Raytheon Surges with $2.88B F-35 Contract as Trading Volume Plunges 42.87% and Stock Slides to 221st in Market Activity

On August 25, 2025, Raytheon Technologies (RTX) traded at a 0.02% gain with a trading volume of $0.38 billion, marking a 42.87% decline from the previous day and ranking 221st in market activity. The stock’s performance coincided with a major $2.88 billion Navy contract for F-35 propulsion systems, reinforcing its dominance in critical defense infrastructure.

The contract, awarded in 2025, extends RTX’s monopoly on the F-35 program’s F135 engines, which power the U.S. military’s next-generation air fleet. With a hybrid cost-plus and fixed-price structure, the deal aligns RTX’s operational efficiency with defense modernization priorities. The company’s robust $92 billion defense backlog, bolstered by programs like AIM-9X missiles and SPY-6 radar, further cements its role in sustaining long-term revenue streams amid global geopolitical tensions.

RTX’s recent financials highlight its strategic positioning. Defense sales across its segments rose sharply in Q2 2025, driven by Pratt & Whitney’s F135 division and Raytheon’s defense systems. The updated 2025 guidance of $84.75–$85.5 billion in adjusted sales reflects confidence in its backlog, despite near-term challenges from tariffs and tax changes. The F-35 program, with its high-margin profile, is expected to remain a key earnings contributor.

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