Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

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Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

OVERVIEW

Northrop Grumman Corporation (herein referred to as “Northrop Grumman,” the “company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. We deliver a broad range of products, services and solutions to U.S. and international customers, and principally to the U.S Department of War (“DoW”, formerly referred to as the Department of Defense) and intelligence community. Our broad portfolio is aligned to support national security priorities and our solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, protect and advance humanity.

The company is a leading provider of space systems, military aircraft, missile defense, advanced weapons and long-range fires capabilities, mission systems, networking and communications, strategic deterrence systems, and breakthrough technologies, such as advanced computing, microelectronics and cyber. We are focused on competing and winning programs that enable continued growth, performing on our commitments and affordably delivering capability our customers need. With the investments we've made in advanced technologies, combined with our talented workforce and digital transformation capabilities, Northrop Grumman is well positioned to meet our customers' needs today and in the future.

The following discussion should be read along with the financial statements included in this Form 10-Q, as well as “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Liquidity and Capital Resources,” “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risks” and “Risk Factors” in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which provides additional information on our business, the environment in which we operate and our operating results.

Divestiture of Training Services Business

On May 24, 2025 (the “Divestiture date”), the company completed its previously announced sale of substantially all of the Immersive Mission Solutions (IMS) operating unit of Defense Systems (the “training services” business or “divestiture”) for $333 million in cash, subject to a final working capital adjustment, and recorded a pre-tax gain on sale of $231 million. IMS is a provider of mission training and satellite ground network communications software for U.S. government customers. Operating results include sales and operating income for the training services business prior to the Divestiture date.

Global Security Environment

The U.S. and its allies continue to face a global security environment of heightened tensions and instability, threats from state and non-state actors, including in particular major global powers, as well as terrorist organizations, increasing nuclear tensions, diverse regional security concerns and political instability. The market for defense products, services and solutions globally is driven by these complex and evolving security challenges, considered in the broader context of political and socioeconomic circumstances and priorities. Our operations and financial performance, as well as demand for our products and services, are impacted by these events, including global unrest. The same is true for our suppliers and other business partners.

The conflict in Ukraine and threats elsewhere, particularly in the Middle East and the Pacific region, have increased global tensions and instability and highlighted security requirements globally, including in Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific region, as well as the U.S. These conflicts have resulted in and may continue to result in increased demand for defense products and services from allies and partner nations, particularly in those regions. For example, we have experienced an increase in demand for certain of our products and services directly and indirectly related to the conflict in Ukraine. We continue to monitor developments in these regions, but have not experienced, and do not anticipate experiencing, significant adverse financial impacts directly from these conflicts.

We believe the current global security environment, characterized by significant national security threats to the U.S. and its allies, continues to highlight the need for strong deterrence and robust defense capabilities, and we are actively evaluating both opportunities and risks associated with this environment. We believe our capabilities, particularly in space, C4ISR, missile defense, battle management, advanced weapons, strategic deterrence, and survivable aircraft and mission systems should help our customers in the U.S. and globally defend against current and future threats and, as a result, continue to position us for long-term profitable business growth.

Global Economic Environment

Over the past several years, the global economic environment has experienced extraordinary challenges, including inflationary pressures; widespread delays and disruptions in supply chains; business slowdowns or shutdowns; workforce challenges and labor shortfalls; and market volatility. These macroeconomic factors can and have contributed, and could continue to contribute, to increased costs, delays, disruptions and other performance

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challenges, as well as increased competing demands for limited resources to address such increased costs and other challenges, for our company, our suppliers and partners, and our customers. We continue to work to address challenges caused by the macroeconomic environment on our business. We have seen positive progress in the supply chain as on-time deliveries and quality continue to improve. In remaining areas of pressure, we are proactively working with our suppliers to help meet our contract commitments.

In addition, an overall increase in interest rates in recent years has raised the cost of borrowing for governments, and if rates increase or remain elevated, it could impact government spending priorities (in the U.S. and allied countries, in particular), including the demand for defense products. Economic tensions and changes in international trade policies, including, for example, the widespread tariffs announced this year by the U.S. on its major trading partners, higher tariffs on imported goods and materials and actions taken in response (such as retaliatory tariffs or other trade protectionist measures or the renegotiation of free trade agreements), could also further impact the global market for defense products, services and solutions. The full impact of these governmental actions on macroeconomic conditions and on our business is uncertain, difficult to predict and depends on a number of factors, including the extent and duration of tariffs, any reversal or temporary suspension of announced tariffs, the availability of exemptions, changes in the amount and scope of tariffs, the imposition of new tariffs and other measures that target countries may take in response to U.S. trade policies, and possible resulting general inflationary pressures in the global economy. We are continuing to monitor the impact on our business, suppliers and customers, but do not believe that the tariffs in effect at this time will have a material adverse effect on our business.

U.S. Political, Budget and Regulatory Environment

The U.S. continues to face an uncertain and evolving political, budget and regulatory environment. In particular, it is difficult to predict the specific course of future defense budgets. Current and future requirements related to the conflict in Ukraine, threats in the Middle East and the Pacific region and other security priorities, as well as the macroeconomic environment, the national debt, and other domestic priorities, among other things, in the U.S. and globally, will continue to impact our customers’ budgets, spending and priorities, and our industry. The U.S. political environment may also impact defense budgets and priorities, issues related to the national debt, and government spending more broadly. We anticipate that issues related to budgetary priorities, defense spending levels and the debt ceiling will continue to be subjects of considerable debate, with a potentially significant impact on our programs and the company.

On March 15, 2025, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 was enacted to continue funding the government through the remainder of FY 2025. The full-year continuing resolution generally maintained FY 2024 funding levels, but included an increase of $6 billion in defense spending and a decrease of $13 billion in non-defense spending compared to FY 2024 funding levels. The full-year continuing resolution provided the DoW with significant flexibility to allocate and spend funds, including authority to initiate new programs if certain requirements were met.

In the second quarter of 2025, the Presidential Administration (the “Administration”) submitted its budget request for FY 2026. The request includes approximately $1 trillion for national security, approximately $962 billion of which is for the DoW, with $113 billion of such DoW funds included in the reconciliation bill described below. The budget request for the DoW reflects an increase of 11.8 percent, or $101.6 billion, above FY 2025 enacted levels. Congress is evaluating the Administration’s budget request as it drafts authorization and appropriations legislation for FY 2026. On July 4, 2025, the FY 2025 reconciliation bill titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act was enacted. The OBBBA allocates approximately $150 billion in funds for defense spending, including funding for air and missile defense, munitions, shipbuilding and supply chains and other military capabilities, and the appropriated funds will remain available to be obligated until September 30, 2029 and expended through FY 2034. The OBBBA is expected to result in increased investments by the DoW in defense modernization projects and Pacific region deterrence, among other programs. See Note 4 to the financial statements for additional information on key income tax provisions of the OBBBA.

Appropriations for FY 2026 were not enacted by September 30, 2025, and on October 1, 2025, the U.S. Government entered a shutdown, which is ongoing. Consistent with federal guidelines, we are continuing to perform work on existing contracts funded with appropriations from prior fiscal years. In addition, we may be expected to continue to perform for some period of time on certain of our U.S. Government contracts even if the U.S. Government is unable to make timely payments, for example if funding from prior year appropriations has been exhausted and appropriations legislation or a continuing resolution for FY 2026 has not been enacted. If a prolonged government shutdown occurs, it could result in program disruptions, limit the U.S. Government’s ability to progress programs and make timely payments and impact new program starts. A prolonged shutdown could have significant

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consequences for our company, our employees, our suppliers and our industry and could result in delayed cash collections and/or have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows.

The Administration has issued numerous executive orders, including orders that direct executive departments and agencies to put in place a regulatory freeze on pending rules, to effectuate the repeal of any regulation that an agency determines is unlawful, to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of the Federal Acquisition Regulation and to reform the DoW defense acquisition process. Some of the Administration’s executive orders are subject to ongoing court challenges. Implementation of certain of these executive orders could adversely affect our business or create a more challenging or costly regulatory, operating and economic environment. For example, on April 9, 2025, the President signed an executive order entitled Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base. The executive order directs the Secretary of War to submit a plan for expediting DoW acquisitions that relies on existing authorities. According to the executive order, the plan, among other things, should include a first preference for commercial solutions and a general preference for Other Transaction Authority procurements. In addition, the executive order directs the DoW to review all major defense acquisition programs (MDAP). Any program that is more than 15% behind schedule or over cost based on the current Acquisition Program Baseline, unable to meet key performance parameters, or unaligned with the Secretary of War’s mission priorities will be considered for potential cancellation. Implementation of this executive order, including changes in DoW priorities or regulations and results of the MDAP review, could lead to contract cancellations, disruptions and/or stop work orders, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows.

In light of the ongoing conflicts and heightened global instability as well as political tensions and related legal challenges, we expect continued uncertainty in the global security, U.S. political, budget and regulatory environment. Initiatives to reduce governmental spending, federal budget and debt ceiling action, and further changes in U.S. government policy positions, including trade policy, tax policy and DoW policies or priorities, could materially impact defense spending broadly and the company’s programs in particular.

B-21 Program

In 2015, the U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman the B-21 contract, which includes a base contract for engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) and five low-rate initial production (LRIP) options for a baseline total of 21 aircraft. The EMD phase of the program is largely cost type and began at contract award. The LRIP options are largely fixed price and are expected to continue to be awarded and executed through approximately the end of the decade. In addition to the five LRIP options, Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force have established not to exceed (NTE) pricing for additional aircraft up to unit 40. The average NTE value for these subsequent lots is above the average unit price of the five LRIP lots, and the NTE lots include an economic price adjustment clause to help protect against certain inflationary pressures. Final terms, quantity, and pricing for these subsequent lots are not fully negotiated. We are in discussions with the U.S. Air Force regarding the potential for an accelerated production rate on the program. While the ultimate outcome of these discussions remains uncertain, we currently expect any agreement to accelerate production rate would require future investment by the company to expand production capacity along with the opportunity to earn improved returns on the LRIP and NTE phases of the program.

During the fourth quarter of 2023, we recognized a projected loss of $1.56 billion across the five LRIP options. During the first quarter of 2025, we recognized an additional $477 million loss across the five LRIP options. During the third quarter of 2025, we again reviewed our estimated profitability on the LRIP phase of the program and made no significant changes to the previously recognized loss. However, we experienced higher-than-expected costs to produce the EMD flight test aircraft, which increased our estimate to manufacture the LRIP units; this cost increase was largely offset by a reduction in our expected loss on the remaining LRIP lots due to a contract restructure that occurred during the third quarter of 2025.

The company’s third quarter 2025 results reflect our current best estimate of cost to complete the LRIP and NTE aircraft, as well as the outcome of ongoing discussions with our suppliers. If our estimated cost to complete the aircraft changes, if we reach an agreement with the customer regarding an accelerated production rate, or if our assumptions regarding contract performance, quantities, supplier negotiations, or funding to mitigate the impact of macroeconomic disruptions are resolved more or less favorably than what we have estimated, our financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows could be materially affected.

Sentinel Program

In 2020, the U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $13.3 billion contract for the EMD phase of the Sentinel program. In January 2024, the U.S. Air Force provided congressional notification that the Sentinel program was under a Nunn-McCurdy breach review, which is required when total program cost estimates exceed certain defined

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thresholds. This notification, which had been driven primarily by increases in cost estimates for the Production and Deployment phases, commenced the process to achieve certification for continuance of the program and update its baseline cost estimates. We are currently executing under a cost-type contract for the EMD phase, and the Production and Deployment phases are yet to be priced and negotiated.

In July 2024, the Sentinel program was certified for continuation by the DoW upon completion of the Nunn-McCurdy breach review. In connection with the certification, the DoW directed that the program be restructured, including plans for infrastructure related to the command and launch segment, which was the main driver of the increased cost estimates for the Production and Deployment phases.

During the second quarter of 2025, we partnered with the U.S. Air Force in defining the preliminary execution framework necessary for successful restructure of the program. The program restructure will include a revision to the acquisition strategy, joint establishment of a new program baseline, and other critical preparation activities necessary to re-accomplish Milestone B approval. Based on this preliminary execution framework, we updated our estimated profitability on the program and recognized a $76 million favorable EAC adjustment during the second quarter of 2025 largely related to our expectations for achieving certain contract incentives.

During the third quarter of 2025, we reviewed our estimated profitability on the Sentinel program and made no significant changes. If our estimated cost to complete the restructured EMD effort or our expectations for achieving contract incentives are more or less favorable than what we have estimated, our financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows could be materially affected.

CONSOLIDATED OPERATING RESULTS

For purposes of the operating results discussion below, we assess our performance using certain financial measures that are not calculated in accordance with GAAP. Organic sales is defined as total sales excluding sales attributable to the company's former training services business. This measure may be useful to investors and other users of our financial statements as a supplemental measure in evaluating the company’s underlying sales growth as well as in understanding our ongoing business and future sales trends by presenting the company’s sales adjusted for the impact of the divestiture.

We reconcile this non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure below. This non-GAAP measure may not be defined and calculated by other companies in the same manner and should not be considered in isolation or as an alternative to operating results presented in accordance with GAAP.

Selected financial highlights are presented in the table below:

Three Months Ended September 30%Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions, except per share amounts20252024Change20252024Change
Sales$10,423$9,9964%$30,242$30,347—%
Operating costs and expenses9,1818,8763%27,23327,0661%
Operating costs and expenses as a % of sales88.1%88.8%90.1%89.2%
Gain on sale of business——NM231—NM
Operating income1,2421,12011%3,2403,281(1)%
Operating margin rate11.9%11.2%10.7%10.8%
Federal and foreign income tax expense22316238%5735553%
Effective income tax rate16.9%13.6%17.2%16.0%
Net earnings1,1001,0267%2,7552,910(5)%
Diluted earnings per share$7.67$7.0010%$19.12$19.69(3)%

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Sales

The table below reconciles sales to organic sales:

Three Months Ended September 30%Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions20252024Change20252024Change
Sales$10,423$9,9964%$30,242$30,347—%
Less: Training services sales—(70)(112)(226)
Organic sales$10,423$9,9265%$30,130$30,121—%

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 sales increased $427 million, or 4 percent, primarily driven by higher sales at Mission Systems, Defense Systems and Aeronautics Systems, partially offset by lower sales at Space Systems due, in part, to the wind-down of work on certain Space programs, as discussed in our segment operating results below.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 sales were comparable with the prior year period and reflect higher sales at Mission Systems and Defense Systems, partially offset by lower sales at Space Systems due, in part, to the wind-down of work on certain Space programs.

See “Segment Operating Results” below for further information by segment and “Product and Service Analysis” for product and service detail. See Note 10 to the financial statements for information regarding the company’s sales by customer type, contract type and geographic region for each of our segments.

Operating Income and Margin Rate

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 operating income increased $122 million, or 11 percent, primarily due to a $131 million increase in segment operating income. Operating margin rate increased to 11.9 percent from 11.2 percent principally due to a higher segment operating margin rate.

Third quarter 2025 general and administrative (G&A) costs as a percentage of sales decreased to 9.5 percent from 9.9 percent in the prior year period primarily due to higher sales.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 operating income decreased $41 million, or 1 percent, due to a $287 million decrease in segment operating income, primarily driven by a $477 million loss provision recorded on the B-21 program at Aeronautics Systems in the first quarter of 2025, and a $128 million increase in non-divestiture-related unallocated corporate expense. These decreases were partially offset by higher operating income due to a $231 million pre-tax gain on sale for the training services divestiture and a $161 million increase in the FAS/CAS operating adjustment. Operating margin rate declined to 10.7 percent from 10.8 percent reflecting the items above.

Year to date 2025 G&A costs as a percentage of sales decreased to 9.9 percent from 10.4 percent in the prior year period primarily due to cost management.

See “Segment Operating Results” below for further information by segment. For information regarding product and service operating costs and expenses, see “Product and Service Analysis” below.

Federal and Foreign Income Taxes

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was enacted. Key income tax-related provisions of the OBBBA include the repeal of mandatory capitalization of research and development expenditures under IRC Section 174 (reinstating full expensing beginning in 2025), extension of bonus depreciation, and revisions to international tax regimes. The company recognized the income tax effects of the OBBBA in its third quarter 2025 financial statements.

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 income tax expense increased $61 million, or 38 percent, due to a higher ETR and higher earnings before income taxes. The third quarter 2025 ETR increased to 16.9 percent from 13.6 percent primarily due to the prior year ETR reflecting a net reduction in tax reserves largely due to a federal court decision in 2024 as well as a reduction in research credits in the current year due to enactment of the OBBBA, partially offset by lower interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits.

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Year to Date

Year to date 2025 income tax expense increased $18 million, or 3 percent, due to a higher ETR, which more than offset lower earnings before income taxes. The year to date 2025 ETR increased to 17.2 percent from 16.0 percent primarily due to the prior year ETR reflecting a net reduction in tax reserves largely due to a federal court decision in 2024 as well as additional income tax expense in the current year related to nondeductible goodwill in the divested training services business, partially offset by lower interest expense on unrecognized tax benefits.

See Note 4 to the financial statements for additional information.

Net Earnings

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 net earnings increased $74 million, or 7 percent, primarily due to the $122 million increase in operating income described above as well as a $62 million increase in returns on marketable securities, partially offset by a $61 million increase in income tax expense and a $32 million reduction in the non-operating FAS pension benefit.

Year to Date Year to date 2025 net earnings decreased $155 million, or 5 percent, primarily due to a $100 million reduction in the non-operating FAS pension benefit, lower interest income on short-term investments, and the $41 million decrease in operating income described above, partially offset by a $78 million increase in returns on marketable securities.

Diluted Earnings Per Share

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 diluted earnings per share increased 10 percent, reflecting a 7 percent increase in net earnings and a 2 percent reduction in weighted-average diluted shares outstanding.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 diluted earnings per share decreased 3 percent, reflecting a 5 percent decrease in net earnings and a 3 percent reduction in weighted-average diluted shares outstanding.

SEGMENT OPERATING RESULTS

Basis of Presentation

The company is aligned in four operating sectors, which also comprise our reportable segments: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems and Space Systems.

Effective July 1, 2024, the company realigned the SDS division, which includes the Sentinel program, from Space Systems to Defense Systems. Effective January 1, 2025, the company realigned the SSAS business unit from Defense Systems to Aeronautics Systems. These realignments are reflected in the financial information contained in this report.

Operating Performance Assessment and Reporting

This section discusses segment sales, operating income and operating margin rates. In evaluating segment operating performance, we look primarily at changes in sales and operating income. Where applicable, significant fluctuations in operating performance attributable to individual contracts or programs, or changes in a specific cost element across multiple contracts, are described in our analysis. Based on this approach and the nature of our operations, the discussion of results of operations below first focuses on our four segments before distinguishing between products and services. Changes in sales are generally described in terms of volume, while changes in margin rates are generally described in terms of performance and/or contract mix. For purposes of this discussion, volume generally refers to increases or decreases in sales or cost from production/service activity levels and performance generally refers to non-volume related changes in profitability. Contract mix generally refers to changes in the ratio of contract type and/or lifecycle (e.g., cost-type, fixed-price, development, production, and/or sustainment).

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Segment Operating Income and Margin Rate

Segment operating income, as reconciled in the table below, and segment operating margin rate (segment operating income divided by sales) are non-GAAP measures that reflect the combined operating income of our four segments less the operating income associated with intersegment sales. Segment operating income includes pension expense allocated to our sectors under FAR and CAS and excludes FAS pension service expense and unallocated corporate items (certain corporate-level expenses, which are not considered allowable or allocable under applicable FAR and CAS requirements, and costs not considered part of management’s evaluation of segment operating performance). These non-GAAP measures may be useful to investors and other users of our financial statements as supplemental measures in evaluating the financial performance and operational trends of our sectors. These measures may not be defined and calculated by other companies in the same manner and should not be considered in isolation or as alternatives to operating results presented in accordance with GAAP.

Three Months Ended September 30%Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions20252024Change20252024Change
Operating income$1,242$1,12011%$3,240$3,281(1)%
Operating margin rate11.9%11.2%10.7%10.8%
Reconciliation to segment operating income:
CAS pension expense(122)(80)53%(356)(211)69%
FAS pension service expense5560(8)%163179(9)%
FAS/CAS operating adjustment(67)(20)235%(193)(32)503%
Gain on sale of business——NM(231)—NM
Training services divestiture - unallowable state taxes and transaction costs—2NM202NM
Intangible asset amortization and PP&E step-up depreciation2123(9)%6372(13)%
Other unallocated corporate expense8121286%16528489%
Unallocated corporate expense10246122%17102(83)%
Segment operating income$1,277$1,14611%$3,064$3,351(9)%
Segment operating margin rate12.3%11.5%10.1%11.0%

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 segment operating income increased $131 million, or 11 percent, primarily due to higher operating income at Mission Systems and Defense Systems, partially offset by lower operating income at Space Systems. Segment operating margin rate increased to 12.3 percent from 11.5 percent due to higher operating margin rates at Mission Systems and Defense Systems, partially offset by lower operating margin rates at Space Systems and Aeronautics Systems.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 segment operating income decreased $287 million, or 9 percent, due to lower operating income at Aeronautics Systems, primarily driven by a $477 million B-21 loss provision in the first quarter of 2025, and lower operating income at Space Systems, partially offset by higher operating income at Mission Systems and Defense Systems. Segment operating margin rate decreased to 10.1 percent from 11.0 percent primarily due to the B-21 loss provision, partially offset by higher operating margin rates at Defense Systems and Mission Systems.

FAS/CAS Operating Adjustment

The third quarter 2025 and year to date 2025 FAS/CAS operating adjustment reflects higher CAS pension expense largely driven by plan asset returns in prior years and changes in certain CAS actuarial assumptions as of December 31, 2024.

Unallocated Corporate Expense

Current Quarter

The change in third quarter 2025 unallocated corporate expense is primarily due to higher deferred state tax expense largely related to the repeal of mandatory capitalization of research and development expenditures under IRC Section 174 upon enactment of the OBBBA.

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Year to Date

The change in year to date 2025 unallocated corporate expense is primarily due to a $231 million gain on the sale of our training services business, partially offset by an $18 million increase in unallowable state taxes and transaction costs associated with the divestiture. Non-divestiture-related unallocated corporate expense increased primarily due to higher deferred state tax expense largely related to the repeal of mandatory capitalization of research and development expenditures under IRC Section 174, as well as the prior year including a $26 million increase in our estimated recovery of certain environmental remediation costs.

Net EAC Adjustments - We record changes in estimated contract earnings at completion (net EAC adjustments) using the cumulative catch-up method of accounting. Net EAC adjustments can have a significant effect on segment operating income and margin rate.

The aggregate favorable and unfavorable EAC adjustments are presented in the table below:

Three Months Ended September 30Nine Months Ended September 30
$ in millions2025202420252024
Favorable EAC adjustments$433$369$1,161$1,091
Unfavorable EAC adjustments(352)(233)(1,054)(823)
Net EAC adjustments$81$136$107$268

Net EAC adjustments by segment are presented in the table below:

Three Months Ended September 30Nine Months Ended September 30
$ in millions2025202420252024
Aeronautics Systems$(66)$48$(225)$165
Defense Systems351014145
Mission Systems1211616311
Space Systems(5)603750
Eliminations(4)2(9)(3)
Net EAC adjustments$81$136$107$268
AERONAUTICS SYSTEMSThree Months Ended September 30%Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions20252024Change20252024Change
Sales$3,142$2,9616%$9,070$9,065—%
Operating income305309(1)%443927(52)%
Operating margin rate9.7%10.4%4.9%10.2%

Sales

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 sales increased $181 million, or 6 percent, primarily due to a $110 million increase on the E-130J TACAMO (“TACAMO”) program as it ramps up and a $105 million increase on the F-35 program largely driven by materials volume, partially offset by a decrease on F/A-18 as production nears completion.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 sales were comparable to the prior year period and reflect a $226 million increase on TACAMO as that program ramps and a $111 million increase on the F-35 program largely driven by materials volume, partially offset by lower sales on restricted programs, commercial aerostructures programs and on F/A-18 as production nears completion.

Operating Income

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 operating income decreased $4 million, or 1 percent, due to a lower operating margin rate, partially offset by higher sales. Operating margin rate decreased to 9.7 percent from 10.4 percent, primarily due to lower net contract margin adjustments.

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Year to Date

Year to date 2025 operating income decreased $484 million and operating margin rate decreased to 4.9 percent primarily due to the previously described $477 million loss provision recorded on the LRIP phase of the B-21 program in the first quarter of 2025.

DEFENSE SYSTEMSThree Months Ended September 30%Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions20252024Change20252024Change
Sales$2,059$1,80014%$5,855$5,3969%
Less: Training services sales—(70)(112)(226)
Organic sales$2,059$1,73019%$5,743$5,17011%
Operating income$234$16046%$666$50731%
Operating margin rate11.4%8.9%11.4%9.4%

Sales

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 sales increased $259 million, or 14 percent, primarily due to higher volume on armament programs, including military ammunition programs, increased volume from new awards across the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) program portfolio and higher sales on Sentinel. These increases were partially offset by a $70 million reduction in sales related to the training services divestiture.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 sales increased $459 million, or 9 percent, primarily due to a $195 million increase in sales on Sentinel, higher volume on armament programs, including a $135 million increase on military ammunition programs, and increased volume from new awards across the IBCS program portfolio. These increases were partially offset by a $114 million reduction in sales related to the training services divestiture.

Operating Income

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 operating income increased $74 million, or 46 percent, primarily due to a higher operating margin rate and higher sales. Operating margin rate increased to 11.4 percent from 8.9 percent principally due to higher net EAC adjustments and changes in mix toward more fixed-price contracts.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 operating income increased $159 million, or 31 percent, primarily due to a higher operating margin rate and higher sales. Operating margin rate increased to 11.4 percent from 9.4 percent principally due to higher net EAC adjustments, including a $76 million favorable EAC adjustment on the Sentinel program during the second quarter of 2025.

MISSION SYSTEMSThree Months Ended September 30%Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions20252024Change20252024Change
Sales$3,093$2,82310%$9,057$8,25510%
Operating income51539032%1,3171,12917%
Operating margin rate16.7%13.8%14.5%13.7%

Sales

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 sales increased $270 million, or 10 percent, primarily due to higher sales on restricted advanced microelectronics programs, higher volume on marine systems programs and ramp-up on international ground-based radar programs.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 sales increased $802 million, or 10 percent, primarily due to the timing of materials on restricted airborne radar programs, higher volume on marine systems programs, ramp-up on international ground-based radar programs and sales growth on the Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) program.

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Operating Income

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 operating income increased $125 million, or 32 percent, due to a higher operating margin rate and higher sales. Operating margin rate increased to 16.7 percent from 13.8 percent, principally due to higher net EAC adjustments, including a $68 million favorable EAC adjustment in the restricted advanced microelectronics portfolio largely driven by program efficiencies and risk mitigations.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 operating income increased $188 million, or 17 percent, primarily due to higher sales and a higher operating margin rate. Operating margin rate increased to 14.5 percent from 13.7 percent, primarily due to higher net EAC adjustments, including the $68 million favorable EAC adjustment in the restricted advanced microelectronics portfolio described above, partially offset by investments made by the sector in connection with restricted business opportunities during the first quarter of 2025 and changes in mix toward more cost-type contracts.

SPACE SYSTEMSThree Months Ended September 30%Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions20252024Change20252024Change
Sales$2,698$2,870(6)%$7,912$9,021(12)%
Operating income298345(14)%861979(12)%
Operating margin rate11.0%12.0%10.9%10.9%

Sales

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 sales decreased $172 million, or 6 percent, primarily due to wind-down of work on the restricted space and Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) programs, which reduced sales by $124 million, as well as lower volume on Space Development Agency (SDA) satellite programs. These decreases were partially offset by a $100 million increase for Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) missions.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 sales decreased $1.1 billion, or 12 percent, primarily due to wind-down of work on the restricted space and NGI programs, which reduced sales by $635 million, as well as a $195 million decrease for SDA satellite programs. The decrease was also driven by lower volume on other restricted space programs and the Space Launch System (SLS) Booster, Next Gen Polar (NGP) and Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) programs, partially offset by higher volume on GEM 63 as that program ramps.

Operating Income

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 operating income decreased $47 million, or 14 percent, primarily due to a lower operating margin rate and lower sales. Operating margin rate decreased to 11.0 percent from 12.0 percent principally due to lower net EAC adjustments, including a prior year $39 million favorable EAC adjustment on the Habitation and Logistics Outpost program, partially offset by sales growth on programs with accretive margin rates.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 operating income decreased $118 million, or 12 percent, due to lower sales. Operating margin rate of 10.9 percent was comparable with the prior year period.

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PRODUCT AND SERVICE ANALYSIS

The following table presents product and service sales and operating costs and expenses by segment:

Three Months Ended September 30Nine Months Ended September 30
$ in millions2025202420252024
Segment Information:SalesOperating Costs and ExpensesSalesOperating Costs and ExpensesSalesOperating Costs and ExpensesSalesOperating Costs and Expenses
Aeronautics Systems
Product$2,296$2,108$2,170$1,956$6,715$6,575$6,676$6,043
Service8046907586662,2341,9402,2902,007
Intersegment eliminations423933301211129988
Total Aeronautics Systems3,1422,8372,9612,6529,0708,6279,0658,138
Defense Systems
Product1,6571,4831,3921,2694,6394,1174,1283,764
Service3512973653331,0679401,1381,011
Intersegment eliminations51454338149132130114
Total Defense Systems2,0591,8251,8001,6405,8555,1895,3964,889
Mission Systems
Product2,2031,8252,0141,7476,3985,5005,7935,037
Service5514665344511,6441,3831,6131,372
Intersegment eliminations3392872752351,015857849717
Total Mission Systems3,0932,5782,8232,4339,0577,7408,2557,126
Space Systems
Product2,2131,9802,3632,0776,3965,7027,5206,706
Service3482974003511,1491,0211,1891,056
Intersegment eliminations13712310797367328312280
Total Space Systems2,6982,4002,8702,5257,9127,0519,0218,042
Segment Totals
Total Product$8,369$7,396$7,939$7,049$24,148$21,894$24,117$21,550
Total Service2,0541,7502,0571,8016,0945,2846,2305,446
Total Segment**(1)**$10,423$9,146$9,996$8,850$30,242$27,178$30,347$26,996

(1) A reconciliation of segment operating income to total operating income is included in “Segment Operating Results.”

Product Sales and Costs

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 product sales increased $430 million, or 5 percent, primarily due to higher volume on military ammunition programs, the IBCS program portfolio and Sentinel at Defense Systems, higher sales on restricted advanced microelectronics, marine systems and international ground-based radar programs at Mission Systems, and higher volume on TACAMO and F-35 at Aeronautics Systems. These increases were partially offset by wind-down of work on the restricted space and NGI programs and lower volume on SDA satellite programs at Space Systems.

Third quarter 2025 product costs increased $347 million, or 5 percent, consistent with the higher product sales described above.

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Year to Date

Year to date 2025 product sales were comparable to the prior year and reflect higher sales on restricted airborne radar, marine systems and international ground-based radar programs at Mission Systems and higher volume on Sentinel, military ammunition programs and the IBCS program portfolio at Defense Systems, partially offset by wind-down of work on the restricted space and NGI programs and lower volume on SDA satellite programs at Space Systems.

Year to date 2025 product costs increased $344 million, or 2 percent, reflecting a lower operating margin rate principally due to the $477 million loss provision recorded on the B-21 program at Aeronautics Systems in the first quarter of 2025, partially offset by higher net EAC adjustments at Defense Systems largely driven by Sentinel.

Service Sales and Costs

Current Quarter

Third quarter 2025 service sales were comparable to the prior year and reflect lower restricted sales at Space Systems, partially offset by higher volume on aircraft sustainment services at Aeronautics Systems.

Third quarter 2025 service costs decreased $51 million, or 3 percent, reflecting a higher operating margin rate principally driven by higher net EAC adjustments across Defense Systems and Aeronautics Systems service programs.

Year to Date

Year to date 2025 service sales decreased $136 million, or 2 percent, primarily due to lower service volume at Defense Systems due to the training services divestiture and lower restricted sales at Aeronautics Systems.

Year to date 2025 service costs decreased $162 million, or 3 percent, reflecting a higher operating margin rate principally driven by higher net EAC adjustments across Aeronautics Systems, Mission Systems and Defense Systems service programs.

BACKLOG

Backlog consisted of the following as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024:

September 30, 2025December 31, 2024
$ in millionsFundedUnfundedTotal BacklogTotal Backlog% Change in 2025
Aeronautics Systems$10,912$11,538$22,450$25,202(11)%
Defense Systems8,64318,45527,09826,6142%
Mission Systems12,3115,88618,19716,44311%
Space Systems7,10016,60323,70323,2092%
Total backlog$38,966$52,482$91,448$91,468—%

Third quarter and year to date 2025 net awards totaled $12.2 billion and $30.4 billion, respectively. Backlog totaled $91.4 billion and reflects a $150 million reduction to backlog in connection with the training services divestiture during the second quarter of 2025. Significant third quarter new awards include $4.5 billion for restricted programs (primarily at Space Systems, Mission Systems and Aeronautics Systems), $1.8 billion for Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Weapon System (GWS), $0.5 billion for F-35 (primarily at Aeronautics Systems and Mission Systems), and $0.4 billion for Virginia Class submarines.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

We are focused on the efficient conversion of operating income into cash to provide for the company’s material cash requirements, including working capital needs, satisfaction of contractual commitments, funding of our pension and OPB plans, investment in our business through capital expenditures, and shareholder return through dividend payments and share repurchases.

At September 30, 2025, we had $2.0 billion in cash and cash equivalents. We expect cash and cash equivalents and cash generated from operating activities, supplemented by borrowings under credit facilities, commercial paper and/or in the capital markets through our shelf registration with the SEC, if needed, to be sufficient to provide liquidity to the company in the short-term and long-term. In September 2025, the company entered into a new five-year senior unsecured revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $3.0 billion. The 2025 Credit Agreement replaced the company’s prior five-year, $2.5 billion revolving credit facility entered into in August 2022.

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In April 2025, we renewed our one-year $500 million uncommitted credit facility. At September 30, 2025, there were no borrowings outstanding under these credit facilities. In May 2025, we issued $1.0 billion of unsecured senior notes for general corporate purposes, including debt repayment, share repurchases, and working capital.

Cash Flow Measures

In addition to our cash position, we consider various cash flow measures in capital deployment decision-making, including cash provided by operating activities and free cash flow, a non-GAAP measure described in more detail below.

Operating Cash Flow

The table below summarizes key components of cash provided by operating activities:

Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions20252024Change
Net earnings$2,755$2,910(5)%
B-21 loss provision477—NM
Gain on sale of business(231)—NM
Non-cash items(1)1,219302304%
Pension and OPB contributions(94)(93)1%
Changes in trade working capital(3,227)(1,346)140%
Other, net(39)37NM
Net cash provided by operating activities$860$1,810(52)%

(1)Includes depreciation and amortization, stock based compensation expense, deferred income taxes and net periodic pension and OPB income.

Year to date 2025 net cash provided by operating activities decreased $950 million as compared with the same period in 2024, primarily due to $1.0 billion of higher net cash taxes, due, in part, to a $500 million federal tax refund received in the prior year. Higher cash earnings were offset by increased trade working capital largely driven by the timing of collections and advance payments.

Free Cash Flow

Free cash flow, as reconciled in the table below, is a non-GAAP measure defined as net cash provided by or used in operating activities less capital expenditures, and may not be defined and calculated by other companies in the same manner. We use free cash flow as a key factor in our planning for, and consideration of, acquisitions, the payment of dividends and stock repurchases. This non-GAAP measure may be useful to investors and other users of our financial statements as a supplemental measure of our cash performance, but should not be considered in isolation, as a measure of residual cash flow available for discretionary purposes, or as an alternative to operating cash flows presented in accordance with GAAP.

The table below reconciles net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow:

Nine Months Ended September 30%
$ in millions20252024Change
Net cash provided by operating activities$860$1,810(52)%
Capital expenditures(788)(951)(17)%
Free cash flow$72$859(92)%

Year to date 2025 free cash flow decreased $787 million as compared with the same period in 2024 due to a $950 million decrease in net cash provided by operating activities, partially offset by a $163 million reduction in capital expenditures.

Investing Cash Flow

Year to date 2025 net cash used in investing activities decreased $460 million, or 48 percent, as compared with the same period in 2024 principally due to $333 million in proceeds from the sale of the training services business as well as lower capital expenditures.

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Financing Cash Flow

Year to date 2025 net cash used in financing activities increased $2.1 billion, or 331 percent, as compared with the same period in 2024, primarily due to a $3.0 billion net decrease in cash from long-term debt, partially offset by a $905 million decrease in share repurchases.

Credit Facilities, Commercial Paper and Financial Arrangements - See Note 7 to the financial statements for further information on our credit facilities, commercial paper and our use of standby letters of credit and guarantees.

Share Repurchases - See Note 2 to the financial statements for further information on our share repurchase programs.

Long-term Debt - See Note 5 to the financial statements for further information.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

There have been no material changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates from those discussed in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

ACCOUNTING STANDARDS UPDATES

See Note 1 to our financial statements for further information on accounting standards updates.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND PROJECTIONS

This Form 10-Q and the information we are incorporating by reference contain statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “believe,” “estimate,” “guidance,” “outlook,” “trends,” “goals” and similar expressions generally identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements relating to our future financial condition, results of operations and/or cash flows. Forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions, expectations, plans and projections that we believe to be reasonable when made, but which may change over time. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and inherently involve a wide range of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Specific risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those identified and discussed more fully in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K and from time to time in our other filings with the SEC. They include:

Industry and Economic Risks

  • our dependence on the U.S. government for a substantial portion of our business

  • significant delays or reductions in appropriations and/or for our programs, and U.S. government funding and program support more broadly, including as a result of a prolonged continuing resolution and/or government shutdown, and/or related to the global security environment or other global events

  • significant delays or reductions in payments as a result of or related to a breach of the debt ceiling or a prolonged government shutdown

  • the use of estimates when accounting for our contracts and the effect of contract cost growth and our efforts to recover or offset such costs and/or changes in estimated contract costs and revenues, including as a result of inflationary pressures, labor shortages, supply chain challenges, changes in trade policies and/or other macroeconomic factors, and risks related to management’s judgments and assumptions in estimating and/or projecting contract revenue and performance which may be inaccurate

  • increased competition within our markets and bid protests

  • continued pressures from macroeconomic trends, including on costs, schedules, performance and ability to meet expectations

Legal and Regulatory Risks

  • investigations, claims, disputes, enforcement actions, litigation (including criminal, civil and administrative) and/or other legal proceedings

  • changes in procurement and other laws, SEC, DoW and other rules and regulations, including changes through executive orders, contract terms and practices applicable to our industry, findings by the U.S. government as to

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our compliance with such requirements, more aggressive enforcement of such requirements and changes in our customers’ business practices globally

  • the improper conduct of employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, business partners or joint ventures in which we participate, including the impact on our reputation and our ability to do business

  • environmental matters, including climate change, unforeseen environmental costs and government and third-party claims

  • unanticipated changes in our tax provisions or exposure to additional tax liabilities

Business and Operational Risks

  • cyber and other security threats or disruptions faced by us, our customers or our suppliers and other partners, and changes in related regulations

  • the performance and viability of our subcontractors and suppliers and the availability and pricing of raw materials, chemicals, parts and components, particularly with inflationary pressures, increased costs, shortages in labor and financial resources, supply chain disruptions, and extended material lead times

  • our ability to attract and retain a qualified and talented workforce with the necessary security clearances to meet our performance obligations

  • our exposure to additional risks as a result of our international business, including risks related to global security, geopolitical and economic factors, misconduct, suppliers, laws and regulations

  • natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics and similar outbreaks and other significant disruptions

  • our ability to innovate, develop new products and technologies, progress and benefit from digital transformation and maintain technologies to meet the needs of our customers

  • products and services we provide related to hazardous and high risk operations, including the production and use of such products, which subject us to various environmental, regulatory, financial, reputational and other risks

  • our ability appropriately to protect and exploit intellectual property rights

General and Other Risk Factors

  • the adequacy and availability of, and ability to obtain, insurance coverage, customer indemnifications or other liability protections

*•*the future investment performance of plan assets, gains or losses associated with changes in valuation of marketable securities related to our non-qualified benefit plans, changes in actuarial assumptions associated with our pension and other postretirement benefit plans and legislative or other regulatory actions impacting our pension and postretirement benefit obligations

  • changes in business conditions that could impact business investments and/or recorded goodwill or the value of other long-lived assets, and other potential future liabilities

You are urged to consider the limitations on, and risks associated with, forward-looking statements and not unduly rely on the accuracy of forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date this report is first filed or, in the case of any document incorporated by reference, the date of that document. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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