Defense Companies Rebound
Defense companies, which have suffered mightily on the stock markets of late, took a sharp upturn, led by General Dynamics Corp., which posted strong earnings last Wednesday and was upgraded by brokerage SG Cowen Thursday. Shares of General Dynamics, builder of the Seawolf submarine and M-1 tank, as well as Gulfstream corporate jets, gained as much as 5-1/8 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange, before settling back to 55-3/4, up 3-3/4. Exchange. A spate of aerospace- and defense-related companies posted earnings that mostly beat Wall Street expectations Wednesday, including commercial aircraft and defense giant Boeing Co. and United Technologies Corp., which makes engines and helicopters, but also elevators and air conditioning systems.
Defense Companies Poised For Growth Under Bush
Despite the uncertainty of new government policy, the defense industry presents a picture of renewed growth, boosted by higher spending and technology funding under the George W. Bush administration. Makers of the nation's warfare technologies along with Wall Street analysts and industry consultants spent a week bragging about new opportunities and the likelihood of changes to Pentagon policy that would foster growth after 15 years of strained budgets. What's more, defense and aerospace stocks ended on a high note, climbing amid a broad market slump as 24 U.S. and British warplanes struck Iraqi military targets using various long-range, precision-guided weapons.
Newport News Backs $2.1 Billion Takeover From General Dynamics
Newport News Shipbuilding Inc. said Wednesday its board voted to back the $2.1 billion takeover offer from defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. over a rival bid from Northrop Grumman Corp. Newport News, maker of nuclear-powered warships, said its board voted unanimously to recommend General Dynamics' all-cash offer of $67.50 per share after determining it did not have enough information on the views of federal regulators and defense officials to take a position on the Northrop bid. Newport, based in Newport News, Va., also noted its board believes the General Dynamics' deal gives stockholders the opportunity to receive better and more certain value than they would receive under Northrop's cash and stock offer. "We will seek to determine the position of the U.S.
