income	3.7	4.2	4.4	4.6	4.1	4.2	4.2	4.2	4.8	5.4
Net income	2.6	2.9	3.3	3.5	3.2	3.3	3.4	3.3	3.8	4.2
Diluted EPS (US$)	8.29	9.56	11.18	11.98	11.00	11.55	12.19	12.02	13.63	15.45
Diluted shares (millions)	310	305	299	291	288	282	278	276	278	272
Cash flow
Cash from operations	2.2	3.9	3.1	3.0	3.9	4.3	4.6	4.7	4.1	5.1
Capital expenditure	0.4	0.4	0.7	1.0	1.0	0.9	1.1	0.9	0.9	1.2
Free cash flow	1.8	3.4	2.5	2.0	2.9	3.4	3.5	3.8	3.2	4.0
Dividends paid	0.9	1.0	1.1	1.2	1.2	1.3	1.4	1.4	1.5	1.6
Share buybacks	2.0	1.6	1.8	0.2	0.6	1.8	1.2	0.4	1.5	0.6
Acquisitions	0.1	0.4	10.1	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Stock-based compensation	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
Balance sheet at fiscal year end
Cash and short-term investments	2.3	3.0	1.0	0.9	2.8	1.6	1.2	1.9	1.7	2.3
Debt incl. finance leases	3.9	4.0	12.5	12.4	13.4	11.9	10.9	9.8	9.4	8.5
Total assets	33.2	35.0	45.9	49.3	51.3	50.1	51.6	54.8	55.9	57.2
Total liabilities	22.9	23.2	33.3	35.4	35.6	32.4	33.0	33.5	33.8	31.6
Shareholders' equity	10.3	11.8	12.1	14.0	15.7	17.6	18.6	21.3	22.1	25.6
Margins and ratios
Gross margin	18.5%	20.1%	18.6%	17.9%	—	—	—	—	—	—
Operating margin	12.2%	13.7%	12.1%	11.6%	10.9%	10.8%	10.7%	10.0%	10.1%	10.2%
Net margin	8.4%	9.4%	9.2%	8.8%	8.3%	8.5%	8.6%	7.8%	7.9%	8.0%
Free cash flow margin	5.8%	11.1%	6.8%	5.1%	7.6%	8.8%	8.8%	9.0%	6.7%	7.5%
Return on capital	23.9%	24.4%	19.8%	15.4%	13.5%	12.9%	12.6%	12.3%	13.6%	14.4%
Return on equity	24.8%	26.4%	28.0%	26.7%	21.4%	19.6%	18.7%	16.6%	17.4%	17.7%
Return on assets	7.8%	8.5%	8.3%	7.3%	6.3%	6.4%	6.7%	6.2%	6.8%	7.4%
Net debt to EBITDA	0.4x	0.2x	2.2x	2.1x	2.1x	2.0x	1.9x	1.5x	1.4x	1.0x

US$ billions unless stated. Where a later 10-K restated a year, the latest filed figure is shown. Download all figures (CSV, US$ millions)

Source: General Dynamics' Form 10-K filings, from SEC EDGAR. For information only, not investment advice. The Filing Desk is not affiliated with General Dynamics.