Defense stocks took a beating Wednesday after President Donald Trump dropped an executive order demanding U.S. defense contractors halt dividends and share buybacks immediately. His reasoning? The industry is underinvesting in production capacity while showering executives with oversized compensation packages.
The iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) fell more than 1%, ending a three-session winning streak. The SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF Trust (XAR) dropped about 0.9%. Individual defense names got hit even harder during afternoon trading.
Redwire Corporation (RDW) plunged nearly 7%. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NOC) dropped more than 4%. Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) declined about 3.5%. VSE Corporation (VSEC) lost roughly 3.6%.
The Presidential Directive
In a lengthy social media post, Trump made his position crystal clear: defense contractors need to stop returning cash to shareholders and start reinvesting in their businesses.
He pointed to companies issuing "massive dividends" and "massive stock buybacks" while production facilities and equipment lag behind.
"This situation will no longer be allowed or tolerated!" Trump declared.
The Production Problem
Trump's complaint centers on what he sees as sluggish military equipment production and subpar maintenance work. According to the president, defense companies aren't manufacturing equipment fast enough, and when they do produce it, they're not maintaining it properly or quickly enough.
"Defense companies are not producing our Great Military Equipment rapidly enough and, once produced, not maintaining it properly or quickly," Trump said.
The ban on dividends, buybacks, and elevated executive pay will stay in effect until companies build new and modern production facilities, speed up output of current equipment, and improve both the pace and quality of repairs.
Executive Compensation in the Crosshairs
Trump didn't stop at capital allocation. He also took direct aim at how much defense industry executives are earning.
"Executive Pay Packages in the Defense Industry are exorbitant and unjustifiable," Trump stated.
He argued that salaries, stock options, and other forms of compensation are "far too high" considering the delivery delays plaguing the sector. Trump said executives should not earn more than $5 million annually until production and maintenance problems are resolved.
How Long Will This Last?
There's no set end date. Trump made it clear the restrictions on dividends, buybacks, and executive compensation will remain until companies fix their production and maintenance shortcomings.
"I will not permit dividends or stock buybacks for defense companies until such time as these problems are rectified," Trump said.
He suggested that relying on buybacks instead of reinvesting in the business forces companies to borrow money or seek government funding down the line.
"Longer term, this is good for both executives and shareholders," he added.
Market Response
Investors didn't wait around to analyze the details. Defense stocks sold off as traders immediately began calculating the impact on cash returns and capital allocation strategies.
Here's why the reaction was so swift: dividends and buybacks have been foundational to defense stock valuations. These companies have been reliable income plays, returning steady cash to shareholders quarter after quarter. The sudden restriction raises immediate questions about near-term shareholder returns and how much financial flexibility these companies will have going forward.
The defense sector has been one of the market's more stable income-generating plays in recent years. Wednesday's announcement shows how quickly that stability can evaporate when government policy shifts.