Defense Contractors
Defense Contractors
Data as-of 2026-07-10 close. Numbers read directly from defense-contractors — no prose math. Prior scan: 2026-07-07-defense-contractors (2026-07-07).
The sector-wide reversal from the prior scan has already cooled off. Every name that was running hot at RSI 66-70 (RTX, GD, ITA, PPA, DFEN) has pulled back into the 50s this week — exactly the "wait for RSI 55-60" zone the prior scan flagged as the next legitimate entry, though several went further than that. NOC's capitulation-to-recovery story (RSI 30.9→55.3 last scan) has stalled out: 7D is now flat and 30D flipped negative. LMT and LHX, the two laggards last scan, are weakening further, both still in death-cross. DFEN (leveraged) had the sharpest single move in the complex, down -12.6% on the week after its +31.4% 30-day run. TTMI's momentum-break from last scan is continuing, not stabilizing.
Quick Snapshot
| Signal | Reading |
|---|---|
| Overall | 🟡 Broad cooldown — the near-overbought names from the prior scan all pulled back into neutral; nothing left in overbought territory |
| Biggest mover | DFEN — RSI 69.5→50.1 on a -12.6% weekly pullback; the leveraged bid is unwinding fastest |
| Stalled reversal | NOC — last scan's capitulation-recovery story flattened out (7D +0.1% vs +9.9% prior, 30D flipped negative) |
| Still weakening | LMT, LHX, BWXT — all lost RSI and none has found a floor |
| Ongoing breakdown | TTMI — 30D drawdown deepened to -21.8%, 3M gain cut roughly in half since last scan |
Price Table
| Stock | Price | RSI | 7D | 30D | vs SMA20 | Trend | 52wkHi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LMT | $523.22 | 49.7 | -2.6% | -4.6% | +0.4% | weak-up | -24.4% |
| RTX | $195.93 | 59.6 | -1.7% | +6.4% | +3.1% | up | -8.7% |
| NOC | $539.63 | 51.1 | 0.0% | -2.3% | +2.0% | strong-down | -30.3% |
| GD | $375.06 | 67.0 | 0.0% | +5.0% | +4.5% | strong-up | -1.5% |
| LHX | $290.77 | 42.4 | -2.8% | -6.9% | -2.0% | strong-down | -23.3% |
| BA | $222.28 | 49.8 | -3.9% | +0.3% | -0.1% | weak-down | -12.6% |
| ITA | $239.06 | 51.8 | -4.2% | +1.4% | -0.3% | strong-up | -4.9% |
| PPA | $174.30 | 49.1 | -4.5% | -1.1% | -0.6% | strong-up | -6.4% |
| DFEN | $76.07 | 50.1 | -12.6% | +2.5% | -1.9% | strong-up | -22.2% |
| LEU | $171.05 | 49.4 | -2.7% | +7.8% | +0.6% | strong-down | -63.2% |
| BWXT | $186.00 | 41.0 | -5.8% | -4.5% | -5.1% | down | -23.1% |
| TTMI | $146.44 | 34.8 | -8.2% | -21.8% | -20.8% | weak-down | -34.6% |
Who Benefits From the Current Geopolitical Situation
Every large-cap prime and both defense ETFs were up double digits on 30-day looks the prior scan — the initial reaction to the geopolitical backdrop has already priced through the tape. This week's data shows that bid cooling across the board, not extending: GD is the only name still holding both a breakout regime and a 52-week high within 1.5%. RTX is the next-cleanest expression, still up +6.4% on 30 days with RSI back to a reasonable 59.6. LMT and LHX — the two names that never fully participated in the prior scan's reversal — are the ones still not benefiting; both remain in death-cross with deepening 30-day drawdowns.
RSI / Momentum Assessment
Nothing in the complex is overbought this week — the whole book cooled from RSI 66-70 into a 41-67 band. GD (67.0) is the only name still elevated; everything else sits in a neutral 40s-50s zone that reads as "digesting a prior move," not stretched and not oversold. LHX (42.4), BWXT (41.0), and TTMI (34.8) are the three names drifting toward the low end, none with a confirmed floor yet.
War-Premium Analysis
If this week's fresh Iran/Hormuz-strait escalation was going to show up as a fresh defense bid, the tape doesn't confirm it yet — nearly every name in the complex cooled rather than accelerated this week. That's most simply read as the market having already priced a chunk of the broader defense thesis into the prior scan's rally, leaving this week look like digestion of that move rather than a fresh reaction to the latest headline. The one exception worth flagging: NOC's 7D print is flat (not negative) even as most peers pulled back, which at minimum means it isn't giving back its recovery the way LMT/LHX/BWXT are.
Entry Zones
- RTX / GD — the cleanest names in the complex; both cooled into a reasonable RSI band (59.6 / 67.0) without breaking trend. Not a screaming discount, but no longer chase-only.
- ITA / PPA / DFEN — all now RSI 49-52 after cooling hard from near-overbought; this is close to the pullback zone the prior scan flagged as the next legitimate look, though confirm a floor before treating as an entry given the sharp weekly moves (DFEN -12.6%).
- LMT / LHX / BWXT — still weakening with no floor signal; not entries yet.
- TTMI — momentum-break continuing (30D now -21.8%); treat as a watch item, not a dip-buy, until RSI stabilizes above the low 30s.
What Changed Since Prior Scan (2026-07-07)
| Ticker | Then | Now | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTX | RSI 69.7, +12.7% 30D | RSI 59.6, +6.4% 30D | Cooled from near-overbought into the entry band the prior scan called for |
| GD | RSI 69.0, breakout | RSI 67.0, breakout | Holding up best; still near 52wk high |
| ITA | RSI 69.9, near 52wk high | RSI 51.8 | Sharp cooldown, no longer stretched |
| DFEN | RSI 69.5, +31.4% 30D | RSI 50.1, -12.6% 7D | Sharpest single reversal in the sector — leveraged unwind |
| NOC | RSI 55.3, +9.9% 7D | RSI 51.1, +0.1% 7D | The capitulation-recovery story stalled out |
| LMT | RSI 55.9, +7.8% 7D | RSI 49.7, -2.6% 7D | Bounce faded, back to weakening |
| LHX | RSI 50.2, -0.3% 30D | RSI 42.4, -6.9% 30D | Weakest name in the complex, still no floor |
| TTMI | RSI 34.1, -16.3% 30D | RSI 34.8, -21.8% 30D | Momentum-break continuing, not stabilizing |
Related
10 eventsNo direct external sources are attached to this read.