RTX (NYSE:RTX) Shares Up 2.8% – Still a Buy?

RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) shares shot up 2.8% on Wednesday . The stock traded as high as $203.80 and last traded at $203.4120. 4,383,723 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 28% from the average session volume of 6,109,623 shares. The stock had previously closed at $197.92.

Key Stories Impacting RTX

Here are the key news stories impacting RTX this week:

• Positive Sentiment: RTX landed a US$50 billion Department of Defense contract to build and sustain the Patriot missile-defense system — a multi‑decade program (~20 years) that meaningfully extends backlog and improves long‑term cash‑flow visibility for RTX. RTX’s US$50b Patriot Deal Extends Backlog And Cash Flow Visibility
• Positive Sentiment: Pratt & Whitney (RTX) secured a $3.8 billion contract modification for Lots 18–19 of the F135 engine (used on the F‑35), further adding near‑term revenue and visibility into aerospace aftermarket and production cash flows. RTX Secures $3.8 Billion Contract Modification for F135 Engine
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts and research pieces highlight RTX’s missile‑defense capabilities and multi‑year contracts as a structural growth driver—supporting higher forward earnings expectations as geopolitical risks keep defense R&D and sustainment spending elevated. RTX’s Missile Defense Capabilities: Key to Future Growth?
• Positive Sentiment: Erste Group slightly raised its FY2027 EPS estimate for RTX and maintains a Buy — incremental analyst support that helps sentiment around the stock’s elevated forward multiple and growth outlook.
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage pieces noting Wall Street optimism about RTX emphasize analyst recommendations but remind investors that rating moves can be already reflected in the share price; useful context but not an immediate catalyst by itself. Wall Street Bulls Look Optimistic About RTX
• Negative Sentiment: Barron’s and other outlets report that an announced Iran cease‑fire has softened the defense rally; reduced near‑term geopolitical risk tends to pressure defense contractors’ shares as investors mark down the probability of immediate additional procurement or emergency orders. Defense Stocks Mixed After Iran Cease-Fire
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest in a defense ETF surged, and RTX is a large holding in that fund; elevated shorting and profit‑taking in the sector can add volatility and cap near‑term upside even as company‑specific awards support fundamentals. After Iran Ceasefire, This Defense ETF’s Short Interest Is Surging

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have recently weighed in on RTX. Citigroup decreased their price objective on shares of RTX from $238.00 to $226.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 2nd. Melius Research raised shares of RTX from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 2nd. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $235.00 target price on shares of RTX in a research note on Wednesday, January 28th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reissued a “buy” rating and set a $240.00 target price on shares of RTX in a research note on Thursday, March 5th. Finally, Wolfe Research reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of RTX in a research note on Wednesday, February 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, six have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, RTX has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $204.44.

RTX Stock Performance

The firm has a market capitalization of $273.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 41.01, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.84 and a beta of 0.43. The company’s 50 day moving average is $200.25 and its 200-day moving average is $185.27. The company has a quick ratio of 0.80, a current ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51.

RTX (NYSE:RTX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 27th. The company reported $1.55 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.47 by $0.08. RTX had a net margin of 7.60% and a return on equity of 13.08%. The firm had revenue of $24.24 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $22.65 billion. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.54 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 12.1% compared to the same quarter last year. RTX has set its FY 2026 guidance at 6.600-6.800 EPS. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that RTX Corporation will post 6.11 EPS for the current year.

RTX Announces Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, March 19th. Shareholders of record on Friday, February 20th were paid a $0.68 dividend. This represents a $2.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, February 20th. RTX’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 54.84%.

Insider Transactions at RTX

In other RTX news, VP Kevin G. Dasilva sold 8,136 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, February 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $201.30, for a total value of $1,637,776.80. Following the transaction, the vice president directly owned 27,102 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,455,632.60. This trade represents a 23.09% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Neil G. Mitchill, Jr. sold 35,755 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $205.56, for a total transaction of $7,349,797.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 59,556 shares in the company, valued at $12,242,331.36. This trade represents a 37.51% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last three months, insiders sold 89,255 shares of company stock valued at $18,151,956. Corporate insiders own 0.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of RTX

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. BNP Paribas purchased a new stake in shares of RTX in the third quarter valued at about $25,000. Navalign LLC purchased a new stake in shares of RTX in the fourth quarter valued at about $25,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of RTX in the fourth quarter valued at about $26,000. Valley Wealth Managers Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of RTX in the third quarter valued at about $30,000. Finally, Core Wealth Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of RTX in the fourth quarter valued at about $31,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 86.50% of the company’s stock.

RTX Company Profile

RTX (NYSE: RTX) is a U.S.-based aerospace and defense company that designs, manufactures and services advanced systems for commercial, military and governmental customers worldwide. The company was created through the 2020 combination of Raytheon Company and United Technologies Corporation and later adopted the RTX name, positioning itself as a diversified provider across the aerospace and defense value chain.

RTX’s operations span a broad set of capabilities. Its commercial aerospace businesses include Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines and Collins Aerospace systems, which supply propulsion, avionics, aerostructures, interiors and integrated aircraft systems.