Kratos Defense & Security Valuation Multiples

Tesla is a vertically integrated battery electric vehicle automaker and developer of real world artificial intelligence software, which includes autonomous driving and humanoid robots. The company has multiple vehicles in its fleet, which include luxury and midsize sedans, crossover SUVs, a light truck, and a semi truck. Tesla also plans to begin selling a sports car and offer a robotaxi service. Global deliveries in 2025 were nearly 1.64 million vehicles. The company sells batteries for stationary storage for residential and commercial properties including utilities and solar panels and solar roofs for energy generation. Tesla also owns a fast-charging network and an auto insurance business.

GE Aerospace is the global leader in designing, manufacturing, and servicing commercial aircraft turbine engines, along with partner Safran in their CFM joint venture. With its massive global installed base of nearly 80,000 commercial and military engines, GE Aerospace earns most of its profits on recurring service revenue of that equipment, which operates for decades. GE Aerospace is the remaining core business of the company formed in 1892 with historical ties to American inventor Thomas Edison; that company became a storied conglomerate with peak revenue of $130 billion in 2000 until GE spun off its appliance, finance, healthcare, and wind and power businesses between 2016 and 2024.

Palantir is an artificial intelligence, analytics, and automated decision-making company that leverages data to drive efficiency across its clients' organizations. The firm serves commercial and government clients via its Foundry and Gotham platforms, respectively. Palantir works only with entities in Western-allied nations and reserves the right not to work with anyone that is antithetical to Western values. The company was founded in 2003 and went public in 2020.

RTX is an aerospace and defense manufacturer formed from the merger of United Technologies and Raytheon, with roughly equal exposure across three segments, mostly as a supplier to commercial aerospace and to the defense market: Collins Aerospace, a diversified aerospace supplier; Pratt & Whitney, a commercial and military aircraft engine manufacturer; and Raytheon, a defense prime contractor providing a mix of missiles, missile defense systems, sensors, hardware, and communications technology to the military.

ABB supplies electrical equipment and automation products. Founded in the late 19th century, the company was created out of the merger of two old industrial companies: ASEA and BBC. Its products include electrical equipment, industrial robots, and equipment used for industrial automation, sold via approximately 19 business divisions. ABB is the number-one or -two supplier in two-thirds of its product segments.

Amphenol is a global supplier of connectors, sensors, and interconnect systems. It holds the second-largest connector market share globally and sells into the automotive, broadband, commercial air, industrial, IT and data communications, military, mobile devices, and mobile networks end markets. Amphenol is diversified geographically, with operations in 40 countries.

Boeing is a major aerospace and defense firm operating in three segments: commercial airplanes; defense, space, and security; and global services. Boeing's commercial airplanes segment competes with Airbus in the production of aircraft that can carry more than 130 passengers. Boeing's defense, space, and security segment competes with defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to create military aircraft, satellites, and weaponry. Global services provides aftermarket support to airlines.

Airbus is a global aerospace and defense firm that designs, develops, and manufactures commercial and military jets and helicopters, as well as space launch vehicles and satellites. The company operates three divisions: commercial, defense and space, and helicopters. Commercial offers multiple configurations of aircraft ranging from the narrow-body (120-200 seats) A220 and A320 series to the much larger A330 and A350 wide-body models. The defense and space segment supplies governments with military hardware, including transport aircraft, aerial tankers, and the Eurofighter Typhoon multirole jet. The helicopter division manufactures turbine helicopters for the civil and public markets.

Safran is a key player in the global commercial and military aerospace propulsion and equipment sectors. The group has three reportable segments: aerospace propulsion (commercial and military aircraft engines and spare parts); aircraft equipment, defense, and aerosystems (diversified business supplying components ranging from landing gear to avionics); and aircraft interiors (seats, cabins, and in-flight entertainment systems). Safran is a partner to the CFM joint venture with GE Aviation, which produces narrow-body engines.

Rolls-Royce operates three core business segments: civil aerospace, power systems, and defense. The civil aerospace segment builds engines powering wide-body aircraft, regional and business jets, and offers aftermarket services. Twenty years ago, the firm pioneered full-service flight hour contracts with the TotalCare package. Power systems provides power solutions to multiple end markets (defense, agriculture, marine, and power generation) while the defense business provides military, ground vehicle and naval propulsion solutions.

Honeywell traces its roots to 1885 with Albert Butz’s firm, Butz Thermo-Electric Regulator, which produced a predecessor to the modern thermostat. Other inventions by Honeywell include biodegradable detergent and autopilot. Today, Honeywell is a global multi-industry behemoth with one of the largest installed bases of equipment. It operates through four business segments: aerospace technologies, industrial automation, energy and sustainability solutions, and building automation. Recently, Honeywell has made several portfolio changes to focus on fewer end markets and align with a set of secular growth trends. The firm is working diligently to expand its installed base, deriving around one third of its revenue from recurring aftermarket services.

Lockheed Martin is the world's largest defense contractor and has dominated the Western market for high-end fighter aircraft since it won the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program in 2001. Aeronautics is Lockheed’s largest segment, which derives upward of two-thirds of its revenue from the F-35. Lockheed’s remaining segments are rotary and mission systems, mainly encompassing the Sikorsky helicopter business; missiles and fire control, which creates missiles and missile defense systems; and space systems, which produces satellites and receives equity income from the United Launch Alliance joint venture.

Cadence Design Systems is a provider of electronic design automation software, intellectual property, and system design and analysis products. EDA software automates and aids in the chip design process, enhancing design accuracy, productivity, and complexity in a full-flow end-to-end solution. Cadence offers a portfolio of design IP, as well as system design and analysis products, which enables system-level analysis and verification solutions.

Mitsubishi Corp. is Japan’s largest general trading house, or sogo shosha, a type of conglomerate unique to Japan. Its core role is that of a trading intermediary in a variety of industrial sectors, including resources businesses like energy and metals as well as non-resources businesses, both industrial ones like automotive and non-industrial ones like food, healthcare, and retail. In addition to acting as a trading intermediary (including midstream processing functions to convert inputs into final products), Mitsubishi also participates in upstream production businesses and downstream distribution businesses.

Howmet Aerospace Inc offers engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. The company's products and solutions include investment castings for jet engines and industrial gas turbines; seamless rolled rings for jet engines; fastening systems for aerospace, industrial and commercial transportation applications; forged jet engine components (e.g., jet engine disks); machined and forged aircraft parts; and forged aluminum commercial vehicle wheels, all of which are sold directly to customers or through distributors. It has four reportable segments: Engine Products, which derives key revenue, Fastening Systems, Engineered Structures, and Forged Wheels. Geographically, the company derives maximum revenue from the USA, followed by France, Japan, Germany, and other markets.

General Dynamics is a defense contractor and business jet manufacturer. The firm’s segments are aerospace, marine, combat systems, and technologies. General Dynamics' aerospace segment manufactures Gulfstream business jets and operates a global aircraft servicing operation. Combat systems produces land-based combat vehicles such as the M1 Abrams tank and Stryker armored personnel carrier, as well as munitions. The marine segment builds and services nuclear-powered submarines, destroyers, and Navy support ships. The technologies segment contains two main units: an IT business that primarily serves the government market and a mission systems business focusing on electronics that provide command, control, computing, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to the military.

Following Johnson Controls’ divestiture of its residential and light commercial HVAC businesses to Bosch in 2025, nearly all of its revenue comes from commercial HVAC (60%) and fire and security products and services (40%). A 2016 merger joined Johnson Controls’ HVAC and Tyco’s fire and security businesses with the premise that there is synergy in offering a broader variety of automation products and solutions to commercial buildings. We estimate Johnson Controls’ pro forma revenue mix will be one-third products, one-third installation, and one-third services.

Bloom Energy designs, manufactures, sells, and installs solid oxide fuel cell systems for on-site power generation. Bloom Energy Servers are fuel-flexible and can use natural gas, biogas, and hydrogen to create 24/7 electricity for stationary applications. Bloom sells its systems in the United States and internationally.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of ships, industrial machinery, and aircraft. The segments of the company are Energy; Plants and Infrastructure Systems; Logistics, Thermal and Drive Systems; and Aircraft, Defense, and Space. The company earns maximum revenue from the energy segment, which handles clean gas, steam power systems, nuclear power systems, compressors, and marine machinery. The Plants and Infrastructure Systems segment of the company deals with commercial ships, engineering, machine tools, and machinery systems; Logistics, Thermal, and Drive Systems provide material handling systems, engines, HVAC systems, and automotive air-conditioners; and the Aircraft, Defense, and Space cover commercial aircraft, defense aircraft, and others.

Northrop Grumman is a diversified defense contractor providing aeronautics, defense, and space systems. The company's aerospace segment produces autonomous and piloted aircraft such as Global Hawk drones and the new B-21 bomber, creates the fuselage for the massive F-35 program, and maintains and upgrades numerous other military aircraft. Defense systems makes artillery and missile ammunition and guidance systems, long-range missiles, and missile defense systems. Mission systems creates and integrates a variety of radar, navigation, and communication systems for avionics, weapons control, and countermeasures on a range of platforms from helicopters to destroyers. Space systems produces satellites, sensors, space structures, and rocket motors.

BAE Systems is a British global defense, security, and aerospace company and the largest defense contractor in Europe; it is one of six prime contractors to the US Department of Defense. For reporting purposes, the company has five operating segments: electronics systems is the group's US- and UK-based electronic warfare systems; the cyber, security, and intelligence segment supplies intelligence and security solutions to the US government; platforms and services manufactures combat vehicles and munitions and performs ship repair services to the US Defense Department; the air segment includes BAE’s share of US and European air programs as well as its businesses in Saudi Arabia and Australia, and the maritime segment comprises UK land- and marine-based activities.

Lumentum Holdings Inc is a California-based technology firm. The company provides two types of optical and photonic products: optical components that are used in telecommunications networking equipment, and commercial lasers for manufacturing, inspection, and life-science lab uses. Its segments are Optical Communications and Commercial Lasers. The firm is also expanding into new optical applications, such as 3-D sensing laser diode for consumer electronics. It generates maximum revenue from the OpComms segment. The OpComms segment products include a wide range of components, modules, and subsystems to support customers including carrier networks for access (local), metro (intracity), long-haul, and submarine (undersea) applications.

TransDigm manufactures and services a broad set of specialized parts for commercial and military aircraft. The firm organizes itself in three segments: power and control, airframes, and a small non-aviation segment, which serves mostly off-road vehicles and mining equipment. It operates as an acquisitive holding company that focuses on buying up smaller firms that make proprietary aerospace products with substantial aftermarket demand. TransDigm regularly employs financial leverage to amplify its operating results.

Rheinmetall is an international group active in various markets with leading technological products and services. The sales focus is on the security technology and mobility segments. Since February 2021, the group structure has been made up of five divisions-vehicle systems, weapons and ammunition, electronic solutions, sensors and actuators, and materials and trade. The vehicle systems, weapons and ammunition, and electronic solutions divisions are among the defense and security industry's leading suppliers of innovative products to German and international defense forces. The sensors and actuators and materials and trade divisions' core area of expertise is the reduction of emissions, pollutants and fuel consumption.

In addition to its legacy software-defined radio franchise, L3Harris Technologies has through a series of acquisitions established franchises producing uncrewed aerial vehicles, sensors, avionics, space-based systems, missiles, and solid rocket motors. It also adapts civilian aircraft for military use and provides military and commercial training services, and maintains the US Federal Aviation Administration's communications infrastructure.

Carrier Global, spun out of United Technologies in 2020, manufactures and services commercial and residential HVAC systems and transportation refrigeration solutions under its flagship Carrier brand, as well as Bryant, Payne, Heil, and others across various price points. In 2024, Carrier acquired Viessmann Climate Solutions to expand its footprint in Europe with heat pumps, boilers, and solar PV equipment. Proceeds from the sale of Carrier’s fire and security (Honeywell) and commercial refrigeration (Haier) businesses reduced debt and focused the company on global HVAC and refrigeration solutions. Carrier generates 75% of sales from equipment and 25% from parts and services. The company derives 50% of revenue from the US, 30% from Europe, and 20% from the Asia-Pacific region.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd is a technology, engineering, manufacturing, and financial services conglomerate operating globally. It enters into contracts to construct various facilities, develop solutions for offshore and onshore hydrocarbon projects, serve power plants, build ships, and perform other engineering projects. Its integrated capabilities help customers throughout the entire value chain, from design to delivering a project. The company's operating segments are: Infrastructure projects, Energy projects, Hi-Tech Manufacturing, IT & Technology services, Financial services, Development projects, and other segments. A majority of its revenue is generated from the Infrastructure projects segment. Geographically, the group generates maximum revenue from its operations in India.

Thales is a French aerospace and defense industrial and one of Europe's largest defense contractors. The company has three segments: defense and security provides sensors, mission systems, communications, and control systems to European and export defense customers; aerospace sells avionics and satellites to the civil, defense, and governmental markets; and digital identity and security provides biometric, data, and identity security solutions, payments services, and the manufacturing of SIM cards.

Vistra Corp. is one of the largest power producers and retail energy providers in the USA. It owns 44 gigawatts of generation capacity, including natural gas (27 GW), nuclear (6.5 GW), coal (8.7 GW), and solar and battery storage (1.4 GW). The Cogentrix acquisition will add 5.5 GW of gas generation. Vistra's retail electricity business serves 5 million customers in 20 states, including almost a third of all Texas electricity consumers. Vistra emerged from the Energy Future Holdings bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in 2016.

With roots tracing back to the early 1900s, Rockwell Automation is the successor to Rockwell International, which spun off its avionics segment in 2001. It is a pure-play industrial automation company that operates through three segments. Its largest segment by revenue, intelligent devices, sells factory floor-level devices such as motors, drives, sensors, relays, and actuators. Its software and control segment sells visualization, simulation, and human-machine interface software and control products such as programmable controllers, computers, and operator terminals. Its smallest segment, lifecycle services, offers digital consulting, engineered-to-order services, and other outsourced services such as remote monitoring, cybersecurity, and asset and plant maintenance and optimization.

Founded in 1982, Autodesk is a multinational software company best known for pioneering computer-aided design, or CAD, with its AutoCAD product. Nowadays, Autodesk provides design software for a variety of verticals, including architecture & construction, manufacturing, and media & entertainment. Autodesk products have been used in some of the world's most iconic landmarks, like Burj Khalifa, and well-known movie titles like Avatar.

Founded in 1935, TDK has its origin in magnetic materials, being the first company to commercialize ferrite in the world, and it used to be known as one of the major cassette-tape manufacturers. TDK is now the only external supplier for magnetic recording heads for hard disk drives, and the company intends to expand its magnetic sensor business for handsets and automobiles by leveraging its expertise. It is also one of the global top suppliers of passive components for autos and polymer rechargeable batteries for smartphones. The company acquired InvenSense in 2017, making it third largest MEMS sensor company in the world.

Fanuc's primary products include industrial robots, computerized numerical control systems (CNC), and compact machining centers (Robodrills) globally. The company had its beginnings as part of Fujitsu developing early numerical control systems and commands the top global market share with its CNC systems and industrial robots.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is engaged in shipbuilding and heavy-industry manufacturing. The company operates through four segments: Engine Machinery, Offshore Plant, Shipbuilding, and Others. The Engine Machinery segment produces marine engines, diesel power systems, pumps, and fluid machinery. The Offshore Plant segment handles the construction and installation of offshore structures, floating production units, and power-generation equipment. The Shipbuilding segment manufactures crude-oil carriers, container ships, product tankers, LNG carriers, and naval vessels. The Others segment covers leisure and performance-related facilities. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Shipbuilding segment.

Constellation Software is an acquirer, manager, and developer of vertical market software, or VMS, businesses globally. VMS differentiates from horizontal software in that it provides mission critical solutions within a specific industry for customers in a particular market. Constellation operates through a decentralized model in which each business operates as its own independent entity. Managers of individual businesses are incentivized to optimize their business for returns on invested capital and revenue growth. Excess cash generated by the individual businesses is repatriated to portfolio managers who focus on allocating as much capital as possible on new acquisitions. As of 2025, Constellation consisted of over 1,000 individual businesses and 64,000 employees.

Axon Enterprise Inc is building a public safety operating system by integrating a suite of hardware devices and cloud software solutions. The company's suite includes cloud-hosted digital evidence management solutions, TASER energy devices, drones and robotic security, and training solutions. Its operation comprises of two operating segments, Software and Services, and Connected Devices. The company generates the majority of its revenue from the Connected Devices segment, which is engaged in developing, manufacturing, and selling fully integrated hardware solutions such as conducted energy devices sold under the TASER brand, body cameras, fixed and in-car cameras, drone and counter-drone technologies, and a broad ecosystem of accessories, extended warranties and related hardware products.

Elbit Systems Ltd is a technology company involved in producing a portfolio of systems and products for aircraft, land, and naval applications. The company's products are used for defense, homeland security, and commercial flight capabilities. Its systems and solutions may be installed on new platforms, or it may perform a comprehensive modernization program to transform a platform. Elbit Systems gives instructions to its customers on the proper maintenance of its products and will provide support team specialists when the customer cannot fix a problem. The company markets its systems and products as a prime contractor or as a subcontractor to government, defense, and homeland security contractors world wide.

Aselsan Elektronik Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS provides defense technologies to the Turkish armed forces. Additionally, it exports systems and solutions to clients in other countries and has taken on civil projects. Its products may help with communications, radars, sensing, or other defense systems to enhance proficiencies within the industrials sector. Marketing efforts may be geared toward a specific customer or specific segment in the market, and plans are implemented to showcase product capabilities.

Hanwha Aerospace Co Ltd is engaged in the manufacturing and technology businesses spanning aerospace, aviation, defense, industrial equipment, IT services, marine operations, and security solutions. Its Aerospace segment handles satellite system manufacturing; the Aviation segment covers aircraft engines and parts; the Defense industry segment produces self-propelled howitzers and armored vehicles; the Industrial equipment segment focuses on SMT machinery; the IT service segment provides consulting, SI, ITO, and logistics services; the Security department manufactures CCTVs and related peripherals; and the Marine segment includes merchant marine activities, marine and special vessel manufacturing, as well as plant and wind power operations.

Chroma Ate Inc manufactures and sells automated testing systems, electronic testing instruments, signal generators, and power supplies. The reportable segments of the company are the Test Instrument Department, the Automatic Equipment Department, and Others. The company generates maximum revenue from the Test Instrument Department segment. The Corporation designs, assembles, calibrates, manufactures, sells, repairs, and maintains software/hardware for computers and peripherals, computerized automatic test systems, electronic test instruments, signal generators, power supplies, telecom power supplies, and others.

Switzerland-based Schindler is a top-four global supplier of elevators and escalators. The business generates revenue in three ways: selling new elevators and escalators, modernizing old equipment, and servicing existing installations. Most of the company's profit comes from the last activity, where contracts are rolled over annually with built-in price increases. Ninety percent of its business is in elevators, which are more numerous globally than escalators. Its business model is similar to that of closest competitors Otis, Kone, and TK Elevator.

Leonardo is one of the largest European defense firms, with 30% of its shares owned by the Italian government. The group’s divisions include helicopters; defense, electronics, and security systems; and aeronautics. The helicopter division serves both military and civil markets through AgustaWestland. DES has access to the US defense market through the DRS subsidiary. The aeronautics division cooperates in international programs, such as Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35, and the new Tempest, and supplies aerostructures to large commercial aircraft programs.

First Solar designs and manufactures solar photovoltaic panels, modules, and systems for use in utility-scale development projects. The company's solar modules use cadmium telluride to convert sunlight into electricity. This is commonly called thin-film technology. First Solar is the world’s largest thin-film solar module manufacturer. It has production lines in Vietnam, Malaysia, the United States, and India.

Bharat Electronics Ltd is an aerospace and defense company predominantly owned by the Indian government. It manufactures a wide range of specialized electronics and equipment for defense and civilian use. Its investments are made in research and development to meet the ever-changing needs of customers and to test products in its pipeline. Its product portfolio includes unmanned systems, land-based radars, batteries, weapon systems, fuzes, simulators, and jammers, among others. It also provides cybersecurity and software products. A majority of the company's revenue is derived from the defense sector. Geographically, the company's key revenue is derived from India, and it also has international customers from countries like the United Kingdom, Israel, and others.

Saab supplies products and services for military, defense, and civil security. The company operates in four segments: aeronautics, dynamics, surveillance, and Kockums. Aeronautics involves the manufacturing and support of defense and commercial aerial systems. Dynamics produces combat weapons and defense training and management systems. Surveillance supplies security services, and creates traffic management technology and aviation parts. Kockums offers solutions for naval missions. Over three fourths of Saab’s sales are from the defense sector. The company sells to multiple geographic regions, but over half of its sales come from Europe.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd operates in the aerospace and defense sector. The company is engaged in the design, manufacturing, and development of products like aircraft, helicopters, systems and accessories, power plants, avionics, materials like castings, rolled rings, rubber products, and aerospace which include structures, tanks, and cryogenic engines. Geographically the company derives revenue from India and other countries, of which a majority of revenue is generated from India.

Dassault Systèmes is a leading provider of computer-assisted design and product lifecycle management software, serving customers like Boeing and Volkswagen throughout the production process. The company’s flagship product, Catia, primarily serves the transportation, industrial equipment, and aerospace and defense industries. In life sciences, Dassault’s Medidata cloud platform optimizes clinical trial efficiency and is the leader in electronic data capture.

Kongsberg Gruppen is an international technology company that supplies products and services to the defense, maritime, oil, gas, and aerospace industries. The company is divided into two business segments: the maritime segment and defense and aerospace systems. Maritime, which earns most of the firm's revenue, creates navigation, automation, monitoring, and positioning products for commercial ships and offshore industry. The defense and aerospace segment provides defense and space-related products and systems. Outside of the two main segments, the firm operates Kongsberg Digital, which produces digital solutions for oil, gas, wind, and merchant marine markets. Products are delivered globally, with North America accounting for about one third of total revenue.