Leidos stock jumps as earnings soar past estimates, guidance raised

RESTON, Va. - Leidos Holdings , Inc. (NYSE:LDOS ) saw its stock surge 4% after reporting third-quarter earnings that significantly exceeded analyst expectations and raising its full-year guidance.

The defense and technology services provider reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.93, surpassing the analyst consensus of $2.01 by a wide margin. Revenue for the quarter came in at $4.19 billion, beating estimates of $4.07 billion and representing a 7% increase YoY.

Leidos CEO Tom Bell attributed the strong performance to "continued improvement in operating performance across all segments," which led to "excellent revenue growth, record margins for net income and adjusted EBITDA, substantial earnings growth, strong cash flow, and robust bookings."

The company's adjusted EBITDA margin reached a record 14.2%, up from 11.5% in the same quarter last year. Net income for the quarter was $362 million, or $2.68 per diluted share, compared to a net loss in the year-ago period.

Looking ahead, Leidos raised its full-year guidance. The company now expects FY2024 EPS of $9.80-$10.00, up from the previous analyst consensus of $9.08. Full-year revenue is projected to be $16.35-16.45 billion, above the consensus estimate of $16.3 billion.

Bell expressed confidence in the company's outlook, stating, "With a healthy balance sheet, improving business development performance, and emerging 'North Star' strategy, Leidos is well positioned to deliver robust and sustainable returns as we move forward."

The company reported strong bookings of $8.1 billion for the quarter, representing a book-to-bill ratio of 1.9. This increased the company's total backlog to $40.6 billion at the end of the quarter.

Leidos also announced a 5.3% increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.40 per share, payable on December 31, 2024, to stockholders of record as of December 16, 2024.

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Source: Investing.com