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Lockheed Martin Shares Swing Wildly as Trump Bans Defense Buybacks, Then Proposes Massive Military Budget Hike

MarketDash Editorial Team
1 day ago
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin experienced dramatic volatility Tuesday as President Trump first criticized the industry's buybacks and executive pay, then hours later called for a $1.5 trillion military budget—sending shares down 4.8% before rallying 6.3% overnight.

If you owned Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) shares on Tuesday, you experienced what traders call a whipsaw—and not the gentle kind. The defense contractor's stock tumbled nearly 5% during regular trading, only to surge more than 6% overnight. The catalyst? Two contradictory social media posts from President Donald Trump, made within hours of each other.

The Takedown

The drama started when Trump took to Truth Social with a blistering critique of America's defense contractors. Lockheed Martin closed down 4.82% at $496.87 as investors digested the president's message.

Trump's grievances were specific and sweeping. He blasted the industry for prioritizing "massive" dividends and stock buybacks over investments in plants and equipment, arguing this approach has led to sluggish deliveries of critical military hardware. The maintenance of military equipment, he warned, was "far too slow" and must be "on time" going forward.

But Trump didn't stop at operational complaints. He went after executive compensation with particular vigor, calling pay packages "exorbitant and unjustifiable." His proposed solution was equally bold: "no executive should be allowed to make in excess of $5 million" until production and maintenance issues improve.

Then came the headline declaration: "I will not permit Dividends or Stock Buybacks for Defense Companies until such time as these problems are rectified."

The market's response was immediate and brutal. Defense stocks across the board finished in the red, with the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) falling 1.65% for the day.

The Reversal

Just when defense investors were contemplating their losses, Trump posted again on Truth Social—this time with a very different message.

The president called for a historic expansion of military spending, proposing that "our Military Budget for the year 2027" should jump to $1.5 trillion from the current $1 trillion. The increase, he said, was essential for building a "dream military."

That's a 50% budget increase, for those keeping score at home. And defense stocks noticed.

Lockheed Martin reversed course sharply, climbing 6.3% in overnight trading. The whipsaw was complete: investors who panicked and sold during the day watched the stock rally after hours on the promise of substantially higher defense spending—even if buybacks and dividends remain off the table for now.

What It Means

The episode illustrates the unique volatility facing defense contractors under an administration willing to publicly criticize industry practices while simultaneously proposing massive budget increases. For investors, it's a reminder that policy risk in the defense sector isn't just about budget cuts—it's also about how companies can return capital to shareholders.

Trump's executive compensation cap proposal, if implemented, would represent an unprecedented intrusion into corporate governance. Whether the president has the legal authority to enforce such restrictions on private companies remains an open question.

Meanwhile, the proposed $1.5 trillion budget represents a substantial increase in potential revenue for defense contractors, even if they're restricted from buying back shares or paying dividends. The question becomes whether that revenue growth can offset the loss of financial flexibility and the potential talent drain from capped executive pay.

For now, Lockheed Martin investors are left processing two contradictory signals in less than 24 hours—a perfect encapsulation of market uncertainty when policy arrives via social media posts.

Back to Stock Market News

Lockheed Martin Shares Swing Wildly as Trump Bans Defense Buybacks, Then Proposes Massive Military Budget Hike

MarketDash Editorial Team
1 day ago
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin experienced dramatic volatility Tuesday as President Trump first criticized the industry's buybacks and executive pay, then hours later called for a $1.5 trillion military budget—sending shares down 4.8% before rallying 6.3% overnight.

If you owned Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) shares on Tuesday, you experienced what traders call a whipsaw—and not the gentle kind. The defense contractor's stock tumbled nearly 5% during regular trading, only to surge more than 6% overnight. The catalyst? Two contradictory social media posts from President Donald Trump, made within hours of each other.

The Takedown

The drama started when Trump took to Truth Social with a blistering critique of America's defense contractors. Lockheed Martin closed down 4.82% at $496.87 as investors digested the president's message.

Trump's grievances were specific and sweeping. He blasted the industry for prioritizing "massive" dividends and stock buybacks over investments in plants and equipment, arguing this approach has led to sluggish deliveries of critical military hardware. The maintenance of military equipment, he warned, was "far too slow" and must be "on time" going forward.

But Trump didn't stop at operational complaints. He went after executive compensation with particular vigor, calling pay packages "exorbitant and unjustifiable." His proposed solution was equally bold: "no executive should be allowed to make in excess of $5 million" until production and maintenance issues improve.

Then came the headline declaration: "I will not permit Dividends or Stock Buybacks for Defense Companies until such time as these problems are rectified."

The market's response was immediate and brutal. Defense stocks across the board finished in the red, with the iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF (ITA) falling 1.65% for the day.

The Reversal

Just when defense investors were contemplating their losses, Trump posted again on Truth Social—this time with a very different message.

The president called for a historic expansion of military spending, proposing that "our Military Budget for the year 2027" should jump to $1.5 trillion from the current $1 trillion. The increase, he said, was essential for building a "dream military."

That's a 50% budget increase, for those keeping score at home. And defense stocks noticed.

Lockheed Martin reversed course sharply, climbing 6.3% in overnight trading. The whipsaw was complete: investors who panicked and sold during the day watched the stock rally after hours on the promise of substantially higher defense spending—even if buybacks and dividends remain off the table for now.

What It Means

The episode illustrates the unique volatility facing defense contractors under an administration willing to publicly criticize industry practices while simultaneously proposing massive budget increases. For investors, it's a reminder that policy risk in the defense sector isn't just about budget cuts—it's also about how companies can return capital to shareholders.

Trump's executive compensation cap proposal, if implemented, would represent an unprecedented intrusion into corporate governance. Whether the president has the legal authority to enforce such restrictions on private companies remains an open question.

Meanwhile, the proposed $1.5 trillion budget represents a substantial increase in potential revenue for defense contractors, even if they're restricted from buying back shares or paying dividends. The question becomes whether that revenue growth can offset the loss of financial flexibility and the potential talent drain from capped executive pay.

For now, Lockheed Martin investors are left processing two contradictory signals in less than 24 hours—a perfect encapsulation of market uncertainty when policy arrives via social media posts.