Swan Defence and Heavy Valuation Multiples

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Quanta Services is a leading specialty contractor serving customers across the utility, telecom, oil and gas, and renewable energy markets. The company operates through two segments: electric and underground utility. Through a combination of organic growth and a disciplined acquisition strategy, Quanta has grown into the largest provider of electric transmission and distribution contracting services in the US.

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.

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.

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.

VINCI is a global concessions, energy, and construction group operating transport infrastructure, engineering, contracting, and facilities businesses. The organization serves B2B, B2G customers and counterparties through the operating assets, products, or financial capabilities described in the cited transaction materials. Its principal economics are Services, while its competitive position depends on sector expertise, asset quality, customer relationships, execution, and disciplined capital allocation. The business was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Nanterre. The Cegelec exchange expanded VINCI’s energy-services operations and made Qatari Diar a substantial shareholder. The profile reflects the legal or operating business at the transaction date, including its historical identity where a subsequent listing, merger, privatization, disposal, or reorganization changed its name or ownership.

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.

CRH is a global building materials group headquartered in Dublin, Ireland and New York, which moved its primary stock listing to the New York Stock Exchange in June 2023. It was formed on 20 October 1970 through the merger of Cement Limited and Roadstone Limited and listed on the Irish Stock Exchange in 1973. It operates through CRH Americas, covering materials and building solutions across 48 US states and 7 Canadian provinces, and CRH International, with operations in Europe, Australia and the Philippines, from about 3,961 locations in 28 countries. For 2025 it reported revenue of US$37.4 billion and net income of US$3.75 billion with about 83,000 employees, and it earns revenue from aggregates, cement, asphalt, ready-mixed concrete and building products. Its acquisitions include the EUR 6.5 billion Lafarge and Holcim assets in 2015, which included Tarmac in the UK, and Ash Grove Cement for US$3.5 billion in 2018. Jim Mintern is chief executive.

Rheinmetall is an international defense group supplying military vehicles, weapons and ammunition, air-defense systems, digital military solutions and naval platforms. Following the classification of power systems as discontinued operations in December 2025, all continuing-operation sales are generated by defense activities. The group reports through five segments: vehicle systems; weapons and ammunition; air defense; digital systems; and naval systems. The portfolio spans combat, support and logistics vehicles; weapons, ammunition and propellants; ground-based air and drone defense; military communications, soldier systems, aviation and simulation; and military surface vessels, maintenance and autonomous maritime systems.

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.

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.

Denmark-listed A.P. Moller-Maersk operates trade, shipping, logistics, and terminal assets globally. The oceans segment, the largest contributor to group revenue and earnings, has the second-largest oceangoing shipping capacity globally. Maersk has acquired several logistics firms in the past couple of years and plans to make the segment the company's growth engine. Over the past few years, Maersk has divested noncore operations, including its long-standing stakes in Danske Bank and Dansk Supermarked, as well as its oil and gas operations and ocean towing.

Comfort Systems USA Inc provides comprehensive mechanical contracting services, including heating, ventilation, & air conditioning, or HVAC; plumbing; piping & controls; construction; and other electrical components. Projects are mainly for commercial, industrial, & institutional buildings, & tend to be geared toward HVAC. Revenue is roughly split between installation services for newly constructed facilities & maintenance services for existing buildings. The company installs & repairs products and systems throughout the United States. It operates in two segments, Mechanical services & Electrical services, the majority is from the Mechanical services segment.

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.

China CSSC Holdings Ltd is a China-based company engaged in the business activities of shipbuilding and ship repair. Its main products are a Capesize bulk carrier, Floating production storage and offloading, Aframax tanker, and others. In addition, the company is also involved in the business activities of the power business, marine engineering, and electromechanical equipment.

COSCO SHIPPING Holdings Co Ltd is an investment holding company. The company's operating segments include the Container shipping business, Terminal business, and Corporate and other operations. It generates maximum revenue from the Container shipping business segment. Its geographical segments include America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Mainland China, and Other international markets.

Martin Marietta Materials is one of the United States' largest producer of construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand, and gravel). In 2024, Martin Marietta sold 191 million tons of aggregates. Martin Marietta's most important markets include Texas, North Carolina, Colorado, California, and Georgia, accounting for most of its sales. The company also uses its aggregates in its asphalt and ready-mixed concrete businesses. Martin’s magnesia specialties business produces magnesia-based chemical products and dolomitic lime.

Ferrovial is a global transportation infrastructure investor, developer, and operator, with a strong presence in North American toll roads. In recent years, it shifted its portfolio toward North America and India, and lowered its exposure to Europe (including selling its stake in Heathrow Airport). The jewels in its crown include its stake in the 99-year lease to operate the Highway 407 ETR toll road in Toronto and its concession to develop and operate New Terminal One at JFK until 2060.

Samsung C&T is a South Korean construction, trading and consumer-business group headquartered in Seoul and listed on the Korea Exchange, and it is often regarded as the de facto holding company of the Samsung group because of its large stakes in other Samsung affiliates. It is organised into Engineering & Construction, Trading & Investment, Fashion and Resort groups, plus a biopharmaceutical business built around its stake in contract manufacturer Samsung Biologics. The construction group is an engineering, procurement and construction contractor known for skyscrapers such as the Burj Khalifa, the Petronas Towers, Merdeka 118 and Taipei 101; the trading group handles international trade in industrial goods; the fashion group sells apparel brands such as Bean Pole; and the resort group runs the Everland and Caribbean Bay theme parks, golf courses and the Samsung Welstory food service business. In 2025 the company reported revenue of KRW 40.742 trillion and operating profit of KRW 3.293 trillion, with construction contributing KRW 14.1 trillion and trading KRW 14.6 trillion, and it employs more than 17,000 people. Samsung C&T was founded in 1938 by Lee Byung-chul as the first Samsung company, was designated Korea's first general trading company in 1975, merged with Samsung Construction in 1995 and combined with Cheil Industries in September 2015.

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.

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 operates in five segments: Aerospace; C4I and Cyber; ISTAR and EW; Land; and ESA. It derives maximum revenue from Land Segment. Geographically, it operates in Israel; North America; Europe; Asia-Pacific; Latin America; and Others.

Vulcan Materials is the largest producer of construction aggregates in the US. The company produced around 228 million tons of aggregates in 2025 and has 16.6 billion tons of proven and probable reserves, equivalent to roughly 83 years of supply at current production levels. Over the past several years, Vulcan has increasingly focused its portfolio on aggregates while reducing its exposure to downstream businesses such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt. The company operates across 23 US states, with additional operations in Mexico.

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.

Axon was founded in 1993, but its roots trace back to the invention of the Taser in 1974 by Jack Cover. Over the decades, Axon has expanded its product suite to include police body-worn cameras, a cloud-based evidence repository, AI-driven report-drafting software, drones and counter-drone sensors, and 911 dispatching software. The firm sells its products to end markets such as local and federal law enforcement, enterprise, corrections, and healthcare. It derives around four-fifths of its revenue from the US, with the remainder from international countries.

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.

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.

Hochtief AG develops and constructs building and infrastructure projects. It works on complex projects in transportation, energy, urban infrastructure, and mining markets. It expands transportation networks with roads, bridges, and tunnels, or designs and constructs office buildings, hospitals, and power plants. The company leans on expertise and technical know-how in developing, financing, building, and operating in designated business areas. Also, it will partner with external groups to work on specific components of a project. Its regional divisions are Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe. The Americas and the Asia Pacific account for the majority of sales and are where the company's assets are located.

EMCOR Group Inc is a specialty contractor in the United States and a provider of electrical and mechanical construction and facilities services, building services, and industrial services. Its services are provided to a broad range of commercial, technology, manufacturing, industrial, healthcare, utility, and institutional customers through approximately 100 operating subsidiaries. The company's operating subsidiaries are organized into reportable segments: United States mechanical construction and facilities services, which derives key revenue; United States electrical construction and facilities services; United States building services; United States industrial services; and United Kingdom building services. Geographically, its key revenue is derived from the United States.

Epiroc is a global manufacturer of niche equipment and services used by mining and infrastructure customers. The company’s products include hard rock drilling equipment and excavation technologies for underground and surface mining, as well as servicing and spare parts. Approximately 69% of group sales are from the aftermarket, which includes services and the sale of spare parts and consumables. Epiroc was spun out of Atlas Copco and listed as a stand-alone company on Nasdaq Stockholm in 2018.

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.

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.

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.

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.

China State Construction Engineering Corp Ltd is a construction and real estate conglomerate. The company conducts its operations through five segments: Housing Construction segment, Infrastructure Construction and Investment segment, Real Estate Development and Investment segment, Design & Survey segment, and Others segment. It derives the majority of its revenue from the Housing Construction segment. The company's services include product technology research and development, survey and design, real estate development, engineering contracting, equipment manufacturing, asset operation, and property management.

International Container Terminal Services Inc is a container-handling and terminal company. The company operates, manages, develops, and acquires container terminals to handle import and export cargo shipped in containers. Besides, the firm provides storage, container stripping and stuffing, and maintenance services. The company organises itself into three geographical segments: Asia; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; and Americas. The company derives the majority portion of revenue from the Asia segment, followed by the Americas and EMEA.

ACS Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA completes construction and service activities for infrastructure and energy projects. In addition to infrastructure-related developments, the company constructs buildings and projects related to the mining sector. It has four operating segments: construction (majority of total revenue), Concessions, Services (which offers comprehensive maintenance services for buildings, public places and organisations) and corporate. Its services revolve around industrial engineering and operating energy, industrial, and mobility infrastructures. Additional sales are generated from aftermarket services and contracts to perform upkeep on existing structures. Approximately half of total revenue derives from the Americas.

German-listed Hapag-Lloyd AG operates global trade, shipping, inland services, and terminal assets globally. Hapag-Lloyd liner shipping, the largest contributor to group revenue and earnings, has the fifth-largest shipping capacity globally. Hapag also provides a range of services, including e-business solutions, inland services, and terminal operations.