NorthStar Earth & Space Valuation Multiples

SpaceX is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company founded in 2002 by Elon Musk and incorporated in Texas, alongside launch and manufacturing sites in Hawthorne, California, Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Vandenberg Space Force Base. The company designs, builds, and operates the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets, the Dragon crew and cargo spacecraft, and the fully reusable Starship vehicle, and has accounted for the large majority of global mass launched to orbit in recent years on the strength of reusable-rocket economics and a high launch cadence. Its Starlink division operates a low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation delivering broadband internet to more than ten million subscribers across roughly 160 countries, while the Starshield program supplies satellite and connectivity services to government and defense customers. In February 2026 SpaceX combined with Musk's artificial intelligence firm xAI, the developer of the Grok chatbot, which had itself absorbed the social platform X, consolidating space, connectivity, and AI operations under common ownership. The company completed an initial public offering on June 12, 2026, one of the largest in market history, and is led by Musk as CEO.

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.

GE Aerospace is an American aircraft engine maker headquartered in Evendale, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati, that designs, builds and services engines for commercial and military aircraft. It is the sole remaining business of General Electric, founded in 1892, whose aircraft-engine operations date to 1917; after the spin-offs of GE HealthCare and, in April 2024, GE Vernova, the company took the GE Aerospace name and kept the NYSE ticker GE. Its products include the CFM LEAP, GE9X, GEnx and the T901 turboshaft, and it builds engines through 50/50 joint ventures including CFM International with Safran, Engine Alliance and GE Honda Aero Engines. CFM holds about 39% of the world commercial aircraft engine market and GE Aerospace a further 14%. With an installed base of close to 80,000 commercial and military engines, it earns most of its profit from services, spare parts and overhauls on engines that fly for decades, alongside sales of new engines to aircraft makers, airlines and defence customers. In 2025 it reported revenue of $45.86 billion and employed about 57,000 people. H. Lawrence Culp Jr. is chairman and chief executive.

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.

Amphenol is a United States manufacturer of electrical, electronic and fiber-optic interconnect products, sensors and cable systems. Its connector portfolio supports applications involving high-speed data, electrical power, radio-frequency signals and operation in demanding environments. The company also supplies cable assemblies, wiring harnesses, antennas, power distribution components and flexible or rigid printed circuit boards. Its sensors measure conditions such as pressure, temperature, position, moisture and vibration. Customers use these products in automotive systems, industrial equipment, communications networks, computing infrastructure, aerospace and other electronic applications. Revenue comes from sales of components and assemblies to business customers that incorporate them into larger products and systems. Amphenol offers both standard products and customized designs, with manufacturing and technical capabilities supporting customers across international markets.

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.

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.

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.

Safran is a Paris-listed aerospace and defence group formed in 2005 from the merger of Snecma and Sagem. Its propulsion division produces aircraft and helicopter engines and provides parts and maintenance over their operating lives. Other businesses supply landing gear, nacelles, electrical systems, avionics, defence equipment and aircraft interiors. Safran participates with GE Aerospace in CFM International, a major supplier of engines for narrow-body commercial aircraft. Airlines, airframers, armed forces and government customers buy the group’s products and services worldwide. Revenue comes from original equipment, aftermarket parts, maintenance and long-term service contracts. Safran acquired Indian test-systems specialist Captronic from Axon Partners in August 2022.

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.

Hitachi Ltd is engaged in diverse businesses spanning industries, energy, IT, and real estate. The company operates through four business segments. The Connective Industries segment covers elevators, escalators, home appliances, air conditioning, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, medical analyzers, industrial and distribution solutions, water and environmental solutions, and industrial equipment. The Digital Systems & Services segment offers system integration, consulting, cloud services, IT products, software, and ATMs. The Green Energy & Mobility segment focuses on power grids, renewable energy, nuclear power, and railway systems. The Others include real estate management, sales, and leasing. It generates the majority of its revenue from the Green Energy & Mobility segment.

Foxconn Industrial Internet Co Ltd is engaged in the design, research and development, manufacturing, and sales of various electronic equipment products. The company's main products include communications network equipment, cloud service equipment, precision tools, and industrial robots.

Parker Hannifin started out in 1917 as Parker Appliance, selling pneumatic brakes. Through the acquisition of branded components, the firm has expanded into aerospace engines, agricultural and construction machinery, freight and passenger vehicles, and industrial automation equipment. Within these larger systems, Parker sells a wide array of small, critical pieces such as hydraulic, electromechanical, climate control, and filtration components. Many of its products are designed to work together, resulting in a high rate of cross-selling.

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.

Keyence is a Japanese manufacturer of industrial automation and inspection equipment. Its products include sensors, machine vision systems, barcode and code readers, laser markers, measurement instruments, digital microscopes and static eliminators, used by manufacturers in sectors such as automotive, electronics, food, pharmaceuticals and machinery. The company sells mainly through its own direct sales and technical support organisation rather than through distributors, with offices across Asia, Europe and the Americas. It earns revenue from product sales and related support, reinvests in product development and keeps a large share of its output as proprietary designs. Keyence was founded in 1974, is headquartered in Osaka and is a publicly listed company. It acquired the CAD content platform TraceParts in 2026 to extend its offering to engineers and component suppliers.

ServiceNow Inc provides software solutions to structure and automate various business processes via a SaaS delivery model. The company primarily focuses on the IT function for enterprise customers. ServiceNow began with IT service management, expanded within the IT function, and more recently directed its workflow automation logic to functional areas beyond IT, notably customer service, HR service delivery, and security operations. ServiceNow also offers an application development platform as a service.

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.

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 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 Europe’s largest defense contractor. It is one of six prime contractors to the US Defense Department. It reports in five segments: Electronic systems provides electronic warfare, avionics, precision weapons, and space systems; cyber and intelligence supplies intelligence, cyber, and security services; platforms and services produces combat vehicles, artillery, munitions, and US ship repair services; air covers combat air production and support, Saudi operations, and interests in Eurofighter, MBDA, and GCAP; and maritime comprises UK warships, submarines, land activities, and the Australian business. From 2027, cyber and intelligence will be integrated into the other segments.

RELX is a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers in various industries. The company serves sectors such as science and medical research, risk management, and legal. In addition, RELX organizes large-scale digital and face-to-face events such as industry trade shows. Around 60% of revenue is generated in North America and about 20% in Europe.

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.

Based in Toronto, Barrick is one of the world's largest gold miners. In 2025, the firm sold about 3.3 million attributable ounces of gold and about 220,000 metric tons of copper. At end-2025, Barrick had about two decades of gold reserves along with significant copper reserves. After buying Randgold in 2019 and combining its Nevada mines in a joint venture with competitor Newmont later that year, it operates mines in the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company also has growing copper exposure, driven by the expansion of its Lumwana mine in Zambia and the development of its Reko Diq copper and gold project in Pakistan. It intends to undertake an IPO of its joint venture stakes in Nevada Gold Mines and Pueblo Viejo along with its Fourmile deposit later in 2026.

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

Datadog is a cloud-native company that focuses on analyzing machine data. The firm's product portfolio, delivered via software as a service, enables clients to monitor and analyze their entire information technology infrastructure, from servers to applications and Python scripts. Datadog's platform can ingest and analyze large amounts of machine-generated data in real time, allowing clients to utilize it for a variety of applications throughout their businesses to ensure uptime and latency objectives.

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. The group also develops nuclear reactor technology and associated engineering capabilities. Its United States advanced pressurised water reactor design was selected for the proposed Comanche Peak expansion in Texas. A subsidiary participated in the development joint venture with Luminant, separately from the existing operating nuclear units.

TE Connectivity is one of the world’s largest electrical connector suppliers, providing interconnects and sensors to the transportation, industrial, and communications markets. TE has a broad portfolio of hundreds of thousands of individual products across myriad end applications, often customized per application. It fits into many products with electronics and benefits from increasing electrification across cars, industrial equipment, and data center buildouts.

Strategy Inc is a bitcoin treasury company and a provider of business intelligence services. It is designed to provide investors varying degrees of economic exposure to Bitcoin by offering a range of securities, including equity and fixed-income instruments. The company also provides industry AI-powered enterprise analytics software. It has one reportable operating segment: the Software Business, which is engaged in the design, development, marketing, and sales of the company's enterprise analytics software platform through cloud subscriptions and licensing arrangements and related services (i.e., product support, consulting, and education). Geographically, the company operates in EMEA, U.S. and Other Regions, of which maximum revenue is derived from U.S..

AMETEK, Inc. is an American manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices, headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, with over 150 sites worldwide. It was founded in 1930 as American Machine and Metals and took the AMETEK name in the early 1960s. The company operates two groups, Electronic Instruments and Electromechanical, which together hold over 100 brands covering analytical, monitoring, testing and calibration instruments as well as electric motors, pumps and interconnects. It sells mainly to industrial, aerospace, medical, semiconductor and defence customers and earns revenue from product sales plus service and aftermarket support. Its shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and are part of the S&P 500. Acquisitions are one of its four stated strategic components, and it reported record quarterly sales of USD 2.04 billion for the second quarter of 2026.

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.

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.

Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology is the world’s largest manufacturer of video surveillance equipment. Since then, the company has been growing its software and analytics offerings, as customers are increasingly seeking customized total solutions. Hikvision is also developing its Innovative businesses, which accounted for 21% of overall 2023 revenue. The smart-home business is powered by the EZVIZ consumer brand. Innovative business includes the development of industrial robotics, automotive electronics, X-ray sensors, infrared sensors, memory products and medical systems. Hikvision employs more than 58,000 people.

Honeywell Aerospace Inc operates as an aerospace and defense supplier of systems and technologies that enable the production, maintenance, and safe operation of aerospace and defense platforms. Its products support original equipment manufacturer (OEM), government, defense prime contractor, and aircraft operator customers across the Commercial Air Transport, Business Aviation, and Defense and Space end markets. The company has three operating segments: Electronic Solutions (ES), Engines & Power Systems (E&PS), and Control Systems (CS ). The majority of revenue is derived from the Electronic Solutions segment, which offers Avionics, Navigation and Sensors, Electromagnetic Defensive Solutions, and Space systems. Geographically, the maximum revenue is generated from the United States.

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.

Assa Abloy is the world’s largest supplier of locking and physical access solutions, sporting the world’s largest installed base of locks that protect some of the most security-sensitive buildings, such as the European Parliament in Brussels. Some 70% of the group's revenue is derived from commercial, government, and other nonresidential customers. The company's product base is centered on electromechanical locks, which require identification to unlock with a keycard, biometric scan, or personal identification number. Assa Abloy's products are sold directly to security systems integrators, locksmiths, hardware stores, and original equipment manufacturers.

Heico is an aerospace and defense supplier that focuses on creating replacement parts for commercial aircraft and components for defense products. In commercial aerospace, Heico is the largest independent producer of replacement aircraft parts. In the defense market, the company produces niche subcomponents used in targeting technology as well as simulation equipment, among other categories. It operates two segments: the flight support group and the electronic technologies group. Both supply the aerospace and defense sectors to different degrees. Heico is persistently acquisitive, focusing on companies in similar or adjacent markets that offer strong cash flow and profitable growth potential.

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.

Rocket Lab Corp is engaged in space, building rockets, and spacecraft. It provides end-to-end mission services that provide frequent and reliable access to space for civil, defense, and commercial markets. It designs and manufactures the Electron and Neutron launch vehicles and Photon satellite platform. Rocket Lab's Electron launch vehicle has delivered multiple satellites to orbit for private and public sector organizations, enabling operations in national security, scientific research, space debris mitigation, Earth observation, climate monitoring, and communications. The business operates in two segments Launch Services and Space Systems. Geographically it serves Japan, and rest of the world and earns key revenue from the United States.

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.

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.

Leonardo is an Italian aerospace, defence and security group headquartered in Rome and listed on Borsa Italiana, with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance as its largest shareholder at about 30%. It was founded in 1948 and traded as Finmeccanica until it took its present name in 2017. The group is organised in helicopters, aircraft, aerostructures, electronics, cyber security and, since 2025, land armaments after the purchase of Iveco Defence Vehicles. It operates through subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS in the United States, and through joint ventures and holdings including MBDA, ATR, Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space, Avio and Hensoldt. Leonardo reported revenue of EUR 19.5 billion and net profit of EUR 1.33 billion in 2025, with about 62,800 employees. It buys bolt-on technology businesses in cyber, radar and unmanned systems and sells non-core units.

Denso was founded on Dec. 16, 1949, as Nippondenso, and is now a leading global manufacturer of automotive components, ranging from thermal and powertrain control systems to electronic and electrification solutions, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, and a core member of the Toyota Group.

Hexagon is the global leader in digital reality solutions, combining hardware such as sensors and measuring devices, software, and services. Customers are mainly in heavy industry, such as oil and gas, mining, construction, manufacturing, chemicals, and agriculture. Major products include measuring technology, mapping tools, and software. Around 40% of revenue is generated in the Americas, 35% in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and the rest in Asia.

Teledyne Technologies Inc provides enabling technologies to sense, analyze and distribute information for industrial growth markets that require advanced technology and high reliability. The firm operates in four segments: Digital Imaging, Instrumentation, Aerospace and Defense Electronics, and Engineered Systems. The Digital Imaging segment, that derives maximum revenue, includes high-performance sensors, cameras and systems, within the visible, infrared and X-ray spectra for use in industrial, government and medical applications, as well as MEMS and high-performance, high-reliability semiconductors including analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters. Geographically, the company operates in United States, Europe, Asia, and All other.

AVIC Chengdu Aircraft Co Ltd is engaged in the research and production of complete aviation weapons and equipment and their accessories and mainly focuses on the aviation industry.

Satellite television provides the bulk of EchoStar’s revenue. The firm serves about 5 million US satellite customers, about 10% of the traditional television market. It also serves 2 million customers under the Sling brand. EchoStar has also amassed an extensive portfolio of spectrum licenses and is building a nationwide wireless network. It acquired Sprint's prepaid business, serving approximately 7 million customers, primarily under the Boost brand. The firm has agreed to sell a portion of its wireless licenses to AT&T and SpaceX, and will rely heavily on the AT&T network to serve customers. EchoStar’s legacy businesses provide satellite telecom services and equipment to businesses and consumers, including about 800,000 internet customers.

Verisk is a leading data, analytics, and technology provider for property-casualty insurers. Verisk traces its history to Insurance Services Office, a nonprofit advisory organization founded in 1971 by US P&C insurers. ISO was formed as an association of insurance companies to assist with a variety of insurance use cases, such as reporting to regulators, defining policies, and determining independent premium rates. As the firm expanded its use cases, it became a for-profit company, renamed Verisk, and went public in 2009.Verisk’s single segment (insurance) provides underwriting solutions, including forms, rules, loss costs, and catastrophe modeling. For claims, Verisk’s solutions include property repair estimates and antifraud tools. About 83% of Verisk’s revenue is US-based.

Dassault Aviation, controlled by the French Dassault Group, designs, builds, and maintains military fighter jets and is one of the largest manufacturers of business jets. It holds a 26.6% stake in defense electronics group Thales, whose earnings contribution accounts for roughly half of Dassault's adjusted net income. In 2025, Dassault Aviation generated EUR 7.4 billion in revenue with over 15,000 employees. About 63% of revenue comes from defense aircraft and services, while Falcon business jets generate the remaining 37%.