General Dynamics 10-Q 2026-04-05
Filed 2026-04-29. 8 sections, 140K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON
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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
(Mark One)
[☑] QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended April 5, 2026
OR
[☐] TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from _______ to _______
Commission File Number 1-3671
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 13-1673581 | ||||||||||||||||
| State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization | I.R.S. Employer Identification No. | ||||||||||||||||
| 11011 Sunset Hills Road | Reston, | Virginia | 20190 | ||||||||||||||
| Address of principal executive offices | Zip code |
(703) 876-3000
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
| Common Stock | GD | New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ü No ___
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ü No ___
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ü Accelerated filer ___ Non-accelerated filer ___
Smaller reporting company___☐ Emerging growth company___****☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ___
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes___****☐ No ü
270,430,187 shares of the registrant’s common stock, $1 par value per share, were outstanding on April 5, 2026.
INDEX
PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EARNINGS (UNAUDITED)
| Three Months Ended | |||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions, except per-share amounts) | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | |||||||||
| Revenue: | |||||||||||
| Products | $ | 8,285 | $ | 7,334 | |||||||
| Services | 5,196 | 4,889 | |||||||||
| 13,481 | 12,223 | ||||||||||
| Operating costs and expenses: | |||||||||||
| Products | (6,943) | (6,141) | |||||||||
| Services | (4,395) | (4,189) | |||||||||
| General and administrative (G&A) | (723) | (625) | |||||||||
| (12,061) | (10,955) | ||||||||||
| Operating earnings | 1,420 | 1,268 | |||||||||
| Other, net | 18 | 21 | |||||||||
| Interest, net | (69) | (89) | |||||||||
| Earnings before income tax | 1,369 | 1,200 | |||||||||
| Provision for income tax, net | (244) | (206) | |||||||||
| Net earnings | $ | 1,125 | $ | 994 | |||||||
| Earnings per share | |||||||||||
| Basic | $ | 4.16 | $ | 3.69 | |||||||
| Diluted | $ | 4.10 | $ | 3.66 |
The accompanying Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (UNAUDITED)
| Three Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Net earnings | $ | 1,125 | $ | 994 | ||||||||||||||||
| Changes in unrealized cash flow hedges | (2) | 46 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign currency translation adjustments | (109) | 102 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Changes in retirement plans’ funded status | 44 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive (loss) income, pretax | (67) | 166 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Provision for income tax, net | (7) | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax | (74) | 149 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Comprehensive income | $ | 1,051 | $ | 1,143 |
The accompanying Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
| (Unaudited) | |||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | April 5, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | |||||||||
| ASSETS | |||||||||||
| Current assets: | |||||||||||
| Cash and equivalents | $ | 3,654 | $ | 2,333 | |||||||
| Accounts receivable | 2,254 | 2,406 | |||||||||
| Unbilled receivables | 9,051 | 8,380 | |||||||||
| Inventories | 9,177 | 9,232 | |||||||||
| Other current assets | 1,919 | 1,897 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 26,055 | 24,248 | |||||||||
| Noncurrent assets: | |||||||||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | 7,503 | 7,525 | |||||||||
| Intangible assets, net | 1,328 | 1,375 | |||||||||
| Goodwill | 20,956 | 21,009 | |||||||||
| Other assets | 3,187 | 3,092 | |||||||||
| Total noncurrent assets | 32,974 | 33,001 | |||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 59,029 | $ | 57,249 | |||||||
| LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities: | |||||||||||
| Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt | $ | 1,755 | $ | 1,006 | |||||||
| Accounts payable | 2,843 | 2,678 | |||||||||
| Customer advances and deposits | 10,847 | 9,824 | |||||||||
| Other current liabilities | 3,380 | 3,288 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 18,825 | 16,796 | |||||||||
| Noncurrent liabilities: | |||||||||||
| Long-term debt | 6,259 | 7,007 | |||||||||
| Other liabilities | 7,866 | 7,824 | |||||||||
| Commitments and contingencies (see Note J) | |||||||||||
| Total noncurrent liabilities | 14,125 | 14,831 | |||||||||
| Shareholders’ equity: | |||||||||||
| Common stock | 482 | 482 | |||||||||
| Surplus | 4,433 | 4,403 | |||||||||
| Retained earnings | 44,774 | 44,080 | |||||||||
| Treasury stock | (23,053) | (22,860) | |||||||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive loss | (557) | (483) | |||||||||
| Total shareholders’ equity | 26,079 | 25,622 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ | 59,029 | $ | 57,249 |
The accompanying Notes to Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements are an integral part of these financial statements.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)
| Three Months Ended | |||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | |||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities – continuing operations: | |||||||||||
| Net earnings | $ | 1,125 | $ | 994 | |||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash from operating activities: | |||||||||||
| Depreciation of property, plant and equipment | 173 | 162 | |||||||||
| Amortization of intangible and finance lease right-of-use assets | 59 | 61 | |||||||||
| Equity-based compensation expense | 40 | 34 | |||||||||
| Deferred income tax provision (benefit) | 286 | (59) | |||||||||
| (Increase) decrease in assets, net of effects of business acquisitions: | |||||||||||
| Accounts receivable | 152 | (317) | |||||||||
| Unbilled receivables | (656) | (879) | |||||||||
| Inventories | 55 | (92) | |||||||||
| Increase (decrease) in liabilities, net of effects of business acquisitions: | |||||||||||
| Accounts payable | 165 | 13 | |||||||||
| Customer advances and deposits | 764 | 13 | |||||||||
| Other, net | (8) | (78) | |||||||||
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities | 2,155 | (148) | |||||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities: | |||||||||||
| Capital expenditures | (203) | (142) | |||||||||
| Other, net | 1 |
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Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
(Dollars in millions, except per-share amounts or unless otherwise noted)
BUSINESS OVERVIEW
General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapon systems and munitions; and technology products and services.
Our company is organized into four operating segments: Aerospace, Marine Systems, Combat Systems and Technologies. We refer to the latter three collectively as our defense segments. Our primary customer is the U.S. government, including the Department of War (DoW), the intelligence community and other U.S. government agencies. We also have significant business with non-U.S. governments and a diverse base of corporate and individual buyers of business jet aircraft and related services. The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, and with the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Form 10-Q.
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
As a global aerospace and defense company, we compete in domestic and international markets, serving both government and commercial customers. Our financial performance is significantly influenced by U.S. government spending levels, administration priorities and the overall economy.
We entered 2026 with the government operating under a continuing resolution (CR). Full-year appropriations were enacted in early February for all federal departments except for the Department of Homeland Security, which remains partially shutdown. This shutdown has not had a material impact on our business.
In the federal market, defense spending has been at increased levels, and the administration has publicly stated support for further increases. This is reflected in the significant demand in U.S. Navy shipbuilding, particularly submarines. We have invested significantly in our facilities and workforce to increase production capacity to meet this demand, and expect to continue to do so. The increased demand has placed great pressure on the shipbuilding industrial base, which was already impacted by significant demographic issues coming out of the global pandemic. Together with the Navy customer, we have been working to stabilize and grow the supply chain to meet this heightened demand.
We have also been investing in the development of the next generation of combat vehicles and artillery. While the U.S. Army is reviewing its funding priorities and begins transitioning to next-generation combat vehicles, we expect short-term combat vehicle production volumes to be down slightly. Demand for our munitions products has been high and is expected to remain at an elevated level given ongoing conflicts and regional threats.
Internationally, as a result of ongoing regional conflicts and the overall threat environment, we have seen increased demand, particularly in Europe, for our Combat Systems military products and services. This provides opportunities for our European businesses established in local markets as well as exports from our North American businesses. To meet this expected demand, there will be increased pressure on the supply chain and our hiring of skilled workers.
In our principal commercial market, Aerospace is experiencing strong demand for business jets. We believe our investments in a new family of Gulfstream aircraft will continue to fuel demand. The most recent addition is the G800, which entered into service last year. In addition, we expect the growing installed base of aircraft will continue to lead to increased demand for global aircraft services. The ongoing sanctions on Russia have restricted access to a segment of the market.
Our ability to produce new aircraft is dependent on our supply chain, and while performance has improved and the overall supply chain has stabilized, we have experienced some delays including at our Israel-based supplier of mid-cabin airframes caused by conflicts in the Middle East.
Our Aerospace business has been impacted by inflationary pressures and tariffs. On February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court held that tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were not authorized. Following the ruling, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has established a process to refund previously-paid IEEPA tariffs. However, the timing of the collection of previously paid IEEPA tariffs is uncertain. These developments were not material to our results of operations. Non-IEEPA tariffs continue to impact the business, but do not present a significant burden in their current form.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
INTRODUCTION
The following paragraphs explain how we recognize revenue and operating costs in our operating segments and the terminology we use to describe our operating results.
In the Aerospace segment, we record revenue on contracts for new aircraft when the customer obtains control of the asset, which is generally upon delivery and acceptance by the customer of the fully outfitted aircraft. Revenue associated with the segment’s services businesses is recognized as work progresses or upon delivery of services. Fluctuations in revenue from period to period result from the number and mix of new aircraft deliveries, and the level and type of aircraft services performed during the period.
The majority of the Aerospace segment’s operating costs relates to new aircraft production on firm orders and consists of labor, material, subcontractor and overhead costs. The costs are accumulated in production lots, recorded in inventory and recognized as operating costs at aircraft delivery based on the estimated average unit cost in a production lot. While changes in the estimated average unit cost for a production lot impact the level of operating costs, the amount of operating costs reported in a given period is based largely on the number and type of aircraft delivered. Operating costs in the Aerospace segment’s services businesses are recognized generally as incurred.
For new aircraft, operating earnings and margin are a function of the prices of our aircraft, our operational efficiency in manufacturing and outfitting the aircraft, and the mix of ultra-large-cabin, large-cabin and mid-cabin aircraft deliveries. Aircraft mix can also refer to the stage of program maturity for our aircraft models. A new aircraft model typically has lower margins in its initial production lots, and then margins generally increase as we realize efficiencies in the production process. Additional factors affecting the segment’s earnings and margin include the volume, mix and profitability of services work performed, the market for pre-owned aircraft, and the level of general and administrative (G&A) and net research and development (R&D) costs incurred by the segment.
In the defense segments, revenue on long-term government contracts is recognized generally over time as the work progresses, either as products are produced or as services are rendered. Typically, revenue is recognized over time using costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion to measure progress toward satisfying our performance obligations. Incurred costs represent work performed, which corresponds with, and thereby best depicts, the transfer of control to the customer. Contract costs include labor, material, overhead and, when appropriate, G&A expenses. Variances in costs recognized from period to period reflect primarily increases and decreases in production or activity levels on individual contracts. Because costs are used as a measure of progress, year-over-year variances in costs result in corresponding variances in revenue, which we generally refer to as volume.
Operating earnings and margin in the defense segments are driven by changes in volume, performance or contract mix. Performance refers to changes in profitability based on adjustments to estimates at completion on individual contracts. These adjustments result from increases or decreases to the estimated value of the contract, the estimated costs to complete the contract or both. Therefore, changes in costs incurred in the period compared with prior periods do not necessarily impact profitability. It is only when total estimated costs at completion on a given contract change without a corresponding change in the contract value (or vice versa) that the profitability of that contract may be impacted. Contract mix refers to changes in the volume of higher- versus lower-margin work. Higher or lower margins can result from a number of factors, including contract type (e.g., fixed-price/cost-reimbursable) and type of work (e.g., development/production). Contract mix can also refer to the stage of program maturity for our long-term production contracts. New long-term production contracts typically have lower margins initially, and then margins generally increase as we achieve learning curve improvements or realize other cost reductions.
CONSOLIDATED OVERVIEW
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | Variance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 13,481 | $ | 12,223 | $ | 1,258 | 10.3 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating costs and expenses | (12,061) | (10,955) | (1,106) | 10.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating earnings | 1,420 | 1,268 | 152 | 12.0 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating margin | 10.5 | % | 10.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
Our consolidated revenue increased in the first quarter of 2026 across all four operating segments, including over 20% growth in our Marine Systems segment driven by increased material volume. Operating margin increased 10 basis points in the first quarter of 2026.
2026 Outlook
We expect our full-year diluted earnings per share (EPS) to be between $16.45 and $16.55.
REVIEW OF OPERATING SEGMENTS
Following is a discussion of operating results for each of our operating segments. For the Aerospace segment, results are analyzed by specific types of products and services, consistent with how the segment is managed. For the defense segments, the discussion is based on markets and the lines of products and services offered with a supplemental discussion of specific contracts and programs when significant to the results. Additional information regarding our segments can be found in Note L to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1.
AEROSPACE
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | Variance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 3,279 | $ | 3,026 | $ | 253 | 8.4 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating earnings | 493 | 432 | 61 | 14.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating margin | 15.0 | % | 14.3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Gulfstream aircraft deliveries (in units) | 38 | 36 | 2 | 5.6 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
Operating Results
The increase in the Aerospace segment’s revenue in the first quarter of 2026 consisted of the following:
| Aircraft manufacturing | $ | 143 | |||||||||
| Aircraft services | 110 | ||||||||||
| Total increase | $ | 253 |
Aircraft manufacturing revenue increased in the first quarter of 2026 due primarily to additional aircraft deliveries. Aircraft services revenue was up in the first quarter of 2026 due primarily to increased customer demand for aircraft maintenance, a larger installed base and customer flight activity.
The increase in the segment’s operating earnings in the first quarter of 2026 consisted of the following:
| Aircraft manufacturing | $ | 49 | |||||||||
| Aircraft services | 28 | ||||||||||
| G&A/other expenses | (16) | ||||||||||
| Total increase | $ | 61 |
Aircraft manufacturing operating earnings increased in the first quarter of 2026 due primarily to increased deliveries and improved performance. Aircraft services operating earnings increased in the first quarter of 2026 due to higher volume and a favorable service mix. In total, the Aerospace segment’s operating margin increased 70 basis points in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the prior-year period resulting from the same factors.
MARINE SYSTEMS
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | Variance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 4,343 | $ | 3,589 | $ | 754 | 21.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating earnings | 316 | 250 | 66 | 26.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating margin | 7.3 | % | 7.0 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
Operating Results
The increase in the Marine Systems segment’s revenue in the first quarter of 2026 consisted of the following:
| U.S. Navy ship construction | $ | 631 | |||||||||
| U.S. Navy ship engineering, repair and other services | 123 | ||||||||||
| Total increase | $ | 754 |
Revenue from U.S. Navy ship construction was up in the first quarter of 2026 due primarily to increased material and labor volume on Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarine construction and higher throughput on the John Lewis-class (T-AO-205) fleet replenishment oiler at our NASSCO shipyard. The Marine Systems segment’s operating margin increased 30 basis points in the first quarter of 2026 on improved performance.
COMBAT SYSTEMS
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | Variance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 2,283 | $ | 2,176 | $ | 107 | 4.9 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating earnings | 310 | 291 | 19 | 6.5 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating margin | 13.6 | % | 13.4 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
Operating Results
The increase in the Combat Systems segment’s revenue in the first quarter of 2026 consisted of the following:
| Weapon systems and munitions | $ | 114 | |||||||||
| International military vehicles | 84 | ||||||||||
| U.S. military vehicles | (91) | ||||||||||
| Total increase | $ | 107 |
Weapon systems and munitions revenue increased in the first quarter of 2026 due primarily to increased artillery production. International military vehicles increased due to higher volume on several wheeled and tracked vehicle programs in Europe. Revenue from U.S. military vehicles decreased in the first quarter of 2026 due to lower U.S. Army demand as part of their recapitalization efforts and the termination of the M10 Booker program. Overall, the Combat Systems segment’s operating margin increased 20 basis points in the first quarter of 2026 driven by favorable program mix.
TECHNOLOGIES
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | Variance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 3,576 | $ | 3,432 | $ | 144 | 4.2 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating earnings | 339 | 328 | 11 | 3.4 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operating margin | 9.5 | % | 9.6 | % | |||||||||||||||||||
Operating Results
The increase in the Technologies segment’s revenue in the first quarter of 2026 consisted of the following:
| C5ISR* solutions | $ | 125 | |||||||||
| Information technology (IT) services | 19 | ||||||||||
| Total increase | $ | 144 |
*Command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
The Technologies segment’s revenue increased in the first quarter of 2026 due primarily to higher volume across several C5ISR programs, most notably in the group's space portfolio and international markets. Overall, the Technologies segment’s operating margin decreased 10 basis points in the first quarter of 2026.
CORPORATE
Corporate operating costs totaled $38 in the first quarter of 2026 compared with $33 in the first quarter of 2025 and consisted of equity-based compensation expense and other miscellaneous expenses.
OTHER INFORMATION
PRODUCT REVENUE AND OPERATING COSTS
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | Variance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 8,285 | $ | 7,334 | $ | 951 | 13.0 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating costs | (6,943) | (6,141) | (802) | 13.1 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
The increase in product revenue in the first quarter of 2026 consisted of the following:
| Ship construction | $ | 631 | |||||||||
| Aircraft manufacturing | 143 | ||||||||||
| Weapon systems and munitions | 114 | ||||||||||
| Other, net | 63 | ||||||||||
| Total increase | $ | 951 |
Ship construction revenue increased due primarily to higher volume on the Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarine programs. Aircraft manufacturing revenue increased in the first quarter of 2026 due to additional aircraft deliveries. Weapon systems and munitions revenue increased in the first quarter of 2026 due primarily to increased artillery production. The primary drivers of the increase in product operating costs were the changes in volume on the programs described above.
SERVICE REVENUE AND OPERATING COSTS
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | Variance | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 5,196 | $ | 4,889 | $ | 307 | 6.3 | % | |||||||||||||||
| Operating costs | (4,395) | (4,189) | (206) | 4.9 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
The increase in service revenue in the first quarter of 2026 consisted of the following:
| First Quarter | |||||||||||
| C5ISR solutions/IT services | $ | 138 | |||||||||
| Ship services | 123 | ||||||||||
| Other, net | 46 | ||||||||||
| Total change | $ | 307 |
Increased C5ISR solutions and IT services volume drove the higher service revenue in the first quarter of 2026. Ship services revenue was up in the first quarter of 2026 due to higher volume of engineering and repair work. The primary drivers of the increase in service operating costs were the changes in volume on the programs described above.
G&A EXPENSES
As a percentage of revenue, G&A expenses increased to 5.4% in the first three months of 2026 compared with 5.1% in the first three months of 2025.
OTHER, NET
Net other income was $18 in the first three months of 2026 compared with $21 in the first three months of 2025, and represents primarily the non-service components of pension and other post-retirement benefits.
INTEREST, NET
Net interest expense decreased to $69 in the first three months of 2026 from $89 in the prior-year period, reflecting lower interest expense associated with commercial paper issuances. See Note H to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1, for additional information regarding our debt obligations, including interest rates.
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAX, NET
Our effective tax rate was 17.8% in the first three months of 2026 compared with 17.2% in the prior-year period.
BACKLOG AND ESTIMATED POTENTIAL CONTRACT VALUE
Our total backlog, including funded and unfunded portions, was $130.8 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2026 compared with $118 billion on December 31, 2025. Our total backlog is equal to our remaining performance obligations under contracts with customers as discussed in Note B to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1. Our total estimated contract value, which combines total backlog with estimated potential contract value, was $188.4 billion on April 5, 2026.
The following table details the backlog and estimated potential contract value of each segment at the end of the first quarter of 2026 and fourth quarter of 2025:
| Funded | Unfunded | Total Backlog | Estimated Potential Contract Value | Total Estimated Contract Value | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| April 5, 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aerospace | $ | 21,172 | $ | 1,095 | $ | 22,267 | $ | 1,040 | $ | 23,307 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Marine Systems | 40,598 | 23,373 | 63,971 | 12,519 | 76,490 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Combat Systems | 25,532 | 1,383 | 26,915 | 11,770 | 38,685 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technologies | 10,818 | 6,869 | 17,687 | 32,272 | 49,959 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 98,120 | $ | 32,720 | $ | 130,840 | $ | 57,601 | $ | 188,441 | |||||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aerospace | $ | 20,804 | $ | 1,024 | $ | 21,828 | $ | 1,120 | $ | 22,948 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Marine Systems | 36,808 | 15,532 | 52,340 | 11,823 | 64,163 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Combat Systems | 26,064 | 1,154 | 27,218 | 14,670 | 41,888 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technologies | 9,865 | 6,795 | 16,660 | 33,280 | 49,940 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 93,541 | $ | 24,505 | $ | 118,046 | $ | 60,893 | $ | 178,939 |
AEROSPACE
Aerospace funded backlog represents primarily new aircraft orders for which we have definitive purchase contracts and deposits from customers. Unfunded backlog consists of agreements to provide future aircraft maintenance and support services. The Aerospace segment ended the first quarter of 2026 with backlog of $22.3 billion.
Orders for new Gulfstream aircraft reflected strong demand across our portfolio of products and services. The segment achieved a book-to-bill ratio (orders divided by revenue) of 1.2-to-1 in the first quarter of 2026.
Beyond total backlog, estimated potential contract value represents primarily options and other agreements with existing customers to purchase new aircraft and long-term aircraft services agreements. On April 5, 2026, estimated potential contract value in the Aerospace segment was $1 billion.
DEFENSE SEGMENTS
The total backlog in our defense segments represents the estimated remaining sales value of work to be performed under firm contracts. The funded portion of total backlog includes items that have been authorized and appropriated by the U.S. Congress and funded by customers, as well as commitments by international customers that are approved and funded similarly by their governments. The unfunded portion of total backlog includes the amounts we believe are likely to be funded, but there is no guarantee that future budgets and appropriations will provide the same funding level currently anticipated for a given program.
Estimated potential contract value in our defense segments includes unexercised options associated with existing firm contracts and unfunded work on indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts. Contract options represent agreements to perform additional work under existing contracts at the election of the customer. We recognize options in backlog when the customer exercises the option and establishes a firm order. For IDIQ contracts, we evaluate the amount of funding we expect to receive and include this amount in our estimated potential contract value. This amount is often less than the total IDIQ contract value, particularly when the contract has multiple awardees. The actual amount of funding received in the future may be higher or lower than our estimate of potential contract value.
Total backlog in our defense segments was $108.6 billion on April 5, 2026. The increase was driven by a $15.4 billion award within the Marine Systems segment for continued design and support work on the Columbia-class submarines program. In the first quarter of 2026, the defense segments achieved a book-to-bill ratio of 2.2-to-1. Estimated potential contract value in our defense segments was $56.6 billion on April 5, 2026.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
We place a strong emphasis on cash flow generation, which is underpinned by an operating discipline focused on cost control and working capital management. This emphasis gives us the flexibility for prudent capital deployment, while allowing us to maintain an appropriate debt level, and preserves a strong balance sheet for future opportunities.
We evaluate a variety of capital deployment options based on current market conditions and our long-term outlook, and we believe agility is a key component of our capital deployment strategy as market conditions change over time. Our capital deployment priorities include investments in our business infrastructure, products and services to drive long-term growth, a predictable dividend, strategic acquisitions and opportunistic share repurchases primarily to address dilution.
We believe cash generated by operating activities, supplemented by commercial paper issuances, is sufficient to satisfy our short- and long-term liquidity needs. An additional potential source of capital is the issuance of long-term debt in capital market transactions.
We ended the first quarter of 2026 with a cash and equivalents balance of $3.7 billion compared with $2.3 billion at the end of 2025. Following is a discussion of our major operating, investing and financing activities in the first three months of 2026 and 2025, as classified on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows in Part I, Item 1:
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | |||||||||
| Net cash provided/(used) by operating activities | $ | 2,155 | $ | (148) | |||||||
| Net cash used by investing activities | (202) | (130) | |||||||||
| Net cash used by financing activities | (629) | (175) | |||||||||
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Cash provided by operating activities was $2.2 billion in the first three months of 2026 compared with cash used by operating activities of $148 in the same period in 2025. The primary driver of cash flows in both periods was net earnings. Cash flows in the first quarter of 2026 were affected positively by reductions in operating working capital led by the Combat Systems segment. Cash flows in the first quarter of 2025 were affected negatively by growth in operating working capital, particularly driven by timing in our Aerospace and Combat Systems segments.
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Cash used by investing activities was $202 in the first three months of 2026 compared with $130 in the same period in 2025. Our investing activities include cash paid for capital expenditures; business acquisitions; purchases, sales and maturities of marketable securities; and proceeds from asset sales. The primary use of cash for investing activities in both periods was capital expenditures. Capital expenditures were $203 in the first three months of 2026, up 43% compared with $142 in the same period of 2025, and are expected to remain elevated for the remaining quarters of 2026.
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Cash used by financing activities was $629 in the first three months of 2026 compared with $175 in the same period in 2025. Financing activities include the use of cash for repurchases of common stock to cover dilution, payment of dividends, and debt and commercial paper repayments. Our financing activities also include proceeds received from debt and commercial paper issuances and employee stock option exercises.
On March 9, 2026, our board of directors (Board) declared a quarterly dividend of $1.59 per share, the 29th consecutive annual increase. Previously, the Board had increased the quarterly dividend to $1.50 per share in March 2025. Cash dividends paid were $405 in the first three months of 2026 compared with $383 in the same period in 2025.
We paid $217 and $600 in the first three months of 2026 and 2025, respectively, to repurchase our outstanding shares to cover dilution. On April 5, 2026, 6.1 million shares remained authorized by our Board for repurchase, representing 2.3% of our total shares outstanding.
Fixed-rate notes of $500 mature in both June and August 2026. We are evaluating the refinancing of these notes and will continue to monitor market conditions as maturities draw near. For additional information regarding our debt obligations, including scheduled debt maturities and interest rates, see Note H to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1.
On April 5, 2026, we had no commercial paper outstanding, but we maintain the ability to access the commercial paper market in the future. Separately, we have $4 billion in a committed bank credit facility for general corporate purposes and working capital needs and to support our commercial paper
issuances. We also have an effective shelf registration on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that allows us to access the debt markets.
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURE - FREE CASH FLOW
We emphasize the efficient conversion of net earnings into cash and the deployment of that cash to maximize shareholder returns. As described below, we use free cash flow to measure our performance in these areas. While we believe this metric provides useful information, it is not a defined operating measure under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and there are limitations associated with its use. Our calculation of this metric may not be completely comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies due to potential differences in the method of calculation. As a result, the use of this metric should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, GAAP measures.
We define free cash flow as net cash from operating activities less capital expenditures. We believe free cash flow is a useful measure for investors because it portrays our ability to generate cash from our businesses for purposes such as repaying debt, funding business acquisitions, paying dividends and repurchasing our common stock to cover dilution. We use free cash flow to assess the quality of our earnings and as a key performance measure in evaluating management. The following table reconciles free cash flow with net cash from operating activities, as classified on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows in Part I, Item 1:
| Three Months Ended | April 5, 2026 | March 30, 2025 | |||||||||
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities | $ | 2,155 | $ | (148) | |||||||
| Capital expenditures | (203) | (142) | |||||||||
| Free cash flow | $ | 1,952 | $ | (290) | |||||||
| Cash flows as a percentage of net earnings: | |||||||||||
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities | 192 | % | (15 | %) | |||||||
| Free cash flow | 174 | % | (29 | %) |
ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS AND OTHER CONTINGENCIES
For a discussion of environmental matters and other contingencies, see Note J to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1. Except as otherwise noted in Note J, we do not expect our aggregate liability with respect to these matters to have a material impact on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
APPLICATION OF CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations is based on the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires that we make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. We employ judgment in making our estimates, but they are
based on historical experience, currently available information and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from these estimates. We believe our judgment is applied consistently and produces financial information that fairly depicts our results of operations for all periods presented.
Accounting for long-term contracts and programs involves the use of various techniques to estimate total contract revenue and costs. Contract estimates are based on various assumptions to project the outcome of future events that often span several years. We review and update our contract-related estimates regularly. We recognize adjustments in estimated profit on contracts under the cumulative catch-up method. Under this method, the impact of the adjustment on profit recorded to date on a contract is recognized in the period the adjustment is identified. The aggregate impact of adjustments in contract estimates changed our operating earnings (and diluted earnings per share) by $54 ($0.16) and $31 ($0.09) for the three-month periods ended April 5, 2026, and March 30, 2025, respectively. No adjustment on any one contract was material to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements for the three-month periods ended April 5, 2026, or March 30, 2025.
Other critical accounting policies and estimates include long-lived assets and goodwill, commitments and contingencies, and retirement plans. For a full discussion of our critical accounting policies and estimates, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
GUARANTOR FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The outstanding notes described in Note H to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1, issued by General Dynamics Corporation (the parent), are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on an unsecured, joint and several basis by several of the parent’s 100%-owned subsidiaries (the guarantors). The guarantee of each guarantor ranks equally in right of payment with all other existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness of such guarantor. A listing of the guarantors is included in an exhibit to this Form 10-Q.
Because the parent is a holding company, its cash flow and ability to service its debt, including the outstanding notes, depends on the performance of its subsidiaries and the ability of those subsidiaries to distribute cash to the parent, whether by dividends, loans or otherwise. Holders of the outstanding notes have a direct claim only against the parent and the guarantors.
Under the relevant indenture, the guarantee of each guarantor is limited to the maximum amount that can be guaranteed without rendering the guarantee voidable under applicable laws relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally. Each indenture also provides that, in the event (1) of a merger, consolidation or sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of a guarantor (other than a transaction with the parent or any of its subsidiaries) or (2) there occurs a transfer, sale or other disposition of the voting stock of a guarantor so that the guarantor is no longer a subsidiary of the parent, then the guarantor or the entity acquiring the assets (in the event of a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of a guarantor) will be released and relieved of any obligations under the guarantee.
The following summarized financial information presents the parent and guarantors (collectively, the combined obligor group) on a combined basis. The summarized financial information of the combined obligor group excludes net investment in and earnings of subsidiaries related to interests held by the combined obligor group in subsidiaries that are not guarantors of the notes.
STATEMENT OF EARNINGS INFORMATION - COMBINED OBLIGOR GROUP
| Three Months Ended April 5, 2026 | Year Ended December 31, 2025 | ||||||||||
| Revenue | $ | 5,368 | $ | 20,716 | |||||||
| Operating costs and expenses, excluding G&A | (4,734) | (18,476) | |||||||||
| Net earnings | 301 | 839 |
BALANCE SHEET INFORMATION - COMBINED OBLIGOR GROUP
| April 5, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | ||||||||||
| Cash and equivalents | $ | 1,321 | $ | 482 | |||||||
| Other current assets | 5,922 | 5,405 | |||||||||
| Noncurrent assets | 5,478 | 5,403 | |||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 12,721 | $ | 11,290 | |||||||
| Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt | $ | 1,752 | $ | 1,003 | |||||||
| Other current liabilities | 3,088 | 3,029 | |||||||||
| Long-term debt | 6,209 | 6,955 | |||||||||
| Other noncurrent liabilities | 3,143 | 2,835 | |||||||||
| Total liabilities | $ | 14,192 | $ | 13,822 |
The summarized balance sheet information presented above includes the funded status of the company’s primary qualified U.S. government pension plans as the parent has the ultimate obligation for the plans.
Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
There have been no material changes with respect to this item from the disclosure included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Our management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) as of April 5, 2026. Based on this evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, on April 5, 2026, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended April 5, 2026, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
The certifications of the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer required under Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act have been filed as Exhibits 31.1 and 31.2 to this report.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This quarterly report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements, which are based on management’s expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “believes,” “forecasts,” “scheduled,” “outlook,” “estimates,” “should” and variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Examples include projections of revenue, earnings, operating margin, segment performance, cash flows, contract awards, aircraft production, deliveries and backlog. In making these statements, we rely on assumptions and analyses based on our experience and perception of historical trends; current conditions and expected future developments; and other factors, estimates and judgments we consider reasonable and appropriate based on information available to us at the time. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve factors, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual future results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including the risk factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025. These factors include, among others:
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general U.S. and international political and economic conditions;
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decreases in U.S. government defense spending or changing priorities within the defense budget;
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termination of government contracts due to unilateral government action;
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differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform within estimated costs, and performance issues with key suppliers;
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expected recovery on contract claims and requests for equitable adjustment;
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changing customer demand for business aircraft, including the effects of economic conditions on the business-aircraft market;
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changing prices for energy and raw materials;
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the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, or other pandemics or outbreaks;
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the status or outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings;
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potential effects of audits and reviews by government agencies of our government contract performance, compliance and internal control systems and policies;
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cybersecurity events and other disruptions;
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risks and uncertainties relating to our acquisitions and joint ventures; and
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potential for increased regulation related to global climate change.
All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this report or, in the case of any document incorporated by reference, the date of that document. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to General Dynamics or any person acting on our behalf are qualified by the cautionary statements in this section. We do not undertake any obligation to update or publicly release revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this report. These factors may be revised or supplemented in future SEC filings.
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
For information relating to legal proceedings, see Note J to the unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements in Part I, Item 1.
Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
There have been no material changes with respect to this item from the disclosure included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.
ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS
The following table provides information about our first-quarter purchases of equity securities that are registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended:
| Period | Total Number of Shares | Average Price per Share* | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Program | Maximum Number of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Program | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares Purchased Pursuant to Share Buyback Program | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1/1/26-2/1/26 | — | $ | — | — | 6,751,311 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2/2/26-3/1/26 | 131,068 | 346.46 | 131,068 | 6,620,243 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3/2/26-4/5/26 | 490,920 | 349.91 | 490,920 | 6,129,323 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares Delivered or Withheld Pursuant to Restricted Stock Vesting** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1/1/26-2/1/26 | 384 | 338.88 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2/2/26-3/1/26 | 1,092 | 348.51 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3/2/26-4/5/26 | 164,181 | 361.84 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 787,645 | $ | 351.82 |
- Average price per share excludes excise tax.
** Represents shares withheld by, or delivered to, us pursuant to provisions in agreements with recipients of restricted stock granted under our equity compensation plans that allow us to withhold, or the recipient to deliver to us, the number of shares with a fair value equal to the statutory tax withholding due upon vesting of the restricted shares.
We did not make any unregistered sales of equity securities in the first quarter of 2026.
Item 5. OTHER INFORMATION
During the quarter ended April 5, 2026, none of our directors or officers adopted or terminated a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or a non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement (as such terms are defined under Item 408 of Regulation S-K).
Item 6. EXHIBITS
31.1 Certification by CEO pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*
31.2 Certification by CFO pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002*
101.INS Inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) Instance Document – the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
101.SCH Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document*
101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document*
101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document*
101.LAB Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document*
101.PRE Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document*
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document and contained in Exhibit 101)
- Filed or furnished electronically herewith.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION | ||||||||
| by | /s/ Dana O. Maisano | |||||||
| Dana O. Maisano | ||||||||
| Vice President and Controller | ||||||||
| (Authorized Officer and Chief Accounting Officer) | ||||||||
| Dated: April 29, 2026 |