The top five US weapons firms outperformed major Wall Street indexes in the last year, mostly on the backs of American taxpayers.
by Eli Clifton, Responsible Statecraft
In January 2022, Raytheon CEO Greg Hayes told investors that global instability presented a profit opportunity for his weapons firm. “[W]e are seeing, I would say, opportunities for international sales,” said Hayes, citing, among other global events, “tensions in Eastern Europe.” He went on to add, “All of those things are putting pressure on some of the defense spending over there. So I fully expect we’re going to see some benefit from it.”
Russia’s catastrophic invasion of Ukraine unleashed financial and humanitarian pressures around the world driven by rising energy prices, ballooning inflation, and food supply chain disruptions.
But Hayes was right. Raytheon and fellow weapons manufacturers have profited handsomely, even while most investors suffered losses.
The big five weapons firms have achieved impressive stock growth since Russia’s invasion, dramatically outperforming the major indexes. Shares in Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics appreciated in value 12.78 percent on average in the one-year span since the day before the Russian February 24 invasion last year until the close of financial markets on Thursday.
Recent Posts
Nobel-Winning Economist Calls For Climate Tax On Billionaires
April 29, 2024
Take Action Now And she called for the money to be sent directly to the world’s most climate-vulnerable people. by Arielle Samuelson, Heated……
Backroom Dealing Is Driving Right-Wing Abortion Bans
April 29, 2024
Take Action Now As state supreme courts consolidate power and corporate money, shoddy oversight allows justices to hide their financial conflicts of…
Students Beat The Bold Marauder — Ceasefire Summer, Education Summer, Freedom Summer, Or Liberation Summer?
April 29, 2024
Take Action Now With summer approaching, what will happen to the current encampments that seek an end to ties to genocide? By Michael Albert The…
Debt Dollars – The Unused Leverage
April 29, 2024
Take Action Now U.S. Treasuries are debt securities issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (USDT), the national treasury and finance…