Astronics Corporation (NASDAQ:ATRO) delivered stronger than forecasted revenue figures for its preliminary fourth quarter, affirming a dynamic end to fiscal year 2025. The aerospace and defense industry’s sustained demand played a significant role in propelling this momentum.
For the fourth quarter, Astronics projected revenue in a range of $236 million to $239 million, surpassing analyst expectations that anticipated $230.005 million. This performance reflects a notable resilience and growth compared to prior periods.
Looking at the full fiscal year 2025, the company forecasts total revenue reaching approximately $860 million, which signals an estimated 8% increase compared to 2024. The consensus of analysts stood slightly lower, with an estimate near $853.048 million, demonstrating that Astronics exceeded expectations on both quarterly and annual levels.
The company further highlighted order activity with fourth-quarter bookings reaching about $257 million. This strong intake lifted the cumulative orders for the year to roughly $924 million. The magnitude of these commitments supports management's outlook that the robust demand trends are expected to continue well into 2026.
For fiscal 2026, Astronics provided an inaugural revenue forecast ranging from $950 million to $990 million. This outlook translates to anticipated growth between 10% and 15% over 2025’s results, closely aligned with the analyst estimate of $951.318 million.
Peter J. Gundermann, Chairman, President, and CEO of Astronics, emphasized the positive business trends underpinning the company’s forecasts. Gundermann noted, "We ended the year on a strong note with double-digit revenue growth over recent quarters. Given the robust level of bookings in the fourth quarter and the strength of our backlog, we expect the momentum to continue in 2026, with sales up 10% to 15% over 2025."
He also pointed out the operational implications of rising volume, noting, "We also expect the higher volume will positively impact our profitability and cash flow." These remarks suggest management is confident that scaling sales will directly benefit financial outcomes beyond top-line growth.
In addition to organic growth, Astronics has been proactively expanding its aviation sector presence through mergers and acquisitions. This strategic initiative seeks to deepen the firm’s technological capabilities related to next-generation aircraft systems. The aim is to extend product exposure across various aircraft platforms, contributing to the company’s longer-term growth and competitive positioning within aerospace.
Following these developments, Astronics’ stock price responded favorably. Shares rose 9.01% to $63.50 at the time of reporting on Thursday, reaching a new 52-week high, illustrating investor confidence bolstered by the company’s optimistic outlook and financial execution.
Overall, Astronics demonstrated strong execution in its recent fiscal period, backed by healthy aerospace and defense demand, escalating bookings, and strategic growth initiatives. The 2026 revenue forecast underscores management’s expectation for continued expansion supported by operational leverage and market opportunities.