Elbit Systems Ltd. (ESLT)

Executive Summary / Key Takeaways

• Land Segment's Structural Transformation: Elbit's Land division has evolved from a product supplier to a turnkey solutions powerhouse, delivering 44% revenue growth year-to-date and becoming the company's largest segment. This shift is driving margin expansion because bundled systems command higher prices while operational leverage from the Ramat Beka production facility compresses unit costs.

• Cash Flow Inflection Validates Strategy: Five consecutive quarters of positive free cash flow and a 5.6x increase in nine-month operating cash flow ($461M vs. $82.5M) prove that Elbit has solved its historical working capital drag. This transformation means the company can now fund its European expansion and laser weapons R&D internally, reducing reliance on external financing.

• Combat-Proven Premium in Rearming Europe: With NATO's €150 billion rearmament fund and members rushing to meet 5% GDP defense targets, Elbit's battle-tested systems—Hermes 900 drones used by 20+ militaries, ReDrone C-UAS exported to NATO, PULS rocket launchers adopted by Germany and Netherlands—command a pricing power that U.S. primes cannot replicate. The record $23.8 billion backlog, with 38% deliverable by end-2026, provides revenue visibility rare for a mid-tier defense contractor.

• Geopolitical Risk Is Real but Manageable: While 20% of revenue remains exposed to Israeli defense spending, management's pivot to generate 70% of business outside Israel creates a natural hedge. The recent ceasefire allows operational regrouping and accelerates focus on European opportunities, where demand for artillery and air defense systems shows no signs of slowing.

• Valuation Reflects Growth, Not Margin Upside: Trading at 47x trailing earnings but only 2.9x sales, the market rewards Elbit's 18% top-line growth while undervaluing its margin trajectory. As Land segment margins expand and ESA's turnaround compounds, the operating margin gap versus peers (8.9% vs. 11-13% at L3Harris /RTX /Northrop Grumman ) should narrow, providing a dual earnings driver.

Setting the Scene: The Evolution From Component Supplier to Integrated Warfare Platform

Elbit Systems Ltd., incorporated in 1966 and headquartered in Haifa, Israel, spent its first four decades building a reputation as a reliable but fragmented supplier of defense electronics. The company made its money selling individual components—avionics, radios, electro-optics—to larger prime contractors and allied militaries. This model generated steady revenue but offered limited pricing power and left Elbit vulnerable to program cancellations.

That history matters because it explains why today's Elbit looks fundamentally different. A series of deliberate acquisitions, most notably IMI Systems, which consolidated all land warfare capabilities into a single division, transformed the company from a component vendor into a turnkey solutions provider. Rather than selling mortars or fire control systems separately, Elbit now offers complete artillery battalions with integrated command-and-control, a shift that moved it up the value chain and fundamentally altered its margin structure.

The defense industry backdrop makes this evolution timely. The war in Ukraine and the 12-day Israel-Iran campaign in 2025 shattered decades of European complacency about territorial defense. NATO's Secretary General proposed lifting defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2032, while the European Commission unlocked €150 billion for immediate rearmament. Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark aren't buying individual weapons—they urgently need complete, interoperable systems that can deploy within months, not years. Elbit's decades of experience integrating disparate technologies into functional ecosystems positions it perfectly for this shift from peacetime procurement to crisis-driven capability acquisition.

Elbit's competitive position reflects this middleweight agility. At $22.4 billion market capitalization, it lacks the scale of RTX ($230B) or Lockheed Martin ($106B), but its 70% international revenue base and 40+ local subsidiaries create a distribution advantage U.S. primes cannot match. While Lockheed Martin gets 70% of revenue from the Pentagon, Elbit sells to over 50 countries through locally staffed entities that understand procurement politics and create domestic jobs. This geographic diversification acts as a natural hedge against any single budget cycle, a structural advantage that peers with U.S.-centric models lack.

Technology, Products, and Strategic Differentiation: The Turnkey Moat

Elbit's product strategy centers on a simple but powerful insight: modern militaries don't need better components—they need integrated solutions that work out of the box. The Land segment embodies this philosophy, offering everything from 155mm SIGMA howitzers and PULS rocket launchers to networked fire control systems and precision-guided munitions, all managed through a unified command interface. This matters because it shifts customer relationships from transactional (buying a batch of rockets) to strategic (partnering for artillery battalion capability). The economic impact is immediate: bundled solutions carry higher gross margins, and integrated systems create switching costs that competitors cannot easily breach.

The Hermes 900 unmanned aerial system demonstrates this moat in action. Since its first order in 2011, the platform has won 20+ customers worldwide—not by being the cheapest drone, but because Elbit delivers a complete package including sensors, data links, ground stations, and AI-powered analysis software. For the Netherlands, which selected Hermes 900 alongside PULS launchers, the value proposition isn't piecemeal procurement; it's a coherent battlefield architecture where drones identify targets and rocket artillery engages them within a single operational chain. This ability to cross-sell across segments transforms each platform win into a multi-year revenue stream spanning hardware, software, and services.

High-power laser weapons represent Elbit's most significant technological bet. The October 2024 contract establishing Elbit as Israel's laser technology center, plus its role providing the laser source for the ground-based Iron Beam system (operational by end-2025), positions the company at the forefront of directed energy. CEO Butzi Machlis calls airborne lasers "a game changer" against drone swarms and cruise missiles. While still in development, this technology addresses a threat—mass drone attacks—that traditional missile defenses cannot economically counter. If successful, it creates a new category where Elbit isn't competing with RTX or Lockheed Martin on price; it's offering a capability they don't yet have, with pricing power that could exceed 40% gross margins.

The ReDrone counter-UAS system illustrates how combat experience translates into export success. Heavily used by the IDF during recent conflicts, ReDrone combines radar, electro-optics, signals intelligence, and both soft-kill (jamming) and hard-kill (lasers, interceptors) effectors into an AI-fused command system. NATO countries like the Netherlands have already purchased it, effectively outsourcing their drone defense R&D to a battle-tested Israeli system. This "combat-proven" label reduces foreign customers' procurement risk, allowing Elbit to command premium pricing while accelerating sales cycles from years to months.

Internal investments in AI and automation compound these advantages. The new ERP system, fully operational since 2024, provides real-time visibility across 40+ subsidiaries, optimizing inventory and logistics. At Ramat Beka, AI-powered cobots and automated production lines are ramping toward full operational status by end-2025. These initiatives cut production costs while improving quality, directly supporting the 0.9 percentage point gross margin expansion seen in Q3 2025. More importantly, they enable rapid scaling to meet European demand without the margin compression typically associated with capacity expansions.

Financial Performance & Segment Dynamics: The Numbers Behind the Narrative

Elbit's financial results validate the strategic pivot toward integrated solutions. Third quarter 2025 revenue grew 12% year-over-year to $1.922 billion, marking the seventh consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. While this top-line performance is strong, the real story lies beneath it: gross margin expanded to 24.9% (up 0.9pp) and operating margin reached 8.9% (up 1.6pp). These improvements didn't come from favorable product mix alone—they reflect structural enhancements in backlog profitability and operational execution.

The Land segment drives this inflection. With 41% growth in Q3 and 44% year-to-date, Land has become Elbit's largest division, exceeding $550 million in quarterly revenue. CFO Kobi Kagan described its operating margin as "pretty high," and management expects continued expansion as Ramat Beka reaches full capacity. This matters because Land's turnkey solutions carry fundamentally better economics than standalone component sales. When Germany orders PULS launchers, it must also buy command systems, munitions, and training—each element adding margin. The segment's 44% growth isn't just revenue; it's a margin mix shift that pulls overall profitability upward.

Aerospace presents a contrasting profile that highlights Elbit's diversification benefit. Q3 revenue declined 3% due to lower precision-guided munition sales in Asia Pacific, though nine-month growth remains 9%. Management correctly identifies this as a single-digit growth segment tied to the U.S. defense budget's modest expansion rate. Yet this apparent weakness actually strengthens the investment case: by growing Land at 44% while Aerospace moderates, Elbit is reducing its dependence on slow-growth U.S. programs and increasing exposure to urgently rearming European markets. The Hermes 900 platform's success—20+ customers worldwide—provides downside protection, as international UAV demand remains robust even if Pentagon spending stalls.

C4I & Cyber and ISTAR & EW deliver steady, profitable growth. The former grew 15% year-to-date on radio and command system sales to Israel and Europe, benefiting from network modernization programs. The latter's 8% nine-month growth includes high-power laser sales that management calls a "very important growth engine." These segments function as the technological glue connecting Elbit's major platforms. When a customer buys a PULS launcher, they need encrypted radios (C4I) and counter-battery radars (ISTAR). This cross-selling reduces customer acquisition costs and increases contract values, explaining why Elbit's backlog grew to a record $23.8 billion with 38% scheduled for delivery by end-2026.

Cash generation has fundamentally improved. Q3 free cash flow of $101 million marked the fifth consecutive positive quarter, while nine-month operating cash flow surged to $461 million from $82.5 million in 2024. This 5.6x increase stems from three sources: higher net income, improved working capital management via the new ERP system, and $170 million in customer down payments that reflect Elbit's negotiating power. The company is no longer financing customer programs with its own balance sheet—a historical drag that suppressed valuations. Instead, it's converting record revenue growth into actual cash, giving it flexibility to fund the €250 million annual CapEx program internally while pursuing M&A.

The balance sheet transformation supports this pivot. Net debt has decreased, financial expenses are falling, and the Q2 2025 equity raise added $573 million in growth capital without diluting the strong balance sheet. Debt-to-equity of 0.27 compares favorably to L3Harris (0.61), RTX (0.61), and especially Lockheed Martin (3.59), giving Elbit firepower to invest through cycles while peers deleverage.

Outlook, Management Guidance, and Execution Risk

Management's guidance frames 2025 as a mid-teens growth year, with 2026 targeting double-digit expansion. The strategic assumptions underpinning this outlook are explicit: European rearmament will accelerate, Israel's defense spending will remain elevated even post-ceasefire, and the U.S. market will provide steady single-digit growth. CFO Kagan stated the company is "targeting around flattish backlog in Israel and growth outside of Israel, predominantly in Europe," a geographic shift that de-risks the concentration that historically worried investors.

The ceasefire's impact reveals management's strategic agility. Rather than fearing a defense spending cut, Kagan sees it as an opportunity to "regroup" and "invest more in the business outside of Israel." CEO Machlis predicts continued investment because militaries must "build more inventories and treat equipment coming back from the field." This isn't wishful thinking—it reflects the reality that modern conflicts consume munitions and stress platforms at rates far exceeding peacetime planning. The 12-day Iran campaign alone created demand for Rampage missiles, precision munitions, and air defense systems that will require years of replacement and upgrade spending.

Execution risks center on scaling capacity without quality degradation. Ramat Beka will house dozens of production lines by end-2025, while the Ramat Hasharon facility continues operations through 2026. This dual-site transition risks operational inefficiencies, yet the 0.5pp operating margin expansion in Q3 suggests management is navigating it successfully. The integration of AI and robotics at Ramat Beka must deliver promised cost savings; failure would pressure margins just as Land segment growth peaks.

The U.S. market presents both opportunity and execution challenge. Elbit Systems of America (ESA) turned around from a 2023 loss by "flushing out losing contracts," with Q3 2025 marking the last quarter of Sparton sonobuoy losses. Now profitable with expanding margins, ESA is pursuing a $112 million Marine Corps night vision contract and border protection opportunities. Success here diversifies revenue and provides a U.S. production base that bypasses ITAR restrictions , but the segment's 6% nine-month growth lags overall company performance, indicating the turnaround remains fragile.

Management's refusal to provide explicit margin targets is telling. Kagan states they "will still maintain our internal targets to continue to improve our profitability," suggesting targets exist but aren't disclosed due to execution uncertainty. This conservatism is prudent—defense contract profitability can swing with program mix—but it leaves investors watching quarterly granularity to confirm the margin expansion thesis.

Risks and Asymmetries

Geopolitical concentration remains the primary thesis risk. While 70% of revenue now comes outside Israel, the Israeli Ministry of Defense still supplies approximately 20% of sales and serves as the crucial first customer for new systems like Iron Beam and Rampage. If regional stability holds and Israel dramatically cuts defense spending, Elbit would lose its product development partner and a key reference customer. However, management's commentary suggests this risk is overstated: the IDF needs to rebuild inventories, modernize platforms stressed by conflict, and maintain qualitative superiority over adversaries. Defense spending cuts would likely target personnel, not high-tech systems that create battlefield advantages.

European demand sustainability poses a more nuanced risk. The €150 billion rearmament fund and NATO's 5% GDP target are political commitments that could waver if economic conditions deteriorate or public opinion shifts. Yet the structural drivers—a revanchist Russia, depleted Ukrainian arsenals requiring replacement, and the demonstrated vulnerability of legacy air defenses to drone swarms—suggest multi-year demand visibility. Germany's PULS selection and Dutch ReDrone purchases indicate procurement is moving from study to contract award, making near-term cancellations unlikely.

Competitive dynamics could compress margins if U.S. primes decide to compete aggressively on price for European market share. RTX and Lockheed Martin have deeper balance sheets and could subsidize European sales with U.S. profits. Elbit counters with faster decision-making and battle-proven systems, but a price war would pressure the margin expansion story. The recent $260 million Airbus (EADSY) J-MUSIC contract demonstrates Elbit can win against Western competitors on technical merit, but such wins require continuous innovation to defend.

Supply chain vulnerabilities lurk beneath strong performance. Elbit sources components globally, and defense supply chains remain strained. The ERP system helps manage this complexity, but a critical shortage of specialized electronics or munitions propellant could delay deliveries and trigger contract penalties. Peer RTX has faced similar challenges, suggesting this is an industry-wide risk rather than Elbit-specific weakness.

The margin expansion thesis contains an embedded asymmetry: if Land segment growth slows, mix shift benefits reverse. Aerospace's single-digit trajectory and ESA's modest turnaround could drag overall margins down just as Land peaks. Conversely, if high-power lasers achieve operational status and export sales materialize, Elbit could capture a new high-margin category that competitors haven't entered, creating upside beyond current guidance.

Valuation Context

Trading at $466.17, Elbit Systems carries a $22.39 billion market capitalization and $21.94 billion enterprise value. The stock trades at 47.4x trailing earnings and 54.8x forward earnings—multiples that appear rich compared to L3Harris (29.7x trailing, 19.2x forward) or Northrop Grumman (20.4x trailing, 20.3x forward). However, this comparison misses two crucial distinctions: Elbit's 18% revenue growth for the nine months ended September 2025 significantly exceeds L3Harris 's 7% and Northrop Grumman (NOC)'s 4.3%, and its margin expansion trajectory is just beginning.

On price-to-sales, Elbit's 2.9x metric sits between L3Harris (2.4x) and RTX (2.7x), reflecting similar valuation but superior growth. The price-to-operating-cash-flow ratio of 24.5x is more reasonable than L3Harris 's 22.8x when considering Elbit's cash flow conversion is accelerating while peers' mature programs face plateauing cash generation. Enterprise value-to-EBITDA of 27.1x appears elevated, but this reflects the margin gap: as operating margins expand from 8.9% toward management's implied double-digit target, EBITDA growth should outpace revenue, compressing the multiple.

Balance sheet strength provides valuation support. Net debt is minimal with debt-to-equity of 0.27, far below Lockheed Martin 's 3.59 and RTX 's 0.61. This financial flexibility means Elbit can fund its €250 million CapEx program and pursue M&A without diluting shareholders or risking covenant breaches—a stability that commands a premium in an industry where peers carry leveraged balance sheets.

The key valuation question is whether margin expansion is priced in. At 24.2% gross margin, Elbit trails L3Harris (LHX)'s 25.7% but leads RTX (RTX)'s 20.1% and Lockheed Martin (LMT)'s 8.3%. The operating margin gap—8.9% versus peers' 11-13%—represents 300-400 basis points of potential improvement. If Land segment growth continues and operational excellence initiatives gain traction, every 100bp of margin expansion adds approximately $70 million to operating income, translating to meaningful EPS growth that current multiples don't appear to fully capture.

Conclusion

Elbit Systems is not the same company that investors evaluated three years ago. The Land segment's evolution into a turnkey solutions provider has fundamentally altered its margin profile, while five consecutive quarters of positive free cash flow prove the business model can convert growth into cash. In a world scrambling to rearm, Elbit's combat-proven systems—battle-tested in Gaza and refined over 20 customer deployments—provide a competitive moat that engineering specifications alone cannot replicate.

The investment thesis hinges on two variables: European defense spending must sustain its current urgency, and Elbit must execute its capacity expansion without margin erosion. The €150 billion European rearmament fund and NATO's 5% GDP target suggest demand visibility through 2026, while the Ramat Beka facility's phased ramp and ERP-driven operational improvements mitigate execution risk.

Geopolitical risks, while real, are more manageable than headlines suggest. The 70% international revenue base diversifies away from Israeli budget volatility, and the recent ceasefire provides operational breathing room to focus on the European funnel. Compared to U.S. peers locked into single-digit Pentagon budget growth, Elbit's European exposure offers superior top-line momentum.

Valuation appears demanding at 47x earnings, but the combination of 18% revenue growth, margin expansion potential, and improving cash conversion creates a compelling earnings growth story. If Land segment margins continue expanding and high-power lasers achieve export success, Elbit could narrow the profitability gap with larger peers while maintaining superior growth. For investors willing to underwrite geopolitical risk, the stock offers a rare combination: exposure to Europe's defense supercycle with a balance sheet strong enough to self-fund the opportunity. The next 12 months will reveal whether this transformation is durable or merely cyclical—the difference between a re-rated defense technology leader and a contractor that peaked with regional conflict.