L3Harris Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LHX) released its financial results for the fourth quarter early Thursday, presenting a mixed performance that sparked a notable reaction in premarket trading. The company recorded quarterly revenues of $5.64 billion, marking a 2% increase year-over-year; however, this figure fell short of the market’s expected $5.77 billion.
On the earnings front, L3Harris reported a non-GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.86, surpassing analyst estimates of $2.76. This outperformance on adjusted earnings stood in contrast to the modest revenue miss.
Operationally, the company demonstrated robust cash generation during the period. Cash flow from operations reached $1.96 billion, significantly higher than the $1.13 billion reported in the same quarter the prior year. Adjusted free cash flow also rose substantially to $1.86 billion, compared with $1.03 billion in the year-ago quarter, reflecting efficient capital management and profitability.
Despite these positive cash metrics, the GAAP operating margin declined to 7.0% from 10.3% in the fourth quarter of 2024. On an adjusted basis, the segment operating margin improved slightly to 15.7% from 15.3%. The company ended the quarter with approximately $1.06 billion in cash and cash equivalents on hand.
Christopher Kubasik, Chairman and CEO of L3Harris, emphasized that 2025 marked an inflection point for the company’s portfolio alignment, linking it to critical national and global defense priorities which fueled record orders and strong organic growth. Kubasik noted that accelerating customer urgency and strategic investments enabled L3Harris to deliver with both speed and operational scale.
Looking ahead, Kubasik expressed confidence in the company’s prospects for 2026, citing ongoing investments in technology and production capacity, backed by a record backlog and strong demand signals. He reiterated a disciplined approach to shareholder value creation, paired with continued capital expenditure and research and development investments.
For fiscal 2026, L3Harris provided guidance projecting adjusted earnings per share in the range of $11.30 to $11.50. This outlook was notably below the consensus analyst estimate of $12.46, potentially tempering investor sentiment. However, the company raised its annual revenue forecast slightly to a range of $23.0 billion to $23.5 billion, just above the prior midpoint and modestly exceeding the consensus estimate of $23.327 billion.
Revenue forecasts by business segment include Space & Mission Systems expected to generate approximately $11.5 billion; Communications & Spectrum Dominance anticipated near $8.0 billion; and Missile Solutions projected around $4.4 billion.
Operating margin projections indicated a mid-10% range for Space & Mission Systems, about 25% for Communications & Spectrum Dominance, and mid-12% for Missile Solutions, cumulatively resulting in an overall operating margin forecast in the low 16% range. The company anticipates free cash flow to approximate $3.0 billion in 2026.
Following the earnings release and guidance update, L3Harris shares declined by approximately 5.08% to $342.00 in premarket trading on Thursday, reflecting investor caution amid upside revenue guidance contrasted by earnings per share downside.
Although delivering strong cash generation and a raised revenue outlook highlighting solid demand and a robust backlog, the tempered EPS guidance appears to weigh on market sentiment. Investors may be parsing the margin contraction and how investments in capacity and R&D will impact profitability going forward.